“Freedom is secured every day by our men and women in uniform. We must build a furture worthy of their sacrifice"

As of 2017, there are over 1,281,900 men and women serving in the United States Federal Armed Forces with over 150,000 deployed in 150 countries around the world.

To date, more than 2 million American children have had a parent deployed at least once, with over 900,000 overseas multiple times.

By now it would be difficult to find someone who does not understand the sacrifice of such a life and though we can only imagine the stress, anxiety and/or depression that our soldiers and their families suffer from, can we truly comprehend what it is like to live without a parent, a spouse, a partner; not by choice but duty? Soldiers with a voluntary willingness to serve, protect, and risk their lives for millions of Americans they have never met, families willing to support such sacrifice, not knowing when their loved one will come home, if at all.

Many families discuss the lack of continuity and control, moving 10 times more than civilian families. Many spouses have difficulty making friends knowing that it is only temporary; feeling self-conscious spending time with civilian couples. 37% of children reported feeling sad or hopeless throughout their parent’s deployment wondering if they would ever see them again.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of programs available to our brave men and women and their families but much of it is provided through the military branch on site or unfortunately, after the fact; when a parent does not come home or is tormented through the witness of actions we could never comprehend.

But what of the civilian sector?  What can we do in the interim that would provide some much needed encouragement, support and camaraderie?  How can we come alongside them and let them know how much their sacrifice means to us and our freedom?

At Team Focus for Freedom, we are building the bridge between military families and we civilians they protect; providing free Martial Arts and Life Skills Training for children of deployed, disabled, and financially stressed retired personnel. It may seem unlikely that martial arts in any way could make a difference yet children of deployed parents or veterans will have the benefit of learning an empowering and invaluable life skill set that will provide the long term consistency and mentoring they so desperately need than that of seasonal sports.  With an after school program, they can also receive homework help and, just as important, lend much needed time for the parent working just as hard at home as their spouse is abroad.  A support system with accredited professionals will be on hand for the entire family as well free training for veterans at our Academy of Martial Arts Instruction and Management to prepare for a permanent position or as a temporary opportunity to financially support their families while furthering their education.

Our country has grown and flourished through the selfless acts of those that serve.  It is our goal, as it should be for everyone, to support the men, women and families of the military every step of the way. 

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”    Winston Churchill

Like many Americans in our military, Jeff always had an innate calling to serve his country.  Ever since he can remember, even as a small child, he looked to those who dedicated their life to this greater cause as one of the hardest, yet most honorable goals one could accomplish in life.  Not from a military family himself, many believed that it was odd for him to have such fervor, convincing him that following the conventional route of a civilian was the more favorable course of action.

Then, one of the most unparalleled tragedies in the history of the United States occurred on September 11, 2001.  Jeff knew he was needed, but he was barely out of high school, gainfully employed, looking forward to saving enough money to go to college and, in love.  His present conditions were just too ideal to steer off track; and, he tried to convince himself of that as much as others had.

So, on course he stayed, eventually getting married and welcoming his first-borne, a son.  His college plans needed to be deferred as a result, and though on the surface, content with his life, the yearning to do more, to be more, never ceased.  The aspiration of his childhood felt more justifiable than ever; yes, he still desired to serve his country, but now he needed to keep his family safe.  He promptly enlisted, in the Marines, of course.

After boot camp, Jeff was stationed in Camp Pendleton, in one the most deployable units in the corp.  It took only two months after his arrival in California for Jeff to find himself in one of the most dangerous and feared countries in the world.  He left for Iraq when his son was less than a year old. 

For those of us who have never made such a decision, it is difficult to imagine the mindset behind such a choice.  The battle waging within the mind can be more taxing that the physicality’s of war.  The finite line between family and duty, love and honor; it is unfathomable for most. Ultimately to brave men and women like Jeff; to serve is to save and therefore, the answer is obvious. He was ready to make the Marines his permanent career.

By the time he returned home, his son was almost two.  He missed his first steps and his first birthday.  He missed the smile and the tears. His son was talking in sentences and had his first set of teeth, all in his absence.  Jeff was not there when his son woke up at night, startled by the wind.  He was not there when he caught his first cold, in fact, understanding the growth of the initial years of life for a child, there is simply too much to list that Jeff missed.

He was home only four months, what must certainly have felt like four weeks, when he was commissioned a second time to Iran.  There would not be a third.  During a routine assignment of securing a perimeter, a truck oblivious to its frame, careened through the razor sharp barbed wire, taking the fence and a portion of Jeff’s hand with it. In an instant, a seemingly routine task produced life altering consequences.  The dream of his youth, the drive for his purpose, the goals for his family, were over.

Jeff will tell you stories, must worse stories of what happened to his brothers and sister by his side all those years, he considers himself one of the lucky ones.  Yet, to have a dream fulfilled one moment only to have it seized away the next, is devastating for anyone.  He was happy to be home, but it was too soon. It was not supposed to be this way.  He felt lost but more than that, he felt guilty.  Guilty for leaving his team and letting them down, yet just as guilty for feeling that way at all; because he was home, with his family and a third child on the way.  He could not tell them how he felt; he was an outsider; separated from the person he was and the person he now needed to become.  A man, once so powerful in mind, body and spirit, was suddenly contemplating powerlessness.

It took longer than one would expect for the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to kick in; laymen often feel a soldier returns home and instantaneously experiences the wrath of all they had seen.  Like most of the honorable, Jeff will not discuss the reasons he suffered from it, and is thankful for the help he sought and received.

Through Jeff’s experiences, he discovered the amazing programs designed for Veterans and their families, and thankfully, he is one of the growing success stories as a result.  Jeff is settled in San Diego with his family and on the cusp of receiving his Bachelor’s in Business.  His new goal, however, is to ensure that there is more opportunities in the civilian sector for families of deployed, disabled or retired military families.  “On the base, they had a great deal available for the parents and children of deployed families, but in the civilian sector, it is lacking.  As a result, many families are sheltered and don’t have the income or ability to established civilian friendships and enjoy what is considered ‘normal’ activities to everyone else.  ‘Civilian’ experiences provide a continuity and a sense of grounding and belonging desperately needed by military families.  Spouses and children also need a place where they can be empowered; when your loved one is deployed, you are living an uncertain existence. They need to feel that they have some control over their life and circumstances”.

We are privileged to have met Jeff through Operation Connect, a program developed by the North San Diego Business Chamber that connects transitioning service members to business leaders, owners, and influential people in the community and have the honor to support him in his journey.  He has been training in the Academy of Martial Arts Instruction and Management and an integral part of our team.  He shares his invaluable life experiences with his students and his drive to make positive life changing opportunities to all those he meets.

Now a full time member of USSD Team Focus and Team Focus for Freedom, he believes, as we all do, that every man, women and child, regardless of age, gender, limitations or disabilities has the right to grow, build, and even rebuild their lives in the way they never imagined; especially empowering the men, women and children of our great nation that keep us free. 

Martial Arts with a Mission

As a martial arts organization that has had the privilege of instructing men, women and children of all ages throughout the United States for over 49 years, we are dedicated to developing not only a unique skill set but more importantly, the character and emotional well-being of all of our students.

For those who have not experienced the art, words such as ‘focus’, ‘discipline’, ‘self-control’ and ‘respect’ immediately come to mind.  All are true, however, ‘compassion’, ‘continuity’, ‘support’, ‘personal growth’ and ‘family’ are the often overlooked, yet long term and invaluable benefits such a system can lend.

All of our Instructors are graduates of the Academy of Martial Arts Instruction and Management; a comprehensive, two year program and internship that includes proficiency in teaching students ages 3 years old and up, including those with physical and educational limitations

Every Instructor receives a level 2 fingerprint based background check and is CPR/First Aid certified

Video surveillance is located in the studio for our student’s safety

Instructors meet weekly and attend educational seminars in order to continuously provide students with the most progressive training possible.

Our Schools:

With seven Military bases in San Diego, USSD Team Focus has two locations nearby in 4s Ranch and Scripps Ranch.  We will also be creating off-site training locations for those families living on or near bases that are further away.

Please take a moment to check out our schools and all we offer our students at

Ussdteamfocus.com