Funny message I received from a friend of mine that lives/works in Russia. Q: Why is hand to hand combat not valued as much by the Military? A: There is a Russian joke about the subject, that for a soldier to apply the knowledge of unarmed combat on the battlefield: He needs to lose his unit. He needs to lose his firearm. He needs to lose his knife. He needs to lose his spade, his belt, his armour, his helmet, and everything else he could use as a makeshift weapon. He needs to find himself on a plain open area without any rock, wooden stick, metal shard or anything alike. He needs to meet there another useless idiot like himself. And only after all these conditions are met they can finally engage in a fair and square hand-to-hand. Ironically, the joke was invented and is often told by Russian Special Forces, who actually do train pretty hard for melee.
It is similarly joked about by drill sergeants and combative instructors in the US military....at least in the Army. They told us the winner of a real hand to hand combat match will be whoever has a buddy show up with a gun first. Before coming out as a contractor I went through some training with a security company that was much more useful than what the Army ever showed me.
Chances are the bad guy is not coming at you empty handed. The Marines emphasized the e-tool (entrenching tool - multiple uses), if in dire straits.
I was thinking it would be valuable for when the 'friendly' rednecks in the bar try to show the Military men that they ain't so tough without a weapon in their hands.
