TJ graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1999 with a degree in Behavioral Sciences. Over the next several years he attended NATO’s premier fighter pilot training course, EURO-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) and became an F-16 fighter pilot. He served overseas in Korea and deployed to Iraq as a combat flight lead, and was recognized as the Hill Air Force Base Flight Lead of the Year in 2005. Later he served as an instructor and evaluator pilot at ENJJPT, overseeing student training and managing several operational components of the program. During that time he also earned an MBA from Texas A&M - Commerce. He retired after more than 20 years of service in 2019. TJ is also a Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt and the Vice President of the “We Defy Foundation.”

On this episode, TJ discusses his time in the military as a fighter pilot, what he enjoyed most about being a fighter pilot, why he started Jiu-Jitsu, the importance of Jiu-Jitsu and a community for military veterans, how he got involved with the “We Defy Foundation,” the importance of research to assist with funding, the mission of the “We Defy Foundation," how "We Defy" has impacted the lives of military veterans, learning how to deal with failure through Jiu-Jitsu, and how stopping competing can improve your Jiu-Jitsu. Learn more about the "We Defy Foundation" here: https://wedefyfoundation.org/

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