An Cosantóir

12 | Minimum Force, MAXIMUM EFFECT BY WESLEY BOURKE PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARMN NEVILLE COUGHLAN D efence Forces personnel are faced with many differ- ent jobs, ranging from ATCP/ATCA duties at home to peacekeeping and peace-enforcement missions overseas. Consequently, our personnel have to be trained to face a multitude of different scenarios. Thankfully, many of these duties are undertaken without the need to resort to force. Even when they do, it is to be hoped the end can be achieved through an authoritative command or at worst by a wrist-lock and a pair of handcuffs. Not only is it vital for the soldier to be able to determine the proper level of response to an incident but also that he or she is able to apply that response. To that end, Defence Forces personnel are taught unarmed combat, with the principle of applying the 'absolute minimum use of force necessary' drilled into them from day one. Unarmed combat instructors are trained in the Defence Forces Physical Education School (DFPES) in the DFTC. The course is open to all officers and NCOs and students do not need to have any prior experience. "Some students coming on the course do have martial arts, like judo or ka- rate for example, or boxing experience," said instructor Cpl Denis Haden, "but it isn't necessary as the unarmed combat course is a mixture of everything. The key thing that we tell them from the start is that unarmed combat is totally a form of self-defence; the only time it can be used offen- sively is as an absolute last resort." The three-week instructors course is intense and physi- cally demanding , students need to be fit. While students don't need to have unarmed combat experience they do need to be fit. Once instructor Sgt Jim Maguire blows that whistle, it's all go. Over the three weeks the students learn everything from simple voice procedures all the way up to dealing with a hostile person armed with a rifle. "The course is designed to address most things guys may come across, whether it's in a ATCP role at home or on an overseas operation," explained instructor Cpl Leonard Smith. "The students learn everything from arrest-and- restrain techniques, basic blocks and strikes, to using weapons of opportunity; that is basically anything that you are carrying or anything you may come across that can be used against an opponent." Students are taught how to defend themselves in a multitude of scenarios and while I expressed my un- derstanding of how you could be taught to defend yourself against an unarmed person I told my hosts that I had my doubts about it being pos- sible against someone armed with a pistol or a rifle. As a consequence of my Doubting Thomas attitude I soon found myself armed with a Steyr facing Cpl Smith. With the rifle in my hands I felt fairly confident that I was in charge and soon got fully into my part as 'an armed aggres- sor'. However, my confidence, and my aggressive instinct soon got me too close to Cpl Smith and just as quickly I found my Steyr was in his hands and I was on the ground! A major aim of the course is to teach the students how to identify the level of force they need to use to deal with any given situation, so without even realising it the students are get- ting lessons on conflict resolution. "The course revolves around the first two degrees of force we are allowed to use, unarmed restraint and weight of numbers," Sgt McGuire said. "All the techniques, such as arrest-and- restraint or the use of batons, are taught from the perspective of the minimum use of force. They are taught to assess each situation. For example, if confronted by someone with a knife, is it neces- An Cosantóir February 2012

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