Former Marine Brutally Beaten While Defending Teen from Bullies

Several months ago retired Marine Wen Jones was brutally beaten when he stood up to three bullies who were threatening a 14 year old black teen and the teen's father.

After the assault, Capt. Jones was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for a concussion and required surgery to repair an eye. When interviewed, Capt. Jones was asked why he stood up to the bullies when he was outnumbered and knew he was in danger; his answer?

"Because it was the right thing to do."

No fear of getting sued. No fear of getting injured. No fear of what others may think, how the bullies or the bullies' parents might feel. All he thought of was standing up to the bullies and protecting the son and his father.

While I do not know Capt. Jones, I can assume that as a former Marine, he has probably seen some form of combat and he probably has some level of hand-to-hand combat training. This would explain why he felt capable of engaging in a situation wher

e there were multiple attackers. When you see the video – and it is graphic – you can see that Capt. Jones got caught in a bad position; he got taken down to the ground, has an attacker on his back, while the other two are standing up and throwing punches and kicks.

Capt. Jones was able to fight his way off the ground and was eventually joined in the fight by the father of the teen that Capt. Jones was defending. Apparently, the father had run to his car to get a baseball bat. When he returned to the fight, the bullies decided to run away.

I won't get into the strategies and tactics about what to do when dealing with multiple attackers – that is something I will address in the future, not just in a post but in a course for people just like you. What is important is to recognize some key points from this incident.

First, the bullies were young and strong (three vs. a Dad and his teenage son), preying on the weak. Both the father and son were reported as being scared, which encouraged the bullies.

Secondly, Capt. Jones, because he was fit and had training, was able to handle the fear that goes along with situations like this and was able to come to the defense of the father and his son.

Thirdly, because of 

his training, Capt. Jones – although outnumbered and taking fire from his attackers – was able to withstand a three-on-one situation and fight back.

Fourth, the bullies – when faced with a victim who was aggressively fighting back and then faced with another victim armed with a bat, thereby making the odds more even – fled the scene. When the bullies no longer felt they had an advantage or the victims were no longer afraid, they stopped and left.

Lastly, Capt. Jones stood up and did the Right Thing, even while others stood by and watched the Dad and teen be bullied, then watched Capt. Jones fight at a disadvantage in a three-on-one engagement.

Let's hope you never have to face a situation like this, but if you do, what are you going to do? What are you prepared to do? What if your wife and kids are with you? What if you are a Mom and alone with your kids? What is your kid going to do if he or she is in this situation?

It is evident by the video that unless someone like a former Marine is around, you can't count on people stepping up and helping you; you are going to be on your own.

This is why you must be prepared. I touched on the physical skills preparation part of this in the book, , but it really is just a scratch on the surface of what you or your child would need to know to stay safe. There is much more on the way that I will be talking about in the coming weeks.

What you can learn from the book, "Bullies Suck" is how to prepare to deal with bullies and stop situations BEFORE they escalate to violence. This is invaluable information that can protect you and your children, but only if you have it, understand it, learn it and teach it to your children.

Don't be a victim. Don't live in fear. Don't let someone else take your power away. Learn the principles, techniques and information necessary to stand up to the bullies in your life.

Stay strong,

Sensei

P.S. – Personally, I am very proud to be a part of the fraternity of Marines that includes someone with the bravery and character of Capt. Jones. Well done, Marine. Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful)…