Meet the Fighters from East Wind Academy

(front row from left to right) Sherwin Cadavis, Carl Staley, and Mark Natali, our 3 fighters/winners of the night and of course, the trainers in our Drill Sergeant hats (second row from left to right) Todd Martinson, Yvette Costales, and Jimmy Edwards.

Sherwin Cadavis: just completed a tour in South Korea and was promoted to sergeant while there. After his training at East Wind Academy and winning his bout at the January King of the Ring fight, Sherwin continues to fight in military-organized competitions. He is currently serving in Kuwait.

Carl Staley: will be graduating from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia this May with a B.S. in Biology. His initial introduction to martial arts training at East Wind Academy has opened many doors, to include receiving a Coach Level 1 title from Erik Paulson under CSW. He was absolutely awestruck by the training available and provided at the Inosanto Academy in California and hopes to continue his martial arts training pending on his future employment situation.

Mark Natali: is currently training as a SERE Instructor in Washington. The training he received as a fighter at East Wind Academy had a tremendous positive impact on his life, from over-all fitness, self-defense, and self-confidence. The discipline and skill sets he has attained as a martial artist gave him the strength to enter such a prestigious and difficult program.

Todd Martinson: is currently stationed in Osan, South Korea. Todd was the glue that held the fighter program together. Todd provided training and support 6-days a week during the ten-week fighter program. He is currently a Unified Fighting Arts instructor under Marc McFann. He also provides martial arts training for military personnel in Korea and looks forward to returning to the U.S. and getting more involved in a school affiliated with the Inosanto Academy.

Top left to right:
SGT Serrecchia aka “Doc”
SGT Chris Somera, truck commander
SGT Mongcal, communications specialist

Bottom left to right:
SPC Trujillo, gunner
PFC Lake, driver

We continue to support our U.S. troops currently deployed here in Afghanistan and in Iraq.

Navy SEAL
Jim Edwards
Afghanistan

written by Lou M. Faralan

Photo courtesy of:
Lou M. Faralan (kneeling in the center )
STG1       USN

USN-NASWI Martial Arts Competition Team
Active duty service members stationed in Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA.
Team memebers compete regularly in open tournaments, and Mixed Martial Arts/Kickboxing
events held in the Pacific Northwest.

Lou M. Faralan
STG1       USN

photos courtesy of Norris Domangue

Our 1st scud attack DESERT STORM at Sheik Isa 1991and the tent “street” I lived on.

The last photo is at Al-Udeid, 2004 in front of my tent.

photos courtesy of Norris Domangue

written by Ron Robles

These photos include a gripping story of Marines who carried a wooden cross to the top of a hill at Camp Pendleton. Ray Mendoza (3rd from left, hugging the cross) was memorialized on the front page of the “B” section of the “Los Angeles Times” about six months ago as the soldier least expected to be killed in action. He was a comissioned officer (Captain at the time, and later promoted to Major, posthumously) who was extremely courageous and loved by his troops. Also included in the photo is LCPL Robert P. Zurheide, Jr. who is the 1st person on the right side of the cross, peering from under the arm of another marine who was also killed in action. Following is the story from Chaplain Scott Radetski (in front of the cross in the middle of the photo).

Chaplain Radetski

Before we left for Iraq, we muscles a fourteen-foot wooden telephone cross to the top of San Onorfre Mountain. One single individual could not have carried this weight to the top, but together, seven of us accomplished the difficult task. This marker eventually became a permanent marker of remembrance. Countless Marines and sailors braved the journey to the top, carrying with them a stone of remembrance. A permanent 1st Marine Regiment Diamond with southern Cross was laid to rest at the foot of the cross.

LCPL Robert P. Zurheide, Jr., one of the original seven men who carried the cross to the top, was killed in Iraq. The night he died, I carried his lifeless body off the truck and laid him to rest, as the corpsmen worked to save the wounded Marines. Several days later, on the very spot where three marines died, including Zurheide, four Marines were baptised. Robert had a son born four days after he died. We braved the journey he made a year ago, to the top of San Onorfre Mountain, to dedicate his son to the Lord. His son, Robert P. Zurheide, III, will touch the same cross his father carried up the hill.

The burdens of war are far-reaching, dulled by the passage of time. Alone, they are overwhelming, but together they can be moved. For this young lad, whose dad gave his all for the freedom of many, our prayers are that as Robert Zurheide III grows, he will know that his Father in heaven, God, draws near to those who have no earthly fathers.