TF Spartan Soldiers knock out women’s self-defense course

Story by Capt. Tim Savidge, Task Force Spartan Public Affairs

For 16 days in December, Task Force Spartan Soldiers led female self-defense classes at the Kuwait Sports Club in downtown Kuwait City as a part of the “Every Soldier an Ambassador” program, which encourages interactions between deployed American Soldiers and local civilians. The classes were held in support of the United Nations Secretary-General’s “UNiTE by 2030” campaign to end violence against women.

The lead instructor for the classes was Major Sandra Wright, an engineer officer from the 29th Infantry Division. She coordinated a staff of eight female instructors—five from TF Spartan and three from the U.S. Air Force. Other TF Spartan Soldiers assisted with logistics, transportation, and medical support.

“Female empowerment is all about confidence, and it means being a support system for other women,” said Wright. The event consisted of 12 separate twoday long classes, as well as a specialty class for women with special needs. Each class began with an inspirational message from a local female leader and consisted of learning and practicing basic techniques of self-defense. The classes were free and open to local women. U.S. service members were also invited to attend.

“Over the course of the two days, the women came out of their shells. They got loud, they got excited, and they supported each other!” said Wright.

Ambassador Alina Romanowski, the U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait, even dropped by for a special session for her and her staff. The program wrapped up with a special celebration involving the instructors and many of the women who had attended the training.

“We are so pleased with the collaboration between Kuwait Sports Club, TF Spartan, and the US Embassy,” said Katie Garry, Cultural Attache for the US Embassy in Kuwait. “The workshop was one of the largest collaborations in recent memory between the US military, the US Embassy, and a Kuwait sports institution. We are grateful to have been a partner in this collaboration, and we look forward to future engagements.”

Ms. Balsam Al-Ayoub, a former international fencing competitor for Kuwait and the only female member of the board of directors of Kuwait Sports Club, organized the event. “I was impressed at the competence of the instructors from the Army!”, she said. “The women who came from the Army as instructors were respectful of our culture and were skilled in communicating with the local women who attended from all backgrounds and nationalities.”

Sergeant Song Eun Kim, a resource manager for TF Spartan, was glad she volunteered to attend a class.

“I enjoyed the class and learned some moves, but most importantly, I learned about the United Nations’ movement to end violence against women.” She noted, “The instructors empowered the women, and I could see their confidence grow in just two days!”

Similarly, the Soldiers who volunteered as instructors were positively affected.

“This event showed me the importance of community outreach, whether in a foreign country or in your own hometown,” said Staff Sergeant Sharon Jacobson, one of the volunteer instructors. “It helped me develop my leadership abilities too. At the beginning, I was nervous, but I put into practice the things we were learning–looking someone in the eye and being confident. It was exciting to see what an impact you can make with a smile and small encouragement–with helping the women see the strength and ability within them, whether they were a Soldier or a civilian.”

Women who attended the training were from several countries, including Kuwait, Tunisia, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Bangladesh, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines.

“We asked all the ladies who attended the classes to take what they learned and pass that along to someone else,” said Wright. “I’m hoping the ladies recognized how strong they are, that they really can protect themselves, their families, and their bodies, and I hope that they have a new sense of confidence,” she said.

By the time the program ended on December 22, the instructors had collectively invested over 250 hours training 243 local women and U.S. service members and building relationships that will last a lifetime.