USMC-MarinesCorps-CloseQuarterCombat(CQC)-

MCRP3-02BCloseCombatU.S.MarineCorps12February1999DEPARTMENTOFTHENAVYHeadquartersUnitedStatesMarineCorpsWashington,D.C.20380-177518February1999FOREWORD1.PURPOSEToday’sMarinesoperatewithinacontinuumofforcewhereconflictmaychangefromlowintensitytohighintensityoveramatterofhours.Marinesarealsoengagedinmanymilitaryoperationsotherthanwar,suchaspeacekeepingmissionsornoncom-batantevacuationoperations,wheredeadlyforcemaynotbeauthorized.Duringnon-combativeengagements,Marinesmustdetermineifasituationwarrantsapplyingdeadlyforce.SometimesMarinesmustdecideinamatterofsecondsbecausetheirlivesorthelivesofothersdependontheiractions.Tomaketherightdecision,Marinesmustunderstandboththelethalandnonlethalclosecombattechniquesneed-edtohandlethesituationresponsiblywithoutescalatingtheviolenceunnecessarily.MarineCorpsReferencePublication(MCRP)3-02B,CloseCombat,providesthetac-tics,techniques,andproceduresofMarineCorpsclosecombat.ItalsoprovidesthedoctrinalbasisfortheMarineCorpsCloseCombatTrainingProgram(MCCCTP).2.SCOPEThispublicationguidesindividualMarines,unitleaders,andclosecombatinstructorsinthepropertactics,techniques,andproceduresforclosecombat.MCRP3-02Bisnotintendedtoreplacesupervisionbyappropriateunitleadersandclosecombatin-structionbyqualifiedinstructors.Itsroleistoensurestandardizationandexecutionoftactics,techniques,andproceduresthroughouttheMarineCorps.3.SUPERSESSIONMCRP3-02BsupersedesFleetMarineForceManual(FMFM)0-7,CloseCombat,dated9July1993.Therearesignificantdifferencesbetweenthetwopublications.MCRP3-02Bshouldbereviewedinitsentirety.4.WARNINGTechniquesdescribedinthispublicationcancauseseriousinjuryordeath.PracticalapplicationinthetrainingofthesetechniqueswillbeconductedinstrictaccordancewithapprovedEntryLevelCloseCombat,CloseCombatInstructor(CCI),andCloseCombatInstructorTrainer(CCIT)lessonplans.Whereseriousdangerexists,theread-erisalertedbythefollowing:5.CERTIFICATIONReviewedandapprovedthisdate.BYDIRECTIONOFTHECOMMANDANTOFTHEMARINECORPSDISTRIBUTION:14400006600WARNINGJ.E.RHODESLieutenantGeneral,U.S.MarineCorpsCommandingGeneralMarineCorpsCombatDevelopmentCommandOVERVIEWOFCLOSECOMBAT1.PurposeofCloseCombatClosecombatisthephysicalconfrontationbe-tweentwoormoreopponents.Itinvolvesarmedandunarmedandlethalandnonlethalfightingtechniquesthatrangefromenforcedcompliancetodeadlyforce.Thepurposeofclosecombatistoexecutearmedandunarmedtechniquestopro-ducebothlethalandnonlethalresults.Unarmedtechniquesincludehand-to-handcombatandde-fenseagainsthand-heldweapons.Armedtech-niquesincludetechniquesappliedwitharifle,bayonet,knife,baton,oranyweaponofopportu-nity.2.ContinuumofForceMarineswillfindthemselvesinbothcombativeandnoncombativesituations.ThethreatlevelinthesesituationscanriseandfallseveraltimesbasedontheactionsofbothMarinesandthepeo-pleinvolved.Theescalationofforcestopswhenonepersoncomplieswiththedemandsimposedbyanotherperson.Thisrangeofactionsisknownasacontinuumofforce.Continuumofforceistheconceptthatthereisawiderangeofpossibleac-tions,rangingfromvoicecommandstoapplica-tionofdeadlyforce,thatmaybeusedtogainandmaintaincontrolofapotentiallydangeroussitua-tion(MCO5500.6_,ArmingofSecurityandLawEnforcement[LE]PersonnelandtheUseofForce).Continuumofforceconsistsoffivelevelsthatcorrespondtothebehaviorofthepeoplein-volvedandtheactionsMarinesusetohandlethesituation(seethetablebelow).Closecombattechniquesareexecutedinlevelsthree,four,andfive.LevelOne:Compliant(Cooperative)Thesubjectcomplieswithverbalcommands.Closecombattechniquesdonotapply.LevelTwo:Resistant(Passive)Thesubjectresistsverbalcommandsbutcompliesimmediatelytoanycontactcontrols.Closecom-battechniquesdonotapply..ContinuumofForceLevelDescriptionActions1Compliant(Cooperative)Verbalcommands2Resistant(Passive)Contactcontrols3Resistant(Active)Compliancetechniques4Assaultive(BodilyHarm)Defensivetactics5Assaultive(SeriousBodilyHarm/Death)DeadlyforceNote:ShadingindicateslevelsinwhichMarinesuseclosecombattechniques.vi_________________________________________________________________________________________________MCRP3-02BLevelThree:Resistant(Active)Thesubjectinitiallydemonstratesphysicalresis-tance.Marinesusecompliancetechniquestocon-trolthesituation.Levelthreeincorporatesclosecombattechniquestophysicallyforceasubjecttocomply.Techniquesinclude—lCome-alongholds.lSoft-handedstunningblows.lPaincompliancethroughjointmanipulationandtheuseofpressurepoints.LevelFour:Assaultive(BodilyHarm)ThesubjectmayphysicallyattackMarines,buthedoesnotuseaweapon.Marinesusedefensivetac-ticstoneutralizethethreat.Defensivetacticsin-cludethefollowingclosecombattechniques:lBlocks.lStrikes.lKicks.lEnhancedpaincomplianceprocedures.lNightstickblocksandblows.LevelFive:Assaultive(SeriousBodilyHarm/Death)Thesubjectusuallyhasaweaponandwilleitherkillorseriouslyinjuresomeoneifheisnotstoppedimmediatelyandbroughtundercontrol.Typically,tocontrolthesubject,Marinesapplydeadlyforcethroughtheuseofafirearm,buttheymayalsousearmedandunarmedclosecombattechniques.3.MarineCorpsTacticalConceptsClosecombattechniquessupportthefollowingkeyMarineCorpst