Pacific West Academy Graduation - Class 59 January/February 2024

All right, we’ll get this on the road. I want to welcome everybody to graduating class for Pacific West Academy CESS program number 59. Thank you guys for having Me.

So I’d like to start off when I talk a little bit about what we’re here to do and what we try to do here at Pacific West Academy is to provide training so that we can create technically and tactically proficient security professionals to go out in the industry, get themselves some jobs, start to become leaders in this. It’s not just baseline that we want to prepare you for. We want to prepare you for those leadership roles. And a lot of you come with experience. And so I want you to try and jump into those immediately upon doing it. Now, while you’re here, you will be second to last when it comes to that of the time spent here as far as the 39-day program, right? We still run the 39-day program, but you had a condensed version when it came to it and you got stuff thrown at you very quickly, a lot of topics, very fast when it came to it.

So that being said, first two weeks, law, regulation, lot of PowerPoint stuff, a lot of going over a baseline of what it means and what you have to do to understand your role in the security industry. Not everybody wants to sit and learn about some of the regulations when it comes to it, but knowing these and being able to apply them is how you’re going to stay, first off, civilly and criminally not liable for things that happen in your career, or that may happen, and that you’ll be able to teach those underneath you the right and wrong things to do in this industry. You went through the guard card class, we did firearms, we did taser when it came to it, CPR, some of the baseline things that make you able to work in this particular industry. And then the latter half of the program, and that’s when everybody starts to find what they enjoy the most.

And the EVOC program, which hopefully you guys got to go bend around some cars, I wouldn’t suggest doing it with your own vehicles on the streets because you’d end up busting them up, but hopefully you learned something about yourself behind the wheel and about what cars are capable of. We’ve tried to provide a good range of vehicles so you can see what they do. The TECC portion, the toughest when it comes to assimilating that much information over that short period of time, all right, everybody in this class passed, which doesn’t happen all the time when it comes to the TECC portion. You guys are also one of the newer crews who’ve gotten the fog. We haven’t always implemented the fog. So if that’s something during the critiques you want to talk on, tell me about it because I need to figure out what we’re doing with the fog. So that portion, the range, everybody loves to come to the range, right?

Some people came here just for the range. Now, it shouldn’t be your end all be all because it’s a very small, very unprobable portion of what you do as a protection professional, but hopefully you learn some things on the range, a little bit about how to do things maybe in a different way. Hopefully it’s more proficient, hopefully it’s more efficient way of doing things for you when it comes to using Pistol. And then the combatives portion, right? There is no other program that runs this many hours in the combatives program. We are going to extend that another eight hours here starting in the March program. So we’ll go even further with it. And again, although I think it is a very large portion is understanding how to touch another human being in our line of work and doing it without injuring somebody as well as protecting somebody, it also isn’t the end result all the time.

Don’t jump to that final 10 out of 10 reaction without going through the proper planning stuff. One of the big things in the course that I like that I don’t normally touch on is, is you went out and you did an advance based on an actual client style assignment, and you went and presented that plan to myself inside of the conference room. Hopefully you all took something from that and you have a base understanding of how to properly advance a location and prepare a small detail when it comes to going out in the field and putting that together for your clients. So with that being said, we had everybody started one drop early on and we graduated 15 out of 16 when it came to this program. Everybody did well. It was a good class. I though you guys really kind of meshed well together.

Now, I don’t know what happens in the house when it comes to some of this stuff, but it is two months of going through, so there’s going to be ups and downs, but you guys did a very good job, I though, and I thought you guys worked well together with each other and it showed. It showed in the training and it showed to the instructors. So what I want to do first here is just talk a little bit about each person as we go down the line. This is all in alphabetical order, and then I’ll go ahead and present specific awards that we have for here. Okay? So nothing special, but once I get done with each person, go ahead and come on up and we’ll give you the mic. You can say anything that you want to say. So first off, this student ended up with the highest written final score, which by the way, I went through the written finals and if you want on the critiques, talk about the written final as well, right?

It’s not an easy final, but it does have some basic questions on it. I’d like to hear what you have to say when it comes to it. This person has a correct temperament and the disposition to be in this security industry. He has the ability to absorb, quickly implement new and acquired skills. Also, very tough guy, showed it during the combatives final, has the second highest score on the advanced firearms final and performed at a high level academically. We look forward to seeing him in the field. Mr. Matthew Bryant from Missouri. On this side. Good job. All right. Same thing.

I’ll just keep this really short. I’m really not one for words. Instructors, Matt, Benji, John, Alan, everyone, thank you for everything you taught us. Great, great group of guys. I love you all and I’m going to miss you. Thank you.

This next student came in with some very good wrestling skills, sharp mind, definitely embodies the core principles of what we see here at Pacific West Academy. His power is silenced. He impressed at every stage of the course and toughed out the combatives final. He can do what he wants in this industry, and I believe if he just picks a direction, he’ll eventually get there. We know he’s going to do some great things. Ended up with the second highest TECC score overall. So possibly if medical is in his future, I would say maybe add that to things that he’s capable of. Out of California, Mr. Nicholas Duran.

Good job. Thank you, sir. Same thing. I’ll keep it short. I appreciate all you guys. You guys were great. All the instructors, thank you guys very much for everything you guys taught. This school is amazing and look to see you guys in the future. Thank you.

And if somebody wants to go long, it’s okay. This next student came with some great previous experience and it showed throughout the course. Provided a lot of comic relief and helped keep things loose when things got tense, which is great to kind of keep everybody grounded at times. It was fun instructing him. He always had great questions and it was obvious that he wanted to perform at a high level and he was able to do that while staying relaxed, which is a great thing for this particular industry. Very well liked by his classmates and instructors out of California, Mr. David Figueroa.

I will not be keeping this short. No, I’m just kidding. No, I just want to say thank you to the staff. Sir, thank you again. Super. It was a privilege to be here. It’s not often that I feel like a boy amongst giants and the, the staff, the experience that’s here, even with the classmates. Some of you guys know I just came back from overseas and instead of being on my vacation, I came straight here, right? And I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t change that at all. Thank you very much. Hope I work with you guys alongside you guys moving forward. Definitely looking forward to that, but I thank you guys very much.

This next student came with a lot of relevant experience. I know I interviewed him. We talked about certain things. We know some of the same certain people. It quickly became apparent. Apparently he needs to decide if he’s going to keep his Boston accent, but we got through it. All right. Impressive on the range. Showed up in the combatives final even though he’s had a rough go with some injuries and some illnesses during the course, still pushed through, still completed, displaying toughness throughout. Honed some of his skills here and added some new ones, hopefully. And he can basically go any direction. I think he has the direction, knows what he wants to do. He just got to go get it done. Mr. Brandon Fish. South Carolina. Thank you.

I pocked the card. No, but on a serious note this school is great. I learned a lot while I was here. I learned a lot from all of you. Thanks to the instructors, you guys are awesome. Thanks, Don, for just, you know, being the boss and being a good one. I’d like to thank my business partner, Joan, for setting this up for me. And I’ll see you guys out in the field. I wish all of you the best of luck.

This next student put down, and this is from your instructors and everything as well, one of the toughest guys that we’ve had come through here. When he lacked in skill, he made up with pure toughness and determination. Apparently he also needs to decide what accent he wants to use. But excellent student whose career should get off to a running start. He has all the tangibles when it comes to doing this particular job. Many excellent questions. I could see through his eyes that he was engaged and wanted to learn, made huge strides at the range and in the classroom from mass by way of Dominican, Juana Costa. Go look up at here.

Well, just want to say thank you to everybody, the instructors. One of the best choices I ever made coming here. I learned a lot and I’m going to take those lessons back home. Thank you, Don. Thank you. Of course. Appreciate it.

Next student showed great skill on the mats range and the classroom. He could do with a little bit less questionable hair is what your instructor said. Luckily for him, most of us were focused on Nick, so it went mostly unnoticed. He also participated in the file, final of combatives while dealing with a bad shoulder. Tough, smart guy. We’re excited to see him in the field. Ended up with the top firearms overall score. All right? From California, Mr. Reymond Gonzalez.

Thank you. Just want to say thank you to the guys, the instructors. Course, that’s about it.

This next student came in with a world-class BJJ background, ended up with the top TECC and top combative score all around. Skills, obviously brought him, showed him, displayed great leadership and skills amongst his classmates as well. Already has a very successful school. I think this person can go in whatever direction he wants. If that’s opening up a security business in the future, I think he’ll be a great leader of people to show them how and what to do in this particular industry. From Washington, Mr. Alex Larmey. Thanks, man.

All right. Well, thank you guys. So first off, I wanted to thank all the instructors and everything. I will say that when I got out of the military, I really had a problem like kind of melding myself back into society. I started teaching a lot and I really was like aggravated with people’s lack of work ethic, their camaraderie. They don’t seem to care, you know what I mean? I saw some incidents in my own community where instead of helping people out, people were taking pictures on their phone. And so one of the things that I really appreciate is people that try to improve their community, that are, establish themselves as protectors, and try to really raise the bar for everyone to be just better, better men, better human beings, better leaders. And I see all of you guys display those qualities. And so it is, it’s a wonderful thing to, to see demonstrated.

I see a bunch of you in here eager and motivated to continue on that path, to be protectors in your community, you know, to go on to this career and like it motivates me. And so it makes me work harder and makes me want to continue doing it. So I challenge all of you to continue that motivation and that discipline to always seek to get better. Like I said, no matter how much you know there’s always someone that knows more and you can always improve. If you’re not moving forward, you’re probably moving backwards. So please continue to train, continue to build on the skills and the knowledge that these instructors have established. Thank you very much, Don. I really professionally appreciate your professionalism and everything you guys have done. You guys did an excellent job, so thank you very much guys. Appreciate it.

This next student came in, came in with a great boxing background and that showed as well. Might also be the best dressed student to ever come through the course. Talented photographer documented a large portion of the course. He was excellent on the range, classroom mats, paid attention to what was going on, looked like he was eager to learn what we had and came in what I thought was a great attitude. I question what the inside of the house with the camera set up in that little corner has going on on it because that style of couch is usually in some other things. But great student overall out of Philly, PA, Mr. Aaron Lucas.

I’m going to say a little bit. I’m not going to be up here too long. When I signed up for this class, it was kind of in a direction of me being a better person, being a better protector in general. And I had my expectations, things I was looking forward to, but the thing I most overlooked that I appreciated the most is you guys. There were mornings when I didn’t want to get up. There were times when I didn’t feel motivated when I just didn’t want to do anything. And whether it was you guys’ making noise in the morning, first thing in the morning, waking, waking my ass up when I didn’t want to get up or, you know, looking at the pictures, looking at the pictures and seeing the smiles and the good times and the camaraderie, and there was no way that the things that we did together could have been what they were without the brotherhood that we had. And I appreciate that. I appreciate that. Thank you.

Next student ended up being the papa bear of the group. Great leadership presence throughout the course. I think, or we think mostly Benji and Stick thinks that he caught the combatives bug and he’s always very engaged on the mats and hopes to see him continue his combatives training. Came in highly experienced person overall, lot of experience and a lot of problem solving, already a part of his repertoire. Really maximize his time at the academy and make great strides in his skill and tactical problem solving. It was a pleasure to have the chief in our course and we look forward to seeing him in the field on a regular basis from Texas, Mr. Kenneth Maust.

So this is my real hair. Yeah. Thanks guys. Thank you to all the instructors. Thank you guys and the staff. What can I say? I said it last night.

Anyway, I just want to say I’m an old guy and it’s never ever too late to learn something new. So keep it going for your lives and I appreciate, like I said, everything. Thank you guys. Thank you.

All right. This next student was a tremendous student overall. I though that he kept his head up and had good motivation even though some things didn’t go his way early on. One of those guys you can underestimate. His skills and strength really sneak up on you, can really excel in covert operations, counter surveillance and investigations that we think. Also has a great personality that provided a lot of comic relief, especially on the long days at the range. He performed at a high skill level. We think he can be in any position on any team and we look forward to seeing doing great things out of Virginia by way of Congo, and he put like three exclamation points on that and wants him to scream it, wants to yell at Mr. Christian Rukongeza. Thank you, man.

Thank you. Oh man. I got to say thank you. Thank you to Don. Thank you to the instructors. Thank you, Christina, and thank you to everybody.

Next student we think is a smooth guy and as Benji put it, a smooth operator. Already had a great baseline, skills, instincts, really showed the practical exercises and during the FTX really came out. We though that was a great showing of his skill level during the field training exercise. He’s played good emotional control and always looking for practical solutions to practical problems. He needs to get better at dealing with the left hooks, but he doesn’t go down, doesn’t quit. Great personality and can really get on a team and be a solo practitioner. We know Lakota’s going to do a great things out of California. Lakota Sims.

I just want to say thank you to the instructors. Thank you to everyone. You guys pushed, we all pushed each other and we all got better somehow in this course. We all struggled and we all had some, some, some downsides to it, but we pushed through it and we made it through and thank you to everyone. Appreciate It.

And this final student just did great throughout the course, really solid, has an analytical mind, really takes time, patient, intelligent, two attributes that most agent could use more of. Made big improvements in all aspects that were covered in the course, displayed great toughness in the combative final. Great at flying under the radar, could be a great advanced agent or covert operative guy. Quiet, but still in control and our instructors wish him well. I’ll say this, had a great score, rough final. Elsie would have been in one of the tippy top in this particular program from California, Mr. Kayson Williams. Thank you.

Not really good at speeches, but thank you for everyone. Thank the instructors for teaching me a lot, both Benji, Matt, and John. Thank you, Don, for letting me attend the course and just thank you overall.

Well, it’s funny that you say that, like letting you attend, right? So that being said, at least at any given moment, we don’t allow 25% of the applicants to come to this program. So you still have to be going through. Now, some for you, it may have felt easy going through and filling out the application, doing the interview with myself or one of the guys and Christina, and it was like, oh, that was just but that’s not for everybody. Some people do not pass the interview, do not pass the application through that portion. And so you guys were chosen to come through because we thought you had something either intrinsically or exteriorly to come through this program and complete it and go on to not just be practitioners, but also teach people. You know what I mean? So I want you to take the lessons learned here and the lessons that you continue to learn and go out there and help your teams, run your teams, do those things.

Xander already touched on it when it came to things. Do not go home and sit on a throne of experience that you came here and did something once. All of us have completed schools or things like that before. Some of them are years ago, right? Some of the schools that I completed were now decades ago, and so they’re really no longer part of the things that I know unless I’m continuously improving and practicing on them. This is an ever-evolving course. We’re always changing curriculum. We’re always trying to make sure that we’re teaching the best stuff, the most recent stuff that’s out there for the industry, and we will continue to be an ever-evolving course as the industry evolves, especially into more technical aspects that it is going into. But I really want you guys to hit the ground running when it comes to a particular either job offers or something like that, it never ends here. You need to make sure you’re moving your feet.

You need to make sure you’re contacting us still to see if we have anything that pops up. I still don’t have everybody in this group on the alumni page for the LinkedIn. That has me putting up jobs on it weekly. So I really want you guys to focus on that so we can get to work, right? Finally, I like to present three different things here. So scores don’t always tell the final answer of who’s going to be the best practitioner. You can’t put a number on something. There are intangibles that each of you have that can present to each of your different teams and provide value over what I can put on a number on a piece of paper. But they still have to be put down on a piece of paper. So that being said, we like to give a couple awards. First, when it comes to, we like to give like a Gray Man Award.

Somebody that we think that does everything at a very high level, but flies very under the radar and can do any position from either standing next to somebody and doing the actual personal protection work or sitting somewhere and doing counter surveillance, right? Not being noticed, the nail that doesn’t stick out. And in that case, they’re going to get one of our little bags here and the guys have loaded this thing up with, what did you guys put in at this time? Light.

Yeah, light. So just a bunch of little goodies that you can take on into your profession and stuff like that. And so the gray man for CESS 59 is going to be Mr. Nicholas Duran. Yeah, you don’t have to. Second place overall. And with this one, it was really hard because second, third, fourth were all right on top of each other. But I kind of set it out and really what set this person over the top was he had the highest final score and it crept him past everybody else. So that being said, second overall for CSS 59, Mr. Matthew Bryant. I’m telling you, like that, that three, that one through five and stuff through this course was really tight. You guys all know that you guys put the effort in on certain places. Some places you struggled when it comes to that. I’d love to give everybody 100s and things like that, but at the same time, I want to make this course tougher even than it is for right now.

Finally, this particular award not only goes to the top score, but somebody that we think embodies Pacific West Academy’s motto, quiet, assertive and in control. And this class was tough because I feel like all of you were in control. We didn’t have a lot of out of bound stepping and things like that through it. The leadership presented in it was tough because we have a lot of people I think can be leaders in this particular class. They’re going to get the SUNTO core outdoor watch. I have one of these. I’ve used one of these in the military and stuff like that back in the day for me. But CESS number 59, the top gun award is going to go to Mr. Alex Larmey. Top, top overall score. That’s all right. All right. If you want to, you don’t have to. Well, First of all – Yeah. Nick, if you’re watching, I got that. Props to him. He really thought that he was going to beat me and it motivated him and I appreciate that.

Hey, I’ll tell you this though, like, dude, this, I really like the fact that you had this because honestly, like it made me put a lot of extra effort into things just because I did want to try to win this. I sucked. I did everything well, I think until the shooting thing. And John will tell you, like, I went and I like got too overly cocky and I killed the hostage my first go around. But here’s my piece to that, man. I, I, I messed up, you know what I mean, like that? And I wanted to redo it. I probably could have just took my score. Like I didn’t really miss much on that, but it meant a lot to me to go back and to make myself better. So I redid it. All right? The highest I could get was a 90 and I went and I killed that hostage taker and I did much better the next time around. But my point is, is that like, dude, I am not perfect by any means. I’m not the best at anything, but I constantly try to seek to get better.

And if you guys all apply yourself to that, I guarantee you’ll outdo me in the future. So keep it up guys and thank you.

We, we can always learn things and stuff, especially when it comes to the technical aspect of things. So to, to finalize today and to, to get everybody, you know, kind of moving on their roads to whichever way it may be, every single one of you can contact anyone of us at any time. If you want to bounce a question off me, if I know somebody, if you need me to take a look at somebody, whatever, we’ll do that. Well, letters of recommendation throughout. Give me an email and I will talk to the person, right? Every single one of you deserve that from me, that’s for sure. But this course wouldn’t be what it is without the people that work here. So I’d like to go ahead and let’s give a round of applause to your instructors. Additionally, we have John, Madi and then Mama Bear Christina who gets you all through and into this course. Let’s thank her for. We got Andrea that keeps us compliant.

Make sure that we are putting on the best face that we can and the legal bounds and the ethical bounds that we do everything here. Let’s give thanks to Andrea for that. And although we’re in a nice small space, I really like to recognize the people that come to see you through this. We’re from all over the United States and just to have somebody behind you coming to see you graduate in a small place like this and a tough program comparatively to most other programs that are out there, you know, I want to thank the family members and stuff and thank them please for Your Show. So I hope we all learned something. I hope we all continue to learn something. I hope you guys learned some stuff and then you hit me up and you’re like, “Hey, I figured this out. I found this out. You might have this useful for the program.” Okay? I love to see that kind of stuff and I love to start implementing different things. So keep it up guys.

I hope to see you guys out there. I hope that our instructors who regularly work run into you at some stadium, something with some client somewhere. All right? So CESS 59 graduated. Thanks guys. So let’s go ahead and we’re going to put up some chairs here. We’re going to take a group photo with everything Spree, the short ones. Short guys in the back, tall guys in the front, chairs.