FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 8, 2018) — A three-day quarterly Women’s Basic Self-Defense Class is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Nov. 15.

The class, open to female service members, family members and Department of Defense civilians ages 14 and older, will kick off Nov. 13 at Army Community Service, Building 486 and conclude Nov. 14 and 15 at Pippin Youth Center.

Carol Oberwager-Spencer, installation Sexual Assault Response coordinator, serves as a trainer for the Rape Aggression Defense Systems certified class.

“The R.A.D. Systems Women’s Basic Self-Defense builds confidence and provides education and tools to hopefully avoid abduction and physical harm should a woman find herself the victim of a violent attack,” Oberwager-Spencer said. “The class builds confidence through education about risk awareness, risk reduction, risk recognition and risk avoidance and by teaching basic physical responses by using repetitive movements over the nine hours of class.”

Students will be educated on safety and basic techniques to avoid abductions during the training, with the first class as an overview and discussion of risk reduction and prevention. The next two classes consist of learning and practicing physical defense moves.

The course is free on the installation and the R.A.D. System provides a lifetime return and practice policy for all basic students.

Instructors try to limit the class to 10 students at a time but do have the capabilities to provide training for larger groups if requested. Staff members have scheduled quarterly R.A.D. classes during the weekday but upon request can provide classes on evenings and weekends.

To register, or for more information, contact Oberwager-Spencer at 573.528.4098, 573.596.0212 or carol.a.oberwager.civ@mail.mil.