R.A.D. program held at Luke

Jessica Forsberg grabs Rich St.John’s head during a training exercise. She learned how to defend herself during the Rape Aggression Defense Class (RAD) at the Health and Wellness Center on November 27, 2007 at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Senior Airman Forsberg is a customer service technician from the 56 comptroller squadron. (photo by Airman First Class David Bulkley)

R.A.D. program held at Luke

Dallas Mandy executes a swing kick against Kent Livingston during a Rape Agression Defense class Nov. 27, 2007. The four-session class is taught quarterly and will be presented at Luke 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays begining March 4 at the health and wellness center. (photo by Airman First Class David Bulkley)

R.A.D. program held at Luke

Claire Soucy lands a right hand blow to the head of Rich St.John during a training exercise Nov 27. She learned how to defend herself during the Rape Aggression Defense Class (RAD) held at the Health and Wellness Center here on Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Airman First Class Soucy is a maintenance scheduler for the 756 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. (photo by Airman First Class David Bulkley)

Luke members learn safety, self defense

Published Feb. 26, 2008
By Senior Airmen Kara McGrath
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The Luke sexual assault response coordinator currently offers women a class to learn self defense, situational awareness and education about today's sex offenders.

The Rape Aggression Defense System is a nationally recognized course that teaches women the fundamentals of an easy-to-remember form of self defense. The ultimate goal of the class is to learn how to stay alive.

R.A.D. is taught in a series of four classes given once a week over four consecutive weeks. What is taught is a style of self defense that is a modified version of what officers learn in the police academy.

"This is a nationally recognized program," said Lt. Rick Saint John, R.A.D. instructor, "that gives women of all ages the opportunity to learn how to best defend themselves in the event of an attack and provides them with more options to safely get away or simply stay alive."

Not only does this system give women the skills and knowledge of how to defend themselves from an attacker, it also gives alternate ways and suggestions on how to deter or avoid a possible attack.

"SARC has received nothing but positive feedback from R.A.D. students," said Evelyn Perez, SARC alternate at Luke. "We're trying to provide these women with a heightened sense of awareness and dependable self-defense skills."

Maj. Michelle Mandy, 56th Medical Support Squadron Education and Training Flight commander and former R.A.D. course student, was happy she took the class.

"It was good to see family members and young girls, or maybe I should say naïve girls, who were able to grasp the movements and learn different techniques that were simple enough to retain in a short amount of time," Major Mandy said.

R.A.D. was founded in 1989 by Larry Nadeau, a former Marine Corps military police officer. According to the R.A.D. Systems Web site, it is the largest organization of its kind and the only such organization or program to be endorsed by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

The R.A.D. course is available, free of charge, to females in the Luke community, ages thirteen and older. It's currently being held at the health and wellness center once per quarter on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 pm.

For more information, call Ms. Perez at (623)-856-4878.