Target-Focus Weapons - Scholarship Winners Mar 2005

Ryan Smith’s email brought Captain Wullenwaber’s entire unit much closer to us all. And it now seems fitting that his unit be the recipient of his original Joint Breaking package.

So Ryan, we’ll be sending his package back to your unit, to permanently remain with the group. In addition, I’m also including a copy our Weapons program. The entire set is headed your way next week.

On to our winner:

This was difficult. In fact, so much so, I’ve copped out a little. I’ve decided in addition to the winner to also award three runner-up packages as well.

The runners-up:

* Angela Mauch of Broken Arrow, OK. Angela is a 25-year-old police officer for the Broken Arrow Police Department and Soldier in the Oklahoma Army National Guard. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis she has fought back and now returned to patrol duty. Her goal is to include the TFT program in her Defensive Tactics teachings and to lead soldiers overseas soon.

Angela, I think the perseverance you showed against some pretty formidable odds really exemplifies what this scholarship is about. We’ve got a copy of the TFT Weapons DVD series ear-marked for you.

* Howard Johnson. It seems Howard has spent much of his life in harms way protecting others. He was on the ill-fated American Airlines flight 633 from Puerto Rico to Dallas that crashed on takeoff. Howard was credited with saving 13 women and 7 children that day but 3 crushed vertebrae and complete blindness in one eye from saving a child in another incident left him living on disability.

Howard, you’ve fought a long way back from what happened to you while helping others, and we’re honoring you with a brand new copy of the TFT Joint Breaking series.

* Jason Whitney. Jason is a Passamaquoddy Native American and social worker for a high school. He spends much of his time teaching women how to deal with abuse while pretty much working with a zero budget (even the income from his recent tai chi classes went towards tsunami relief). Given the skills, he’d like to expand his teaching to include other tribes as well.

Jason, to make sure you’ve got the basics down, we’re sending you a complete set of our “Las Vegas” video series, the instructional portion from one of our live training weekends.

And the winning entry:
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This goes to SGT Hector Talamantez, Jr. of San Antonio, TX (and currently Bagdad, Iraq). Here’s what he wrote:
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Dear Mr. Tim Larkin,

The loss of any soldier is disheartening and today's newsletter speaking of CPT Luke Wullenwaber reinforced the dangers in Iraq. Personally, I believe “every” soldier who successfully and dutifully sacrifices his or her time away from their friends, family and loved ones, are ALL heroes. If this sounds like something “clichéd,” it's because “I know,” I am currently one of those soldiers on his second combat deployment in Baghdad, Iraq.

To rely solely on setting a professional example as a soldier in Iraq is not easy because carrying a weapon in enemy territory is a heavy responsibility viewed as a tool to “heal”...not to “hack.” If it’s peace through power that will help resolve the situation here in Iraq, then so be it. Remember, it took 11 years for us to adopt the U.S. Constitution, so there is no overnight, microwave solution.

My wife and I literally took a small loan and recently invested in TFT Principles giving me the confidence/courage to help others that cannot help themselves. The road to democracy is not easy, and as a soldier who spent more time with his soldiers than his wife in the past four years, I can attest that TFT gave me an edge.

For the safety of myself and my soldiers who deal daily with dangerous “captured” high risk/value insurgents that make the world “go round” in Iraq, I feel that TFT Joint Breaking is that edge we could benefit from.

Sincerely,
SGT Hector Talamantez Jr.
1/410th Military Police Company
CP Ferrin-Huggins
Baghdad, Iraq

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SGT Talamantes, congratulations from all of us here at the TFT Group. Vonnie will be sending you not only a complete TFT Joint Breaking package but also a set of the DVDs from our original live training we call the “New York” series.

One more special note:

To Roan Theron from South Africa... Roan is involved in a massive effort to impact the lives of many South Africans, where violence today is almost beyond comprehension. Nearly 55 people A DAY are murdered in a country of 48 million. Compare that to the US: 6 times larger, with nearly 290 million people, we only manage to kill 45 a day.

Roan, as part of this Scholarship program, we will contact you separately to discuss ways the TFT Group can assist with your efforts.

* * So many of you were deserving of this award...* *

Taking out a criminal intent on physically harming me would have been a cakewalk compared to deciding on a winner for this award.

There were just so many deserving entries.

I’d like to thank everyone who entered. If you weren’t chosen, your entry will go into the next month’s selection process along with other applications received during the month.

Again, my congratulations to each of the winners.

Best regards,

Tim Larkin,
Creator, Target-Focus Training

PS. Several of you emailed us about making a contribution to help fund these award packages. While I appreciate the thought, the TFT Group is donating each of the above programs.

However, a couple of you have continued to ask about contributing.

So on Tuesday I’ll send everyone a note on a special “matching-gift” program that could put more of these packages into needy hands. Watch for it.

PPS. If you haven’t already, read more about Captain Wullenwaber and this scholarship at: http://www.targetfocustraining.com/scholarship

Luke Wullenwaber Scholarship Winner -----------------------------------------------

Luke Wullenwaber Scholarship Winner
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