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From Judo Strong......
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If you see a man or woman in uniform...go up to them and say "Thank you"
The walk of the Gentle way is not always a easy path . This i have
learned in judo and seen first hand in my every day life. I have the
honor to say that i have served my country at its time of need. My
journeys as a young man have taken me through many different
avenues and side walks.
I joined the army march 19th 2001 the day before we invaded Iraq. It
was my first understanding that there will be things that take
place in life that are not in our control, but we must tend to our
priority's . My time in Iraq was more than a mouth full of reality it was
a whole plate.
I have seen the beauty of the desert , and in the same glance ; the
cold reflection of the effects of war.
My thoughts of my time in Iraq is that there is calm in the mist of a
storm , you just have to weather the storm . I was in a convoy that
was hit by an IED however i was unharmed , and no one in my
company of a 120 soldiers were seriously hurt. I spent my first three
learned in judo and seen first hand in my every day life. I have the
honor to say that i have served my country at its time of need. My
journeys as a young man have taken me through many different
avenues and side walks.
I joined the army march 19th 2001 the day before we invaded Iraq. It
was my first understanding that there will be things that take
place in life that are not in our control, but we must tend to our
priority's . My time in Iraq was more than a mouth full of reality it was
a whole plate.
I have seen the beauty of the desert , and in the same glance ; the
cold reflection of the effects of war.
My thoughts of my time in Iraq is that there is calm in the mist of a
storm , you just have to weather the storm . I was in a convoy that
was hit by an IED however i was unharmed , and no one in my
company of a 120 soldiers were seriously hurt. I spent my first three
| This page is dedicated to the men and women who are members of Bushido Judo School, friends and associates of Bushido and others who have served in the military, fighting for our country. We are proud and we Thank you... |
months working , at the entry control point , for the Base camp in Mosule Iraq north of Baghdad.
My task was important to the lives of everyone on the base . I found contraband and illegal
weapons that could be used against us. Every moment was a moment spent being watchful and
suspicious of every one and every thing. We were over worked and under staffed , so for the first
3 months there were no days off. But we were relived and another company took over . Then i
was sent to guard a prison , which was , just as intense , and at the same time exciting .
All in all I would go back tomorrow if need be. I enjoyed the sense of purpose and the chance to
see how and why we are the Greatest Nation on the earth. I have a book shelf full of awards and
a uniform full of medals. But even better i have a life time full of memories. Nothing could ever
compare to the feeling of the respect that my friends and family have for me after i came back . At
23 I am a vet and a humble but proud one too. The Gentle way
My task was important to the lives of everyone on the base . I found contraband and illegal
weapons that could be used against us. Every moment was a moment spent being watchful and
suspicious of every one and every thing. We were over worked and under staffed , so for the first
3 months there were no days off. But we were relived and another company took over . Then i
was sent to guard a prison , which was , just as intense , and at the same time exciting .
All in all I would go back tomorrow if need be. I enjoyed the sense of purpose and the chance to
see how and why we are the Greatest Nation on the earth. I have a book shelf full of awards and
a uniform full of medals. But even better i have a life time full of memories. Nothing could ever
compare to the feeling of the respect that my friends and family have for me after i came back . At
23 I am a vet and a humble but proud one too. The Gentle way
| .. |
Sha-la Edwards |
Captain Rob Stanley |
I was deployed to Iraq on March of 2003. Sometimes I saw the people I
was shooting at; sometimes I just saw their muzzle flashes. Other
times I don't know what I was shooting at, only that i needed to shoot in
that direction at that time. Sometimes I saw my target fall from my
bullets, sometimes I did not.
They left me to guard the door they were using as an entry point. They
had been in the house for about three minutes when three of
the enemy came around the corner. Two were armed with AK-47's and
one with a pistol and an AK-47 Bayonet. I fired a three-round burst at
each of the men with AKs and saw them fall. My last three round burst
were all tracer rounds, letting me know i was out of ammo. The
remaining enemy was only five feet from me, so i did not have time to try
and reload. (I had been thrown back against the wall by the impact of
four bullets striking me in the chest, from the lower part of my rib cage to
the upper right, one of the bullets passing close enough to my neck to
leave a friction burn. If it had not been for my body armor and ballistic
plates, I would not be here writing this: as it is I had three cracked ribs
and a friction burn).
was shooting at; sometimes I just saw their muzzle flashes. Other
times I don't know what I was shooting at, only that i needed to shoot in
that direction at that time. Sometimes I saw my target fall from my
bullets, sometimes I did not.
They left me to guard the door they were using as an entry point. They
had been in the house for about three minutes when three of
the enemy came around the corner. Two were armed with AK-47's and
one with a pistol and an AK-47 Bayonet. I fired a three-round burst at
each of the men with AKs and saw them fall. My last three round burst
were all tracer rounds, letting me know i was out of ammo. The
remaining enemy was only five feet from me, so i did not have time to try
and reload. (I had been thrown back against the wall by the impact of
four bullets striking me in the chest, from the lower part of my rib cage to
the upper right, one of the bullets passing close enough to my neck to
leave a friction burn. If it had not been for my body armor and ballistic
plates, I would not be here writing this: as it is I had three cracked ribs
and a friction burn).
So. I dropped my rifle, stepped forward and grabbed the wrist of the remaining enemy's knife
hand. I performed a drop-knee shoulder throw, broke his elbow over my knee and finished him
with his own knife. When I looked up, one of the Special Forces guys was standing in the door.
He said, "I was going to give you a hand, but it looks like you didn't need any help." There were no
US casualties in the operation.
If it hadn't been for Sensei Stokes constantly drilling on the basics, I don't know what I would have
done. Never complain about practicing the basics: They are the building blocks for everything
else and can save your life. Also, I can personally state there is no glory in killing someone,
nothing to brag about, nothing cool, and it is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
It has not changed how I feel about serving my country or doing my duty. If I never have to fire my
weapon in combat again, I will be a very happy man,however, if I need to, I will. As I've said, there
is nothing to brag about in killing: anyone who does is a liar or a psychopath. The men who really
do the killing don't like to talk about it. I only share this in writing because of my trust and faith in
the Bushido Judo School, and in Sensei Stokes.
I end with this statement: "I am no hero, only a soldier who did his job to the best of his abilities;
nothing more."
hand. I performed a drop-knee shoulder throw, broke his elbow over my knee and finished him
with his own knife. When I looked up, one of the Special Forces guys was standing in the door.
He said, "I was going to give you a hand, but it looks like you didn't need any help." There were no
US casualties in the operation.
If it hadn't been for Sensei Stokes constantly drilling on the basics, I don't know what I would have
done. Never complain about practicing the basics: They are the building blocks for everything
else and can save your life. Also, I can personally state there is no glory in killing someone,
nothing to brag about, nothing cool, and it is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
It has not changed how I feel about serving my country or doing my duty. If I never have to fire my
weapon in combat again, I will be a very happy man,however, if I need to, I will. As I've said, there
is nothing to brag about in killing: anyone who does is a liar or a psychopath. The men who really
do the killing don't like to talk about it. I only share this in writing because of my trust and faith in
the Bushido Judo School, and in Sensei Stokes.
I end with this statement: "I am no hero, only a soldier who did his job to the best of his abilities;
nothing more."
I left for the Army on 18 August 99. Despite all Sensei Stokes’s
teachings I was still in a place in my life where I was lost. Without his
teachings there is no telling where I would be today. I was homeless
and lost. My best friend, Rob (that would be CPT Rob Stanley)
and I had discussed the Army for sometime and those talks guided me
to the recruiter’s office.
The Army gave me a home and put me back on the path that Sensei
Stokes had originally set me upon. In October of 2001, while
stationed at Fort Drum, NY, a month and a half after 9/11, I was on a
plane to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This six
month tour was my first real experience with the world outside of the
USA.
Being an Army brat, my father is a retired Sergeant Major, I have been to
other countries. I have lived in Germany, back when it was
still West Germany and well before the Wall had fallen, and in South
Korea. But those years were a sheltered time.
teachings I was still in a place in my life where I was lost. Without his
teachings there is no telling where I would be today. I was homeless
and lost. My best friend, Rob (that would be CPT Rob Stanley)
and I had discussed the Army for sometime and those talks guided me
to the recruiter’s office.
The Army gave me a home and put me back on the path that Sensei
Stokes had originally set me upon. In October of 2001, while
stationed at Fort Drum, NY, a month and a half after 9/11, I was on a
plane to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This six
month tour was my first real experience with the world outside of the
USA.
Being an Army brat, my father is a retired Sergeant Major, I have been to
other countries. I have lived in Germany, back when it was
still West Germany and well before the Wall had fallen, and in South
Korea. But those years were a sheltered time.
| .. |
Sergent Billy Jones |
Camp Able Sentry, in Macedonia, was culture shock pure and simple. The culture was different,
the language was different. Garbage was burned on the side of the street daily. For the first time
in my life I was in a whole different world.
I have been in the Army for nine years now. In that time I have been to at least eight different
countries and I have had my eyes opened more and more in each. The only thing constant in all
those years and those many, many miles, is the drive and discipline given to me by Sensei
Darian and the Bushido Judo School.
On 29 December 2003, I was promoted to Sergeant in the US Army. That was the proudest
moment of my career. The Army was
entrusting me with its most valuable resource, its Soldiers. The pride I felt that day was
overshadowed by only one day.
4 September 2003, I managed to attend a class at the Bushido Judo School. I had the honor
that day of teaching class. Teaching for me has always been a rare joy that I cannot describe.
That day, Sensei Stokes and the yudansha gathered. That day I was promoted to Shodan. That
day will always be special to me.
I have been to Iraq. I have been to Afghanistan. I will return to the “sandbox” again before I get
out. I am not combat arms. I have never fired my weapon against the enemy, and God willing
never will. I do my job and hopefully I will get to return home to my son. And someday, if I am
truly blessed, I will be there the day my son dons his first gi and eventually his first black belt.
The unit I am in now, our motto is “One Team, One Fight”. I have always felt the motto for the
Bushido Judo School to be “One Family,
One Heart”.
the language was different. Garbage was burned on the side of the street daily. For the first time
in my life I was in a whole different world.
I have been in the Army for nine years now. In that time I have been to at least eight different
countries and I have had my eyes opened more and more in each. The only thing constant in all
those years and those many, many miles, is the drive and discipline given to me by Sensei
Darian and the Bushido Judo School.
On 29 December 2003, I was promoted to Sergeant in the US Army. That was the proudest
moment of my career. The Army was
entrusting me with its most valuable resource, its Soldiers. The pride I felt that day was
overshadowed by only one day.
4 September 2003, I managed to attend a class at the Bushido Judo School. I had the honor
that day of teaching class. Teaching for me has always been a rare joy that I cannot describe.
That day, Sensei Stokes and the yudansha gathered. That day I was promoted to Shodan. That
day will always be special to me.
I have been to Iraq. I have been to Afghanistan. I will return to the “sandbox” again before I get
out. I am not combat arms. I have never fired my weapon against the enemy, and God willing
never will. I do my job and hopefully I will get to return home to my son. And someday, if I am
truly blessed, I will be there the day my son dons his first gi and eventually his first black belt.
The unit I am in now, our motto is “One Team, One Fight”. I have always felt the motto for the
Bushido Judo School to be “One Family,
One Heart”.
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