Jett Garner Martial Arts has had an opportunity to train with an active United States Marine during the last few weeks. He is on temporary leave as he and his wife are expecting a baby any day now. As most Marines, he has a desire to keep busy, fit, and engaged so to speak while on leave. So, for the last three to four weeks he has been training at JGMA. He is ultra aggressive, very diligent, extremely committed to whatever drill we practice, and possesses a passion for kicking butt in class. This is the very mentality that we at JGMA try to attain for all of our students. He will be off to active duty soon, and no longer available to train with us. But, it gives me great comfort knowing that he, like most Marines, is committed to being their very best in all phases of combat. In class he once stated that, ” a fit man is a harder man to kill”. Now, I don’t want to reduce the life and job of a soldier to a martial arts program in Austin. They risk life and limb everyday they are on the job. But, being fit, is a massive component to being prepared should the stuff ever hit the fan. Should one ever be engaged in street combat in Austin, or anywhere in this country, fitness and aggression are two of the most vital components. Secondly, a person who is fit and confident in his defensive abilities should be the last person a predator preys upon. I’m not saying that a confident and excellent martial artists will never be a target, but we’re in the business of reducing risks, and handling risks should one be confronted with real danger. Back to the Marine- it has been a treat for all of us to see how hard this man works in class. He has motivated his fellow students and motivated me as the instructor. He will be missed by JGMA. However, it gives us all great comfort knowing that this is the type of Marine the USA is putting in place to protect this country. Whether you support the Middle East war or not is not the point of this entry. The point is, regardless of politics, the United States is still producing the finest soldiers in the world. They have a job to do, and they do it to the best of their ability. They love their country and they love their job. We are a better country because of the men and women who serve and have served this country. So, JGMA would like to salute all soldiers of all generations, and we want to give a special salute to a Marine named Steve, whom has provided us with so much inspiration over the last few weeks. Be safe my man, and congratulations to you and your family on the new baby boy.
Lastly, martial arts is preparation for battle. The difference between the preparations of a martial artist and a soldier is this- A soldier is likely to be entrenched in battle and are at risk every single day they are on the job. A martial artist simply prepares for an unknown predator at an unknown time and place, that may never show up so to speak. But, we still prepare for the battle. We should still train with the diligence and passion of a soldier. Martial Arts schools everywhere should be blessed to have the occasional active duty soldier train within their halls.
