CAMP SARAFOVO, Bulgaria - -- U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Earp doesn't necessarily consider himself athletic. But, that didn't keep the 29-year-old communications computer systems specialist from the 735th Expeditionary Communications Squadron out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, from completing a "grueling" weeklong Marine Corps martial arts training program.
Not only did Staff Sgt. Earp complete the training, he, along with three other Air Force Airmen, and four Marines, attained the level of tan belt after an excruciating three-hour test.
"I wanted to see if I could complete a Marine Corps program. It was a challenge we don't get as Airmen, unless we pursue it on our own," he said.
Staff Sgt. Earp and the U.S. Marines out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., are in Bulgaria to participate in a two-week interoperability exercise. Combined Endeavor 2004 is a U.S. European Command-sponsored exercise, designed to identify and document command, control, communications and computer (C4) interoperability between NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. This year marks the first time in Combined Endeavor's 10-year existence that the exercise is operating in parallel from two different countries. The main site is located at Lager Aulenbach in Germany and the second site is located at Camp Sarafovo, Bulgaria.
While the exercise is mostly about communications, for the Marines, there always seems to be time to train. Staff Sgt. Earp saw their training as an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
"We'd never have a chance at this kind of training. I was thankful the Marines gave the Airmen a chance to participate in their program. And, they rewarded us with the same level as the other Marines. It was awesome," Staff Sgt. Earp said.
Attaining a tan belt involves mostly learning the basic maneuvers, said Marine Corps Sgt. Jason Tullier, 8th Communications Battalion digital switchboard technician and green belt user.
"They're only learning a little about gaining a tactical advantage. With the first level, the students are learning more about the fundamentals of survival," Sgt. Tullier said.
"The tan belt level teaches the foundation of martial arts," said Marine Corps Sgt. Frederick Riley, radio operator from the 8th Communications Battalion and green belt martial arts instructor. "The things they learn here will follow them through the highest level."
The things the students learned during their weeklong training class included, among others, the vertical knee and how to take a fall.
However, according to Sgt. Riley, even though martial art training is mostly mental, the physical part can be tough too. For instance, before the test, students participated in about an hour of combat conditioning. They completed leg lifts, pushups, body sparring and a lot of teamwork activities.
"The physical part of the training is to get the person so physically exhausted that they're forced to think and use the techniques they were taught," he said.
For Sgt. Riley, instructing the Airmen made the experience even better. While he knew he'd have Marines in his class (attaining the tan belt is a requirement for all Marines and some of his comrades hadn't completed the test yet), he was amazed to see Airmen along side the devil dawgs.
"I was surprised that they came out and did it. I didn't expect anyone other than the Marines who hadn't completed the test yet," Sgt. Riley said.
"This was a good experience for me. A lot of people talk about the Air Force and how they're less physical. I didn't see it out there," Sgt. Riley said. "I was surprised at how physically tough they were. They overcame their weaknesses, pushed themselves and finished it."
One particular Airman impressed Sgt. Riley a bit more than the others.
"Staff Sgt. Earp worked harder than anyone else out there," said Sgt. Riley. "He had the mentality to do this from beginning to end. While some of the other Airmen had to take breaks, Staff Sgt. Earp was focused."
"This was the most grueling training, as far as physical and mental, that I could've imagined. But it was well worth it. It was the chance to participate in a program that is unique to the Marine Corps," Staff Sgt. Earp said. "If nothing else, this was great to stand next to our fellow brothers in arms and be recognized."