Certified Executive Security Specialist – Executive Protection Training: CESS Class 78 Graduation

Good morning everyone. Distinguished guests, proud families, and most importantly the graduates. Today marks a defining moment in your lives. Not just because you have completed this course here at Pacific West Academy, but because you have chosen a profession that demands more than skill. It demands discipline, judgment, integrity, and the willingness to stand in harm’s way. Over the course of your training, you have been tested physically, mentally, and emotionally. You’ve learned that executive protection is not about standing tall in a suit or driving fast. It’s about awareness when others are distracted. It’s about restraint when others would overreact. It’s about responsibility when there is no room for error. You’ve been pushed beyond your your comfort zones, early mornings, long days. Scenarios that didn’t go as planned. And that was intentional because out there in the real world, nothing ever goes as planned.

And that was the mark of a true professional is not perfection. It is adaptability. As an instructor, I’ve had the privilege of watching you grow. I’ve seen hesitation turn into confidence. I’ve seen individuals become teams. I’ve seen each of you begin to understand what it truly means to protect another human being. Not just physically, but through preparation, foresight, and professionalism. But let me be clear, graduating today does not mean you have reached the finish line. It means you have learn you’ve earned the right to begin. This profession will test you in ways this academy cannot fully replicate. You will face uncertainty. You will face pressure and at times you will face decisions where the right answer is not obvious. But the consequences are very real. In those moments you will fall back on what you’ve built. Your training, your mindset, and your standards. Remember this.

Your reputation will arrive before you do. In this industry, trust is everything. Be the professional others rely on. Be the person who does the right thing even when no one is watching, especially then. To the families and loved ones here today, thank you. Your support has been an critical part of this journey. Behind every graduate standing here is a network of people who believed in them, encouraged them and stood by them. And to the graduates, carry yourselves with humility, but never doubt your capability. Stay sharp, stay disciplined, stay committed to the constant improvement. The world you are stepping into requires nothing less. Now, please join me as I call each one of these students up in congratulating them. Zachary Andrews Damien Burton.

Thank you very much everybody. I think I really needed this. Appreciate you

Jeffrey. Thank you guys for everything. All the instructors and the family. Hopefully we all stay in touch.

Mark Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Yeah. To all you guys, I really appreciate getting to know everybody and share the time that we got to share with each other and hope to stay in contact and for everybody that came out. I appreciate you guys. Love you guys. Thank you.

Alejandro Henaochica. Well, first and foremost, I want to thank everybody that come out, to join us in our graduation. And I want to thank you guys for, for friendship because that’s what happens. That’s why you build in a house with 16 dudes for three months. So, thank you everyone and I wish you guys the best. Christoph Jimenez. Thank you.

Steven Law. Thank you, sir. Thank you everyone. It’s been a hard 10 weeks. Let’s do it. Jackson Mwaniki.

I know this past 10 weeks has been tough. We have learned from each other. I’m not the same. I believe we’re not all the same anymore. Thank you guys for everything. We We’ve been helping each other and I’m grateful. Thank you, Angel. That’s right. We made it. Baby.

Zachary Ratashak. Well, I say when we all got here, I know that they’ve talked a lot about other classes and I really appreciate everybody coming together. I know we’ve all learned from each other. We’ve gotten a lot closer. We’ve learned about each other’s families and, you know, likes, dislikes. We’ve had it out a little bit, but, you know, we kept it together as a team. And so, I really appreciate everybody, you know, working together like that. So, stay in contact if you guys ever need anything. I’m always here. And thank you for the families to come and support. Appreciate it. Alejandro Serrano Jonathan Trujillo

Joseph Vallejo I just want to say thank you to like my classmates and the instructors. I can’t wait to work with some of you guys in the future. So Jacob Villines, Shane Walters,

Thank you. I don’t really have too many words to say, but it’s nice meeting everybody. Thank you for all the families that come out. I’m going back to Ohio. If you guys are out that way, just hit me up. All right.

Just remember, you are no longer students. You represent this academy and yourselves from this day forward. Whatever you go, wherever you go, your actions will speak to the standards you have trained to uphold, to be quiet, assertive, and in control. Stand tall, stay ready, and never forget the responsibility that comes with a path you’ve chosen. And as Benji would say, no more side quests. Congratulations, gentlemen. You’ve earned it. Stay safe and stay prepared.

We’re going to have some choice words after this. All right, good morning graduates, family, and staff. Thank you all for coming today. For those of you who don’t already know me, my name is Matthew Zidalis. I’m part of the instructor staff here at Pacific West Academy. So at this time, we’d like to take a moment to recognize three students who whose performance stood out over the course of this training. These awards reflect not only technical skill, but also discipline, consistency, and the professional qualities required to operate effectively in the real world. Starting off with the Top Gun Award, this represents the highest level of overall academic and practical performance in this course and is based off of GPA. This student distinguished themselves through consistent excellence across all evolutions and evaluations.

From the beginning to the end of the program, they demonstrated discipline, attention to detail, and a clear commitment to mastering the material. Their ability to perform at a high level under pressure while maintaining accuracy and professionalism set the standard above their peers. Achieving this are not a result of a single strong performance but of sustained effort, focus and accountability throughout the entire course. On behalf of all the instructor cadre and staff here at Pacific West Academy, it is my privilege to recognize the top gun. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Henaochica. Congrats, brother. Thank you so much.

So with this award, he is also going to get a Suunto Core watch as well. So congratulations. Nice. Nice. Thank you. And I do my

You have any words? You go ahead. Well, I wasn’t expecting this to be honest at all. Everybody did a great job and I feel like if we could all get an award, you know, we all would be getting one.

I want to thank a few people that I think they did. I’m a little nervous right now, but I want to thank a few people that I think they helped me a lot throughout the academy. First I want to thank Mark for being such a great friend and for showing what it really takes to be a good father, good husband. And you have a great family. So thank you. So much. I want to thank some of you guys, especially Angel for beating me up

A lot of times, teaching me a lot. Making me feel vulnerable during the mat in the mats, right? Making me feel that it is very easy to get hurt, right? So, thank you. And then for you and because of Matt, I want to be able to progress on my martial arts u you know career. Right. To everybody else, Damien, thank you for helping me out getting a job. Right. You’ve been a great asset. Thank you for your advice, being a good friend. U was great sharing, you know, the talks that we had. Sack, great knowledge. Stand up, dude. You did great for all of us for keeping us accountable, right? And I think we I think this class especially, we did a really really good job because of you for being that leader, you know. I don’t have any more words, you know, to all of you guys. I love you guys. So, thanks so much.

Up next, we have second overall. The second overall award is presented to a student whose performance closely followed the top gun position in terms of GPA and reflects a high degree of capability, consistency, and determination. This individual demonstrated strong technical proficiency, and it’s just as importantly the ability to adapt and improve throughout the course. They approached each training evolution with focus and professionalism, continuously refining their skills and maintaining a high standard of performance. What stood out the most was their resilience, the ability to learn from setbacks, make adjustments, and come back even stronger. That mindset is essential for long-term success in this profession. It is my honor in recognizing our second overall graduate. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Oliveras.

There’s no plaque, brother, but I do have this for you. All right. So, inside this, there’s some things that are going to help you get started on your career. All right. I appreciate. Do you have any words you can go ahead and say? Yeah. I just want to say I appreciate all y’all. Y’all push each other. You make sure each other gets accountable. You helped out big. And then the instructors were phenomenal. Even Shaggy over here. Okay. Shortest words, man. He’s only doing that because my wife’s here. He’s mean to me behind closed doors. Babe, you should hit him. Okay. But thank you to the instructors. You helped out big. I appreciate you. Especially the questions you answered. And thank you boys. This was a great time.

And last we have the Greyman Award. So the Greyman Award is selected by the instructor cadre and recognizes a unique and highly valuable set of professional attributes. This award is presented to the student who demonstrated the ability to operate effectively across both overt and covert environments. Throughout the course, this individual showed exceptional situational awareness, composure, and adaptability. They understood when to take initiative and when to remain unnoticed, executing both with equally with effectiveness. The ability to blend in when necessary while still maintaining full control of a situation is a skill that is difficult to teach and even harder to master. It requires maturity, discipline, and a deep understanding for one’s environment. This student consistently displayed those qualities, and it is my privilege to present the Greyman Award. Please join me in recognizing Mr.

I got this for you. All right. I appreciate it. Old goody bag. Want to say some words? I’m a little nervous right now. I didn’t expect this at all. I guess I’m a gray man, but I appreciate you guys for coming out. I appreciate everybody looking, you know, on the Zoom or whatever, but thank you guys. Appreciate it. Graduates, what you’ve accomplished here is the result of discipline, accountability, and a willingness to be challenged. This is not the finish line. It is a foundation. Please remember that. What matters now is how to carry these standards forward. To all of our staff, thank you for upholding a level of training and support that demands excellence and requires and prepares students for a real world responsibility. Your professionalism does not go unnoticed and this academy would be nothing without you and your endless dedication. Thank you all.

To the families and supporters watching from afar, your role in getting them here and keeping them focused matters more than is often said. Thank you for standing behind them. And lastly, to the class, congratulations. Carry yourselves with professionalism, make sound decisions, and represent this academy well wherever you go. Gentlemen, thank you for coming. Thank you for your time and congratulations once again.