NCO brings PDR classes to Incirlik airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Veuril McDavid
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Devon Edwards said his passion for self-defense is a result of one terrifying experience that took place in Phoenix, Ariz., December 1999 when he was 11 years old.

Edwards and his dad were headed down to a parking lot to see his dad's girlfriend's new convertible. As most young boys would be, he was excited to see it. Edwards' dad got into the passenger seat while Edwards stood outside because it was a two-seat car. As they were admiring the vehicle, Edwards felt something hard on the back of his head. When he turned, there pointed at his head was a gun. Terrified, Edwards called for his dad. When his dad saw what was wrong, he was scared too. The criminal forced Edwards' dad to give him all of his money. Edwards remembered thinking he should do something, but he was paralyzed with fear.

The gunman then dragged Edwards away to the alley. He pushed him away saying "I am not going to hurt you kid," and then ran away. It was the first time Edwards said he was ever truly afraid.

Currently, Edwards, a 728th Air Mobility Squadron crew chief here, not only studies personal defense readiness, he teaches what he knows to others for their own self-defense.

Edwards, now a staff sergeant, first began martial arts when he was 7 years old. He was in several karate tournaments as a child, he also participated in high school wrestling and boxing matches.

"I was still getting bullied as a kid, even with knowing some martial arts," Edwards said. "I grew up smaller than others and I still think I'm short."

At 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, and a fighter's build, he is also highly active with personal fitness. Despite his muscular physique, Edwards still keeps the childhood incident in the back of his mind.

"It made me nervous whenever someone would confront me, whether it was violent or not," said Edwards. "At some point I realized I can let my fears control me, or I can choose to control them."

Edwards, a certified Blauer Tactical Systems instructor, now coaches personal defense readiness classes using the Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response system.

SPEAR was designed by Blauer Tactical on the principle that it's not a martial art, but a system to study the human body as it relates to fear, violence and aggression. There is a lot of physiology that goes into it.

"It's not the traditional styles I learned as a kid, but there are a lot of good things about the SPEAR system," said Edwards. "Whether you've never trained in martial arts or you are experienced, this system works perfectly."

Edwards teaches a range of different techniques from the SPEAR system to empower his students.

"Knowing the psychology, which Devon teaches, helps me wrap my head around what is going on," said Athena Holter-Mehren, a military spouse here, who is one of Edwards students. "This makes me stop and think about what I could do to make the situation better."

Edwards said he believes in people being and feeling safe wherever they are.

"It's part of our nature to want to feel safe, so we become naive to the fact that we might get attacked," Edwards said. "We act like it's not going to happen to us, which is why I think it's so important to train in this kind of thing."

"Devon is a really approachable guy," Holter-Merhren said. "He treats everyone equally, and that makes it easier to ask questions. You don't feel the pressure to get everything right the first time."

Holter-Mehren brings a different approach to the class as one of Devon's first students, and as a woman.

"I think from a woman's point of view, a lot of women aren't comfortable getting up close and personal in combat situations," said Holter-Merhren. "I've seen women come to the class, and every time they have to touch someone they get uncomfortable because they are not used to being that close with someone they don't know. Classes like this help women get past that so they can protect themselves."

Through helping others learn to defend themselves, Edwards said he is keeping what happened to him as a child from possibly happening to someone else. This is his motivation at the end of the day.