Justin (with gi on front row) and his class in Afghanistan
Major Justin Jacobs is a brown belt under GMA member Rafael Lovato Jr.
He is currently deployed to Afghanistan and tells us his experience with the gentle art at the military bases:
“Basically, we average about 15-20 students on a consistent basis, and we have had up to 30 students in the past. We are primarily Army/ Air Force personnel, with some private military contractors as well. We have students who have brought their gi’s with them, or wear their actual combat uniforms.
We meet 3 times a week, and provide both instruction in the basic jiu-jitsu techniques and training. We are primarily a conceptual form of training, because we experience a high turnover rate due to students rotating in and out of the Afghan Theater of Operations. Brazilain Jiu-Jitsu is perhaps the most popular class on the installation, and almost everyone who trains with us has heard of BJJ, particular individuals of the U.S. Army under the Army Combative’s Program. Periodically, we have International members join us from various foreign militaries including; Poland, Uzbekistan, France, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a safe, organized method of physical fitness that provides a tremendous amount of relief for the men and women of Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan; particular, in the stress of a combat environment. Likewise, it is an effective means of Self-Defense, and we practice Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Self Defense techniques.”
