EWCGI Credits Its Success to Our Highly Skilled Staff
At East West Consulting Group International (EWCGI), we are quite proud of our team of security officers! We have contracted a full house of dedicated, talented, and professional staff, and it is to them that we credit our company’s ongoing success. One of these amazing team members is Security Officer Alissa Long. Alissa has been working with us since 2020. She is currently an Unarmed Security Officer, Site Lead, and Karate Instructor. Take a moment to get to know Alissa and part of her unique role with us as our martial arts sensei!
35 Years of Experience
Officer Alissa Long has been practicing Okinawan Isshinryu Karate since May 28, 1987 (A. Long, personal communication, 3 February 2022). She states that her first karate instructor was Harvey L. Kennedy of Karate USA IN Shreveport, LA. Throughout the years, she has trained under Lemmie Odom, Dr. Bill Pogue of Shreveport, LA, Ken Green of Farmerville, LA, Gary Lloyd of El Dorado, Arkansas, and Master A. J. Advincula of Oceanside, CA. Currently, she trains under Master Carol Womack of Michigan and Master Kensho Tokumura of Okinawa.
Amongst Officer Long’s many accomplishments is: earning a “7th Degree Black Belt in Isshinryu Karate and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate” (A. Long, personal communication, 3 February 2022). If these achievements weren’t grand enough, she also won the 1990 United States Karate Alliance Women’s Black Belt World Championship and 1990 Black Belt National Championship in Forms and Fighting. During the years 1987-1993, Officer Long won the State Championships in Lousiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Mississippi, in fighting, forms, and weapons categories.
As part of her continuous efforts to expand her martial arts training, Officer Long states she has “attended classes and seminars in Shorin Ryu, Shitoryu, Hindi Andi Gung Fu, My Jhong Law Horn Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Gracie Ju Jitsu” (A. Long, personal communication, 3 February 2022).
Has Trained Thousands of Students
Over the past 35 years, Officer Long has trained thousands of students. This includes 15 students to Black Belt, of whom six are actively instructing and operating dojos in Washington, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Officer Long currently has six students actively training with her. One of those students is EWCGI’s and NW Overwatch (NWO)’s Chief Executive Officer, Kyle A. Paskewitz.
Kyle is the dojo’s current lead Assistant Instructor. Officer Long expresses that “Kyle is a very dedicated and talented student. He also has a unique skillset in the Security industry from many years and much training in Security and Safety awareness, among other things including training in Muay Thai in Thailand”. Another one of her students is Samuel Saddiq, who possesses a 3rd Degree Black Belt and substitutes as an instructor if needed.
How Security Officers Benefit from Martial Arts Training
Finally, we asked Officer Long to share with us what are some benefits she believes security officers achieve when they add martial arts to their training regimen. Here’s what she had to say:
Well, obviously, Karate teaches self-defense that can be used on the job. However, there are other less obvious ways martial arts helps. Karate knowledge and training promotes self-confidence, self-control, and self-esteem. It teaches one to remain calm under attack and under stress. Isshinryu teaches such skills as focus, attention to details, reflexes, proper breathing, how to observe a potential threat, and how to deescalate a potential situation. Isshinryu has the potential to help become physically fit. Of course, it depends on how much effort students put into their training. Karate helps with balance, flexibility, distancing, posturing, and timing. Truly anyone that does not take full advantage of this training is doing themselves a disservice. Of course, it takes much dedication and instruction to achieve the full benefits of these skills (A. Long, personal communication, 3 February 2022).
Interested in seeing how our martial arts dojo continues to expand? Take a moment to follow us on our Facebook page at East West Karate!