November, 1995 if anyone would have asked now 29 year old Andrew Curtiss where he would go with his life; he says," I would have told you I had no idea. Andrew had just won the American Independent Karate Association National Championships held in Erie Pennsylvania. He won in each and every catagory; a rare feat for anyone, especially someone in Andrews shoes. Andrew grew up a child of divorce in a lower class rural family in Point Rock New York. His father was in prison for well over a year at that point in his life, and his relationship with his mother was poor at best. Andrew was pretty much on his own as he puts it. It was his Wrestling and Martial Arts training that had kept him going. Andrew was raised by his grandmother Margaret who had passed away in April of that year and life was looking dim at best.
If you ask Andrew what gave him the determination to keep competing he will tell you," I promised my Grama, I would win it for her." "She really like to have me compete and thought that that is what I needed in my life to keep me from going down the wrong path." "She was right; but then I felt that it was more important for me to make her proud by doing the best I can." " I wanted to do something right in my life, because I felt then that everything was my fault; I was a screw up and that is why things went the way they did." "I had already won the state qualifiers before Grama passed and she was really encouraging me to bring home some more Trophies." But I can never forget that Grama always preached to "Always Finish what you start". "I prmised her I would and I would rather die than break that oath."
Andrew actually quit school for about a month after his Grandmother passed away. It wasn't till his School Principle Richard Wheeler of Adirondack Highschool in Boonville New York payed him a visit that Andrew came back to school to begin finishing what he started. "I was going to quit, I felt I was worthless and lost everything in my life." She was my Grandmother, but she was my main source of wisdom and also my very best friend." "Mr. Wheeler came to the old house which I was still staying in; I had nowhere to go." He encouraged me by reminding me that it was my responsibility to break my family "Curse" so to speak; or (break the mold) I should say."
After an almost fiction like senior year Andrew enlisted in the U.S. Army. It was July 1996, that Andrew swore a different kind of oath. This time he swore to dfend our nation from all enemies foreign and domestic. Andrew had no real direction after Highschool, but knew he didn't want to stay in Upstate New York. "I felt it was dead end for a guy like me." I wasn't really into College and there wasn't much work for a guy with no skills.", Andrew says. Andre gave notice to the nursing home he worked at as a janitor and donned the Battle Dress Uniform. "I didn't really like the Army; but I did extremely well.", he says. "I don't like being told what to do; and there is a lot of (Stupid ) busy work." "Officers ran the show and Non Commissioned Officers had no back bone to stand up for what was right." The priority was never placed on combat; but stupid little eye wash things like pressed uniforms , hair cuts and "Area Beautification"." "In my opinion soldiers are extremely under trained." "I always thought that the grass was greener on the other side; so I constantly chased that vision."
Andrew volunteered for an elite Long Range Surveillance unit (LRS). This is an all Ranger unit; that specializes in Combat Search and Rescue, Surveillance and Reconnaisance missions. "I really liked it there, but it just wasn't enough." "There was still the same old stupid stuff and hypocracies that the rest of the Army had." "Don't get me wrong; it was way better, just not what I was looking for." In November, 1999 Andrew volunteered once more for Special assignment in Ft. Bragg North Carolina. This time Andrew volunteered to try out for Special Forces Selection and Assessment. Due to confidentiality and an (Honor Code) He will not specify the things that are done in this training. "Its a gut check." He says.
From there Andrew was selected to become a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant and was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group. While he was serving in the 3rd Group Andrew was assigned the additional duty of being the team Combative or Hand to Hand Instructor. Andrew and his team Sergeant were both displeased with the (LINE) training and Knife techniques that were being taught. Andrews Team Sergeant asked him to develop a program specifically for his Special Forces Team. Andrew had spent several years working on a program that he designed for his (LRS )team and platoon. Andrew altered it for some of his Special Forces Training and the types of combat equipment that teams used and presented it to Frank. In January 2004 the System was finally proven in battle after a long 8 month deployment in the Global War on Terror. Andrew was nominated for the Silver Star for events on that deployment and was awarded the Bronze Star with a Combat "V" in combat.
After a few years of the system being taught to his team; Andrew began instructing other entities in the government as well as Law enforcement agencies. Finally Andrew was encouraged to write a book on the system. August, 2006; Andrew began to put it all together. "We can all sit around and complain when you see that there is a problem with the system; but I believe it's better to get off your ass and do something about it." "I believe that the military is in a bad state. "These officers are more worried about eye wash than they are about issues affecting combat effectiveness." "We are getting further away from the roots of being a warrior." "Those roots; that warrior spirit starts, with unarmed combat." "I can see that because of the sudden popularity of Mixed Martial Arts competition and every kid straight out of the trailer is wearing TAP OUT and UFC clothing; the military has decided to change its combatives for marketing purposes." "The military now teaches competition style martial arts for combat." "This is great, except the ground is not where you need to be in combat." "There really are no rules in combat and people really die in combat." "Who cares though recruitment is up because; there are all kinds of wannabe tough guys out there who want to be the next Ultimate Fighter."
I asked Andrew if it was just the training that motivated him to write. He explained that for all the reasons he disliked the Army were the same reasons he wrote. This is his way of mass communicating another option to those on the front lines. Andrew goes on to state, "It wasn't till I was an NCO that I really started to make a difference." "I believe in the NCO and I think that it's going to take all of us to stick together to make things right." "We have to educate eachother and supervise in the appropriate ways." "I am hoping that there are officers who will read and be influenced by experience; not a side chair quarter back who wears stars. "I'm not saying they all are." "I am saying that there are a majority who are not allowing the guy on the ground to do what he or she has got to do." "I want to positively effect the force by reinforcing warrior spirit and common sense unarmed combat with this book." "It's kind of my way of giving back."
After speaking with Andrew it is hard to not be just a little bit enlightened by his point of view . Andrew believes that by writing the book it gives him the ability to share with everyone the same basics that really helped his team. He believes in the motto "For The soldier, by a soldier". Andrew now separated from the military and currently a professional Mixed Martial Arts Athlete is currently promoting his book Combat Application Techniques: Principles Of Destruction. He says that this is the first of a series that instructs the reader in not just Hand to Hand, but in other combat skill sets as well. His next is on disarms and the third already in the works is a book on human tracking; both programs already being taught to Narcotics task force officers in Up State New York. After a long unsteady road it finally looks like this once shaky youth is headed down the right path.
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