Thoughts_Serving A Community

I arrived in the Klamath Basin almost four years ago; I started to meet new people and be introduced to others with new excitement for a new chapter in life. One thing that always stood out was the hard work ethic instilled in the Klamath Basin.  Klamath, being a county filled with an agriculture community where many people from children to young adults who knew that hard work, grit, and resiliency are something you must carry with you every day. Treating others with respect, dignity and having a heart to serve, support, and help your fellow community member along with ones’ country was also deep rooted within the spirit of our county.

Being a military member for my career, it is quite common to see one’s children follow in their parents’ footsteps. An honorable moment to see and often celebrated; a report from 2012-2013 found that 86% of Air Force Airman, 82% of Navy Sailors, 79% of Army Soldiers, and 77% of Marines had close relatives in the military upon the new members entry. To simply put it, the military kinda is a family business; seeing as how the majority of the military members entering service today are already associated to the military through those family connections.

However, this isn’t associated to just the military is it? How many children do we see follow their parents’ footsteps? Medical professions who then see their children going in to the medical field; athletes having children who are also athletes; chefs whose children go in to the food industry… The list goes on, because children grow up admiring their parents. Is it any surprise when we see this in the Law Enforcement and First Responder communities? Within the Klamath Basin we have had multiple families who have had more than one family member serve their community in the law enforcement profession.

The Kaber family has become a close friend to me personally. To me, it’s an admirable quality that you have Chris who has spent over 30 years in Law Enforcement, you have Ryan who has served his country in the United States Coast Guard, the Oregon Air National Guard, and our Klamath community as a Klamath County Sheriff’s Deputy. Furthermore, Erick has served his country in the United States Army, and now also serves in the Klamath County Jail as a Sheriff’s Deputy; but most importantly… you have a rock solid woman, Vickie Kaber who not only helped raise a solid family with good morals, ethics, and values, but she served for 20 years as a juvenile probation officer; helping to motivate and encourage hundreds of youth to change their lives in positive ways.

In the season of elections for community seats, we truly see some of the worst in people come out; and this is probably one area that I do not enjoy seeing. When a community filled with some amazing people begin to speak badly of someone who may view things differently; how quickly they seem so willing to forget the amazing acts of service some people have done for their community.

One thing that I have had to listen and read is how there are three Kabers in the Sheriff’s office. Ryan joining the KCSO family first, Chris being elected three years ago, and Erick joining a year after Chris’s election. Normally, if Chris was a doctor of medicine and the Kaber boys became doctors, we’d probably say how incredible it is that they are all following in their father’s footsteps. If Chris was a Quarterback in the NFL, we would not be surprised at all if Ryan and Erick both at some point were involved in professional football. But because they’re law enforcement, they are ridiculed. Daren Krag even admitted and agreed with me, “That no matter what process is put in place, there will always be a perception with the Kaber’s because all three (Chris, Ryan, Erick) are a family.” If the KCSO had people on a hiring board who were not even associated to the department conduct the interviews, the selection etc… if a Kaber was selected, there would be people who still cry out, “RIGGED! UNFAIR!”

So yes, we are at a point that no matter what process or procedure is put in place, some of you will cry foul. But does that mean that we can’t for one moment appreciate the service that these three men have given and everything their families have had to put up with? What have we become as not American’s, but as a Klamath County community where we so flippantly speak of allegations unproven, unverified, and uncalled for?

Do we so quickly forget the long nights Chris was away from home, away from his family, as he helped start Klamath County’s Major Crimes Team (MCT) many years ago?  Have we forgotten that Chris oversaw the Klamath Narcotics team just a few years back? How about all the people Chris has conducted polygraph tests on? When I sat down with Chris and asked him about it, he surprised me with his response, “TJ… what I take pride in; is the many times I have proven someone’s innocence. Every single person that I have tested who passed the polygraph test has been proven innocent. That is the result that means the most to me, for when I can sit down with someone and say “I know you didn’t do this crime, or have any involvement in it, because you passed my polygraph test” and sure enough; they’ve been proven innocent every time.”

Do we forget when Ryan was on top of a rooftop, grabbing a baby and bringing it down safely; away from a stranger threatening to do harm to a poor child? Do we forget the multiple cases of DUI’s, Active Shooting incidents Ryan has been a part of all throughout Klamath County? A man who leaves his loving family every day, trying to provide for them, but provide a safe community for all our families to be raised in.

Do you ever consider the life of a corrections facility deputy? When Erick in processes people who haven’t bathed in days and been “disrupting your evening out in town.” When Erick is in-processing people who are so drunk that they can’t stand on their own two feet, yet attempted to still drive home because, “I know what I can handle!” To be surrounded by concrete walls and barely ever getting to enjoy a moment of sunlight or fresh air unless it’s on a break?

Yet here I am writing a blog about it, because many of you I see speaking such derogatory rhetoric sure as hell have never applied to be a Klamath County Sheriff. For some people who so easily want to disparage a family for serving its community yet you don’t have the spine to withstand the storms these men go through every week, the darkness they encounter while serving as a deputy, nor having to know what it’s like to constantly be ridiculed.

I don’t agree with Daren Krag on every issue, nor am I casting my vote for him. But I at least had an hour long coffee conversation with the man. I at least shook the man’s hand and commended him for his service to our community. How many of you have done that for the Kaber family? How many of you have actually sat down and had coffee with Chris, Ryan, or Erick? How many of you ever remember just where our KCSO was at three years ago, and where it is at today? No agency is perfect, but it is certainly filled with some amazing people as compared to some of you speaking ill will against those serving in it. There are many of you who simply seem to have a lot of anger in your hearts, and a lot of darkness in your souls and spirits. No family is perfect, no person is perfect, but I am sure proud of the multiple years of service this family has given its community and ask you to remember that. They’re going to continue to be here for this community for many years to come and with your support, Chris will continue to grow and build our Klamath County Sheriff’s Office for another four years.

Thoughts_Don’t Be Afraid To Swing

The cheer would carry itself over the distance and the crowd of other parents in attendance, “Come on TJ you got this!”  The next call would echo out, “Let’s go buddy!” A short, chubby, and completely out of shape TJ would slowly step up to the batters box of the little league field. My bat in tow, my batting helmet on, and my bright blue and orange Met’s uniform was in high contrast on the spring afternoon in Desert Hot Springs, CA.

I would step up to the plate, do one or two of those rotation swings to make me feel as if I was loosened up. The pitcher narrowed his eyes in to the catcher, and as we all did back then, we pretended we were on live TV, and this was the big game. The pitcher wound up and threw the ball as best as he could. “STRIKE” came the call. “It’s ok pal! You got this” Came the new cheer from my parents. I would gaze upward, “Maybe this will be my pitch” I’d think to myself.  The pitcher wound up, another heater coming down the pipe just as if he was Hall of Fame’r Randy Johnson… “STRRRRIKE” came the call again. “Alright TJ, don’t worry this next one is yours!”  My parents would yell out, clearly having far more faith in my abilities than I did. “Ok… Ok… This one, this one is mine!”  I’d tell myself.  The Pitcher knowing he had me against the wall and was about to cock back his rifle of an arm; which would then release the final round from his firing squad pitch. “Here it comes, here it comes, here it…”   “STRIKE! You’re out son.”  The umpire would mercilessly tell me.

And that process would continue on for most of my year in little league. I was given the award of “Most walked player” because I was so afraid of swinging that I got walked more times than I got on base from hitting the ball. In practice, aww man I was crushing balls and making monster outfield hits, but when it came to the real game, I simply didn’t have the courage to take the swing on the pitch that I really wanted to.

But that is also life sometimes isn’t it? We prepare, train, practice and get as ready as we can for a job, career, or opportunity, but we never take the swing at the ball.  Self-doubt is something that many people struggle with; especially when we also surround ourselves with other people who have self-doubt. They discourage us from trying, or try to tear us down from the little bit of motivation that we do muster up. The simple fact is that you cant listen to the self-doubt, and you cant let those who are filled with self-doubt stop you from trying.

As the old saying goes, “You’re always going to have a no answer if you never ask the question.”  Same goes for taking the first step of courage; you cant get a home-run unless you swing the bat, and don’t be afraid to swing away, sooner or later your rotation is going to come back around and you’ll be up to bat again to swing for the fences. So go crush your home run!

LdrOlgy_EXCELLENCE in all WE DO

“A man who has the answer to the problem, and does not share it, is a larger problem than the obstacle currently facing the team.” – TSgt TJ Lombardi

The small room was filled with 62 young men wearing their Battle Dress Uniforms, (BDU’s). They were crammed in to the room, sitting cross-legged on the floor, because there was simply no room for them to fit otherwise. The intense, fearless, and unyielding Training Instructor, SSgt De-Leon Acosta paced the room as she asked the young BMT Flight. “Is perfection obtainable?!” The pause filled the room as everyone was afraid to answer. “Is perfection obtainable?! NO! But it is the pursuit of perfect that you find excellence!” She then followed it up with, “You must give your absolute best… that if at any time… someone comes to inspect your work, there is NO DOUBT… that you gave your best… NO… DOUBT!” The intense shout leaving an impact that would be an anchor for others to rely upon, for what the standard was, and still is to this day.

We should be pursuing excellence… in all we do…. It is not excellence in all “I” do… it is EXCELLENCE in all WE DO! Our passion for pursuit of excellence “should” be contagious. As we push ourselves, we should be pushing all of those around us to push themselves. You see, I… am pursuing excellence, I am pursuing to create the best quality of work, but we… together… as a team… must be pursuing excellence. We must all rely on each other, and we must all be able to come to the circle, and see everyone in our team together and tell one another in pure honest humility, “Yes! I will give us, our team, my absolute best!” And if you cannot truly have the integrity to stand there and tell your entire team that, than you know that you are a weak link.

If you are that weak link… WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?!?! Are you truly giving your best? Are you truly giving your team… your best? If you don’t know the answer, ask! If you are not sure where to turn to next… say so! Integrity in the form of an action, is to be a self-initiating choice of knowing that the problem will not be solved, unless you yourself take the action to find the solution.

If the team is presented with a problem that effects the progression of the team, and a man who has the answer to the problem, and chooses to not share it with the team, is a larger problem than the obstacle currently facing the team.

We as individuals and as a team must be openly dedicated to the progression of our mission together. For if one falls, we all fall. For it is not just I that needs to give my best, it is all of us that must give our best. Let us be a team that proudly states for all to bear witness, “Excellence in all WE DO!’

LdrOlgy_Cloud of Witnesses

Hebrews 12:1 The Voice (VOICE)

12:1 So since we stand surrounded by all those who have gone before, an enormous cloud of witnesses, let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us.

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Our cloud of witnesses. In todays society, the internet and social media have given us a digital platform where videos, photos and content can be uploaded instantly. As they say, “Once it is posted on the internet, it will be there floating around forever.” I don’t know how true that really is; but there is something more important and something that truly will always be remembered, and that is your actions, your spirit, your behavior to those around you.

The book of Hebrews in the New Testament of the Bible tells us that we are “Surrounded by an enormous cloud of witnesses.”  All of our fellow Christians who have gone before us. They watch us and wait for us to join them.

For those of us in the warrior brotherhood; we imagine the thought of our family awaiting us in the halls of Valhalla; awaiting to great us in a ceremonious roar once we arrive at its doors.

And for those of you who have read my older blog post, you will know how I view, and combine both of those beliefs.

But what about the cloud of witnesses here? Those that surround us daily?

You are always on display 24/7, 365.  Your actions and how you carry yourself will always be judged and analyzed by those surrounding you. This performance in leadership is why I would say that it is truly something rooted inside certain people and developed over time, it is not something that can simply be learned and acquired.

Every day, you must battle yourself and ask, “Will I be a good man? Do I have the strength to be such a man?”  And many days you truly do have to rely on God to give you that strength and courage to be such a man. Because leadership is something that will challenge you more anything.

This cloud of witnesses is not simply your peers, your troops, your employees. It is your wife, and it is your kids, it is your family, it is your friends. It is everyone around you; all with whom you come in to contact.

That is why the other part of the verse encourages us, ‘to throw off every weight that weighs us down, and holds us back from keeping the stride of our run in this race.‘ You as a leader will always be surrounded by the cloud of witnesses, and if they are ever asked, what will they say about you from what they have witnessed?

Thoughts_Reigniting America

(A speech that was submitted back in 2014 for a College Class)

Reigniting America

I’m tired of war. Are you tired of war?

I am tired of war. I am tired of seeing young men and woman being killed in a far off land.

Are you tired of seeing Americans out of work? Are you tired of seeing Americans, or maybe even yourself out of work? I am tired of seeing our country men and women out of work, and not able to find it.

I am tired of America not being the leader in the world. Aren’t you tired of America not being the leader? Not leading in economics, not leading in infrastructure, not leading in education, and failing to gain a grasp on our debt.

We’re tired. We are all tired. Yet, we still are America, and we don’t lay down when we’re tired. We don’t turn and run from a problem, we don’t ignore problems, we don’t quit when the going gets tough, and now it is tougher than ever before.

We need to reignite the American spirit that our forefathers had. We need to reignite the American spirit that your grandparents had, and together we need to reignite America to become the leader that the world looks up to.

We’re going to bring our troops home, and we’re going to do it now! We’re going to reinvest in American infrastructure and that is going to open up hundreds of thousands of jobs that Americans so desperately need. We’re going to overhaul the education system and recreate a structure that allows for greater teacher to student ratio, and provide support for young men and women to be inspired to pursue STEM degrees, and break new ground, and we’re going to allow dreamers to dream once more. We’re going to cut spending in many areas, and that will be hard for some. But, it is what’s needed. We are bound to provide a strong future for our children’s children. Our current path we are set on does not steer them towards success, but rather a frightful reality that no American should ever have to worry about.

We have many struggles ahead of us. There will be many arguments started; heated debates fought from one side of an aisle to another. This is bound to happen, but what we will not allow to happen is America to be torn apart by race. We will not allow America to be torn apart by religion, we will not allow America to be torn apart by another nation. We will not allow America to be torn apart by greed.

We will all take part in this because it will take all of us working together to turn America back around. I as your President will do my best to guide us to a prosperous future, but it will take all Americans to rally around your leaders. To raise your voices and to be heard at all levels of government.

We will do this together, because we are American’s. And no one has America’s back, except American’s!