Marines go to the mat

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QUANTICO, Va.

Lt. Col. Joseph C. Shusko tempers his fighting instruction with character-building lessons as he forges a new breed of warrior at the Marine Corps Martial Arts Center of Excellence here.

The 49-year-old native of Long Branch, N.J. -- known as "Cyborg" -- demonstrates the effectiveness of the Corps' new fighting style as he throws a trainee to the grass, climbs over him and clamps a chokehold during a drill.

Three seconds pass. Four seconds. Five.

The black-belt trainee -- a staff sergeant 14 years Cyborg's junior -- struggles, pulls, scrapes. His face turns red, then purple.

He sputters and spits and finally taps his opponent's arm. The hold is released. The trainee coughs and sucks in a deep breath.

He and Cyborg smile and shake hands.

Then it's someone else's turn.

If Col. Shusko has his way, every Marine -- and everyone near them -- will benefit from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). Unlike men and women in the other branches of the armed forces, every Marine is taught how to fight hand-to-hand, up close and personal.

"Every Marine is a rifleman. Every Marine is a martial artist," Col. Shusko says.