BAFB and Tae Kwon Do

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As a mere civilian, one does not get the opportunity to visit an Air Force Base every day…in any country.

Two weeks ago, when my wife told me about a Christmas Gala & awards ceremony that my son’s Tae Kwon Do master (Major Ivory Irvin) was planning to host at Barksdale Air Force Base this evening; I jumped at the offer and asked her to purchase a ticket for me right away. I have never been in an air force base before but I have always been fascinated by the calming feeling of order & discipline that  comes upon me whenever I find myself inside or even in the vicinity of a facility that has anything to do with any of the Armed Forces. Perhaps it appeals naturally to my ESTJ nature.

My son & I were both dressed semi-formally as was the requirement for the event this evening and I must say if looks could kill…he would certainly have executed an event of mass extinction while I might have caused a sprain or two. 

The event went smoothly with my son winning a Sportsmanship Award that recognizes his positive attitude and tenacity towards the mastering of some challenging Tae Kwon Do routines in a short period of time. I believe that he has taken after his father for those attributes although some others may debate that…

He has only been learning this martial art for the last one year and already I keep my distance from him lest he employ his techniques on me to swing an argument in his favour.

As it happens, Master Ivory Irvin was also honoured (as a pleasant surprise) with his 7th degree Black Belt title during the event by another doyen of this martial art; Grandmaster Mike Brown who happens to be the president of the National Taekwondo Federation of America and a 9th degree Black Belt. 

One feels abundantly safe surrounded by that many Black Belts of varying degrees while in a prestigious air force base such as this one.