Sgt. Julia Cotton, a human resource sergeant with the 4th Sustainment Brigade looks over several forms while waiting to be medically cleared to compete in the 4th Sustainment Brigade sponsored Wrangler Rumble, the first Modern Army Combatives competition in Kuwait. Photo by Sgt. John Ortiz

One of the most crucial events before any fight competition is the weigh-in. This moment can make or break competitors, either allowing them to be stronger than the competition or dooming them to face a much larger opponent.

That day came all too soon for the more than 150 competitors throughout Kuwait who came to Camp Arifjan to sign up to participate in the Wrangler Rumble, the first Modern Army Combatives Competition in Kuwait sponsored by the 4th Sustainment Brigade.

From the sign-in sheet, straight to the scale, competitors left with one of two facial expressions, a smile or a frown.

After stepping on the scale, Spc. Jacob Brager, a unit supply specialist with the 1133rd Transportation Company with the Iowa National Guard, smiled and exclaimed, “155 baby!”

Before smiling from making weight, Brager wasn’t sure he would be on the scale waiting to compete.

“I just wasn’t a huge fan,” said Brager. “But after I practiced more and more with the company team, it made me more interested to where I showed up here for the weigh-ins.”

According to Brager, it wasn’t until he deployed to Camp Arifjan and enrolled in the brigade’s combatives program where he got his first real dose. “I’ve done combatives throughout my time in the Army, but it was here were I became a certified level-one instructor and hopefully will continue on to become level-two certified.”

The past few weeks have been tough for Brager, because he has been trying to cut weight to be able to fight against smaller competitors while still having a strength advantage.

“The nervousness is over and I am happy now, because I am 155.”

Even though cutting weight is a big deal in any fight competition, it is not the biggest.

“I’ve been working out a lot, trying to improve my conditioning,” said Brager. “Even though it’s a six-minute fight, you have to be conditioned to be able to control your breathing while fighting the whole time, because of that, I’ll be practicing every day to get better.”

During the in-processing, there was anoter person who was also smiling, weighing in at an even 170 lbs to fight in the middleweight category.

“I’m excited,” said Capt. Luke Lisell, a native of Roseau, Minn., and the transportation battle captain for the 4th Sustainment Brigade. “It’s always fun to get into competitions, and am glad they are putting the training to good use especially after participating in the training.”

Lisell started out in wrestling and after he joined the Army “just sort of migrated into combatives,” and for the past week has fighting with training partners along with hitting the gym for circuit training to help his conditioning.

While standing in the line to the mandatory medical screening, Lisell looked around and said, “Everyone here is a competitor; there will be good fights all around once [April 24] comes.”

Making sure the event was planned and went off without a hitch was a job for the senior combatives instructor for the 4th Sustainment Brigade Sgt. 1st Class Oran J. Spradley.

“Planning for an event like this involves many sleepless nights to brainstorm a way to find the most effective and efficient way to in-process, weigh-in, and medically screen competitors to get them back to their unit to complete their assigned mission,” said Spradley.

Standing in the middle of the in-processing area and seeing competitors take their photograph before the medical screening; Spradley said the turnout has been incredible. “Its good to see Soldiers from all over post and Kuwait come here to participate in the Wrangler Rumble.”

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. John Ortiz