Soldiers ground fight during a jiujitsu match on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy at Camp Normandy, Germany. Soldiers stationed in Grafenwoehr have set up a martial arts club to continue the training they were accustomed to back home. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Soldiers ground fight during a jiujitsu match on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy at Camp Normandy, Germany. Soldiers stationed in Grafenwoehr have set up a martial arts club to continue the training they were accustomed to back home. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
A martial arts instructor watches as soldiers ground fight during a jiujitsu match on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy in Camp Normandy, Germany. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Soldiers ground fight during a jiujitsu match, Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy in Camp Normandy, Germany. Soldiers stationed in Grafenwoehr have set up an all-volunteer martial arts club set. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
A soldier taps out during a jiujitsu match on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy at Camp Normandy, Germany. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
A soldier demonstrates a bow-and-arrow choke during a jiujitsu match on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy in Camp Normandy, Germany. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
A soldier watches a jiujitsu match on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy at Camp Normandy, Germany. A new volunteer martial arts club, which offers instruction to soldiers and spouses, put on the match. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Soldiers observe jiujitsu instructors demonstrating a technique on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy combatives facility at Camp Normandy, Germany. The instructors volunteer their time each week so soldiers and spouses can practice martial arts for free. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP NORMANDY, Germany — The first rule of this fight club is to talk about it. Army combatives instructors and soldiers with a background in kickboxing and jiujitsu want to get the word out about the martial arts club they’ve set up.
The club meets in the combatives facility at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy at Camp Normandy in Grafenwoehr, Germany. All the instructors work on a volunteer basis, and the NCO Academy allows them to use the facility free of charge. For that reason, there’s no charge to soldiers or dependents for classes.
Sgt. 1st Class David Johnson, an Army medic who volunteers to teach jiujitsu at the club, said training there can increase physical conditioning and help combat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Classes in martial arts are available at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
