Laying the foundation

I was fortunate to grow up in a household where honor and service were valued and emphasized. A natural consequence of honor is obedience, although some people may view the word “obey” as unfavorable. In reality, obedience is a fundamental aspect of upholding a code of honor, and having honor is beautiful. I loved my childhood. It helped mold me into the values I hold dear to this day. 

Everyone has something they hold in high esteem and take pride in serving, and by doing so, they can grow in other areas of their life. Even today, I strive to teach and share these principles with my children and grandchildren. I lead by example with everyone I encounter, as positive behaviors can be contagious. At least, this is my ultimate aim.

The Goal

Ultimately, I hope for a society where the default behavior is to serve honorably. This takes me back to the Karate Creed I was raised on in the Dojo, where I trained from age 13 to now. An excerpt from that creed is: “To build a strong and happy community. Never fight to achieve selfish ends, but to develop Might for Right.” This behavior can impact an entire society with a ripple effect. 

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree

My dad was a law enforcement officer (LEO) from when I was a baby until I was 14. My parents were on the force, and growing up, I witnessed many stories of heroism, joy, craziness, and grief. It was an exciting life as a kid to have cop parents. My dad was ahead of his time, and they should have created an episode of “Bad Boys Bad Boys Whatcha Gonna Do” on him; that would have been epic! 

Started From the Bottom Now Were Here- Drake

My dad’s authority and title rose as he served. I watched him help direct traffic in parades and hurricanes, go undercover, and even wear disguises. He went from a rookie patrol cop to the head of the Narcotics division. From there, he was offered the position of Chief of Police. He accepted, and when in that position, his motto was “Always Vigilant.” He even had all the squad cars decked out with this phrase. Being vigilant is likened to being proactive and disciplined. I understood what the outcome would be if he or his department felt otherwise; the community as a whole would suffer. This was not going to happen on his watch. He began task forces investigating crime rings and operating stings. He was looking into some important cases and had evidence in a book. 

Uncomfortable moments can lead to exponential outcomes. 

One day, I visited my dad in his office after he got promoted to the Chief of Police. As he was called to the front, he warned me not to look at these books. I agreed, but curiosity got the better, and I decided to take a peek. Growing up watching shows about war, history, westerns, and the army, I could handle seeing profiles of crime scenes; at least, I thought I could. However, as I looked at the images, hot tears started pouring down my face; I felt frozen and couldn’t move (be careful what you look at as an image never leaves you). Looking at photo after another, It was as if my mind was taken to the scene of the crime; I was lifted into the corner pocket of the ceiling and, with all my might, yelled, “RUN,” “Get AWAY,” “NO”… The pictures I saw that day have stayed with me forever. 

This is the impact those pictures made on me. I chose a career path to help serve others in self-defense. I want someone with an arsenal of wisdom and skills to help them out of a bad situation. When my dad walked back into the room and saw me crying, he knew I had seen what he didn’t want me to see.

He dropped to his knees, hugged me, and said, “I told you not to look at that.” I had seen picture after picture of abused children. 

I could not imagine why anyone on earth would want to harm a child. I knew from that day I would be in an industry of service to anyone who helps protect children, including fostering children’s programs over the decades where self-defense was taught and backed with the principles that support them.  

Proof is in the Pudding

I opened my Dojo in 1998; I already had earned two Black Belts and was evolving in the Martial Arts world, adding to my TROUPE, Karate, Modern Arnis, Krav Maga, JiuJitsu, and Keysi Fight Method. I was specializing in Self-defense. Martial Arts was not the only tool; I needed an arsenal, I became a PPO, Personal Protection Officer, Firearms Instructor, and more. Then in 2006, I became a Certified Force Training Instructor. This enabled me to teach those who help protect the community. I have taught and served countless children since 1995 and numerous LEOs across Texas. I held Force Training classes weekly and traveled each month for a season from Bryan/College Station to Laredo to teach and help protect the communities they serve, including the Border Patrol.

A third of all students who enrolled in my school, aka Dojo, told me that the reason they were signing up or if they were parents of a child was that they had experienced abuse of some sort or attack. They wanted an arsenal. Others wanted to be proactive. As a result they were taught how to defend themselves as well as “Never to Fight to Achieve Selfish Ends, But to Develop Might for Right!”

I have countless stories about these days of old, past, and present, but for now, stay vigilant, always, and stay gold, ponyboy!

The cover photo for this blog entry is one of the Border Patrol Officers I taught.