 The purpose of the Martial Arts Instructor course is to mold Marines into Martial Arts Instructors and it's more than just teaching techniques, it's being able to put that level of confidence and knowledge inside of them that they're going to be able to go out there and employ the program in the right manner going forward. What motivated me to become an MAI was that I enjoyed martial arts. I started studying before I joined the Marine Corps and I think it's really important for everyone to be able to defend themselves in any kind of situation that can come up. Becoming an MAI was really motivating because you get to push yourself and you see how you can overcome barriers, your own mental barriers that you put up as far as what you can do physically. There come a time where you want to quit and you just have to keep going so pushing through that barrier can be really difficult. Really integrating all three aspects of our physical and mental character disciplines and then working together as a team because any time you go anywhere with Marines you're going to have Marines to your left and your right, you need to be looking out for each other and incorporating those disciplines. So physical discipline, making sure that we're physically fit and able to take the fight out there with whatever gear we need and then mental, making sure that we're mentally ready. We can combat fear and mental fatigue and then character discipline and making sure that we're ethical warriors. We're doing the right things at the right times for the right reasons. Knowing when to use the skills that you've learned here. In the culminating event there's a lot of physical discomfort. It was really, really cold out there. When we were moving it wasn't so bad. We got warmed up but then you stop and you get cold again and bruised up while you're fighting but you just have to keep pushing through mentally to keep moving physically and knowing that this is where it really counts.