The USMC UBBC

RACastanet · Post by **RACastanet** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:43 pm

Hello all. Yep, more to brag about. This morning at 0630 I took the USMC Martial Arts Program Black Belt test @ Quantico, VA. I am very sore and tired but proud to say that I passed with a near perfect score.

The route to this test took 23 months and included many early mornings (3:30 am rise time) and countless miles, situps, pullups, freezing mornings, baking afternoons, gallons of sweat, miles of athletic tape, piles of Tylenol and Nuprin, and too many visits to the ortho and chiro etc.

Today's test was unique in that I took a Marine reserve SSgt who had been training with me up to Quantico so he could test for his brown belt. My pretest warmup was to be his testing 'meat puppet'. For 30 minutes I was thrown, choked, joint locked and otherwise beaten upon as he demonstrated his martial skills.

My reward? I was really warmed, loosened up and motivated when it was time to use him as my 'meat puppet' for about a 40 minute test. Payback is a b*tch!

Plus, I was allowed to show off my black belt techniques. Ever experience a rolling knee bar or triangle choke? Not very pleasent.

Here is my 'diploma':

With a perfect score in the prelims and a 96% grade in the black belt final I will also carry the title 'subject matter expert'. This means I can train Marines up to and including the black belt in the MCMAP.

Here is the special black belt awarded to an SME:

The gold stripe identifies an SME.

I get to take a few weeks off from training to recover but was told there is more to come. Plus, lots of Marines to train.

There is life after 50!

Rich

benzocaine · Post by **benzocaine** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:55 pm

Wow Rich!

Very Cool. Congratulations!!

Post by **gmattson** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:17 pm

that's one for the 'old' guys...

We are all very proud of you.

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:30 pm

Congratulations are of course in order. But I am not surprised....

Thanks to The Marines for taking such good care of you!

- Bill

Mark Weitz · Post by **Mark Weitz** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:50 pm

Congratulations on your success! This sounds like a tough test, indeed. I will never complain about turning 40 again re training.

All the best,

Mark

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:51 pm

Rich,

My hat off to a very special person.

Mary S · Post by **Mary S** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:56 pm

Congratulations to you Rich!!

Dana Sheets · Post by **Dana Sheets** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 11:02 pm

Your accomplishment is just awesome. Are you the first civilian to receive an SME bb? I wouldn't be surprised - few can have that level of determination and tenacity.

I'll be sure to lift a glass and shout your name!

Dana

RACastanet · Post by **RACastanet** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 11:30 pm

Thanks to all of you for the kind remarks. It was a long and tough road, and as I sit here I am dealing with the battering as I speak.

Dana said: "Are you the first civilian to receive an SME bb?"

Yes, I believe that to be true. In fact, I'm the first and only civilian bb period. There are other SMEs, some civilian, some retired Marines, but I am the 'civilian bb SME'. I'm referred to as a 'Civilian Marine' and there is a warrant signed by the prior Commandant to that effect. Also, I will get a separate warrant as an SME. There are also a few bb SME emeritus.

But, bottom line, my MCMAP bb has no qualifiers attached. I trained toe to toe with the regulars and was told by the CO before the test, 'no freebies'. He tested me personally and signed my certificate for validation. Very special!

A new gym is being built for the use of the program. It should be finished in June and will be dedicated by Gen Jones and Gen Hagee, the originator of MCMAP and his successor as Commandant. I'm on the guest list for that!

Rich

Raffi Derderian · Post by **Raffi Derderian** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:33 am

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Rich!!!!!!
Susan and I are so very happy for you in what is certainly a highlight of your life. You are one of IUKF's shining stars my friend.
Heal up, there's more waiting for you I am sure.
Raffi

2Green · Post by **2Green** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:00 am

Congratulations, Mr. Castanet, from an over-50 Uechi-Ka.
My God, what IS it about Uechi Ryu that produces such luminaries?
Like, thanks a lot, there goes the after-50 excuse, and here is a role model anyone could aspire to!
You've put both yourself and Uechi into history. A lot of us will have to bite our tongues so as to not "pin your medals upon our chest" in spite of the pride we feel for you.
But we can express that pride and admiration to you personally.
Please accept mine!

NM

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:20 am

Congratulations on your acheivement

Rick Wilson · Post by **Rick Wilson** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:57 am

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

Michael L.E. Court · Post by **Michael L.E. Court** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:06 am

SWEET indeed !!! Congratulations

Humbly,

RACastanet · Post by **RACastanet** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 9:10 pm

Again, thank you all for the encouragement.

I do not want to swell Bill G's head too much but he/Uechi-ryu provided me with the base of knowledge and conditioning that I needed to get to this point in the USMC program. Over a decade ago (at least) he taught me how to roll and fall, and how to properly stretch. These two skills along with the Uechi foundation gave me a huge head start.

The Marines gave me the chance to test and refine these skills outside of the dojo in real world conditions... Let me attest to this, Uechi is at the core of much of MCMAP and it works.

Others, such as Raffi, Roy Bedard and the other great instructors I met at summer camp (special thanks here to GEM sensei) also contributed to my success.

So, thanks to all of you.

Regards, Rich Castanet
USMC MA Black Belt and SME

The USMC UBBC

The USMC UBBC

Ataboy Rich...