The Combatives 'Dark Ages' period, where training was watered down and FM 21-150 was the default FM, occurred in which era?

• A. Post WWII era
• B. WWI era
• C. Vietnam era
• D. Modern era

Answer: (A)

This is testing knowledge of when Army Combatives training was at its leanest and bound to a single, broad field manual rather than a specialized, evolving program. After World War II the Army’s close-quarters training faded in emphasis for a period, and FM 21-150 stood as the default reference rather than a dedicated, modern curriculum. That Post-WWII era is when the so-called Dark Ages happened. Later eras—the Vietnam era and especially the Modern era—saw renewed investment, updates to training, and more comprehensive, hands-on combatives programs. The World War I period is far earlier and doesn’t fit this pattern of relying on FM 21-150 as the default.