The Mat as a Battlefield: Veterans and Jiu-Jitsu
We flocked to the recruiting stations, inspired by a newfound love of country; born from shock, embarrassment, and hatred. Born from a republic struggling to realize its own frailty. The result was a visceral response that inspired a nation and manufactured a generation of combat veterans.
Those veterans who knew far away places, never mentioned in headlines. With names like Hurricane Point, Pankisi Gorge, As Saqlawiyah, Ghazni and so many others. They will never forget the smell of the trash fields, burning tires, port-a-potties, nor the sounds of rockets as they whined their way through the sky, the stench of the cheap cigarettes, the name of your translator and all the bad news.
These are the same veterans who forgot about politics because there was only time to look out for one another. They forgot about the conspiracies, the oil, the vote, the date; but can remember the faces.
The veteran, who for so many days could not wait to go home, only to arrive and long to return to the battlefield. To be with those who understood. To fight, to cry, to love and to hate.
There are masses of veterans in their middle 30’s and older still daydreaming. Waiting to be called.
Many have found purpose and new battles to be had. The number of veterans becoming students of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is growing exponentially. For many years, unless you were in Southern California, finding a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school was nearly impossible. The art has proliferated to the point that it is hard not to come across a school.
The veterans of the Global War fit perfectly onto the chessboard known as Jiu-Jitsu. An art with its roots in warfare is the perfect setting for many veterans. The Jiu-Jitsu schools, often known as “Academies” or “Dojos” are breeding grounds for friendships and camaraderie built around moments of shared misery, glimpses of triumph and the undeniable truths about ourselves.
Jiu-Jitsu teaches us some very hard and exacting lessons about our abilities. You will be challenged physically and mentally in almost every aspect of the art. You will be frustrated and sore, tired, and disheartened. Many fellow students and training partners will come and go. Most of their names you will not remember.
For those who dedicate themselves to Jiu-Jitsu, the rewards are beyond description. Every time you walk into your school there is a feeling of ownership and self-worth. Every student plays such an important role in the progress and proclivity for hard work in the school. It takes an entire student body to get proficient at Jiu-Jitsu. The team makes you better, none of this occurs in a vacuum.
Just when you think you are improving, someone will remind you of your own mortality and vulnerability. After which you have two choices.
Accept defeat and circle the drain never to return
Accept defeat….in that moment, shake hands and do it again
Your once veteran subculture will find a new home in the Jiu-Jitsu subculture. There will be inside jokes, laughs, nicknames and wardrobe changes.
The mind of the veteran who stays with the art is sharpened. You continually have to remind yourself that you are unbeatable, while being bested. You have to believe you are getting better, though your body reveals the lie. You will know pride in your team once more. You will know the pain of having to leave them, or to have a teammate leave you. Like the ranks of so many units, you will be surrounded with people you would not have otherwise crossed paths with. They will be your brothers and your sisters.
The mat will be your battlefield!
Written by Nathan Mendes
Nathan is a law enforcement officer in California and is currently assigned to a major crimes task force. He has worked in various assignments including; Patrol, SWAT, Sniper/ Observer, Homicide, Narcotics and Vice. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Weapons and Tactics School and has participated in numerous missions as an Operator, Breacher, Grenadier and Sniper/ Observer.
Nathan served for six years in the U.S. Marine Corps, deploying to Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2004 with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. While in Iraq, Nathan was assigned to a Human Exploitation Team and International Police Liaison Team as a machine gun crewman, interrogator and trainer/ liaison. His team was responsible for training and working alongside the fledgling Iraqi Police, Emergency Response Team (SWAT) and the Iraqi Special Forces.
Nathan is certified through the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) to teach firearms, defensive tactics, impact weapons, and chemical agents. He is a Gracie Survival Tactics (Level 1&2) instructor and the co-founder of the Law Enforcement Combatives Course.
Nathan is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and is the owner/ head instructor of a school in Northern California.
