Center for Advanced Security Studies

Jon is another former member of the Special Operations Community, starting with the conventional infantry until he successfully completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Program and the Special Operations Medical Sergeants Course. Severely injured in a parachute jump he was medically discharged from the Army and went on to become a n Attorney-At-Fact working on behalf of the Veteran’s Administration.

Jon graduated the course in November of 2002. Eight months later he was living in the “Red Zone” in Baghdad, as one of the very first Private Security Contractors. His rise through the ranks was dramatic and it was only a short period of time before he found himself a Project Manager on major undertakings on behalf of the coalition forces. As one of the first, Jon was exposed to a wide variety of challenging and often dangerous situations all throughout Iraq and Kurdistan.

Shortly after his arrival, both of his classmates also arrived. One was destined to spend time involved in the static protection of BIAP (Baghdad International Airport) while the 3rd was to join him in Kurdistan where they would work shoulder to shoulder amid the increasing carnage that was Iraq in 2004. Thus every graduate from the NOV02 class would find themselves in the same theater simultaneously. Jon’s experiences were of sufficient stature that several of his recollections are being published in an anecdotal format in “America’s Covert Warriors”

Like so many professionals who volunteer for dangerous assignments in far flung corners of the world, the endings are not always happy ones. Less than a year later Jon’s classmate and comrade in arms was destined to perish in Iraq. Jon would continue to serve in positions of great responsibility until a car bomb detonated nearby, inflicting severe injuries on all close by.

Jon’s rehabilitation continues with the ultimate aim of returning to an operational status. While that process is underway Mr. Tripp is the Center’s only instructor who does not rotate between teaching and operations. Jon brings with him a wealth of real world knowledge and has an expansive set of tools which he trys to impart to the students. It is one thing for candidates to listen to an instructor discuss real world scenarios. It is another to hear it from an individual whose life has been forever altered by the experiences of Iraq.

His advice to arriving candidates?
“Sometimes students forget that the instructors have been through the course……as students. So we have a pretty good idea of what to expect in terms of candidate performance. You’re only fooling yourself if you think you can slide by without noticing. We’ve all been there, done exactly the same thing, and therefore aren’t too sympathetic to excuses.

You will all do better as individuals if you all choose to work together as a team. The same holds true in reverse. Classes that pull together generally have higher scores than those that are composed of 6 individuals who will not work with each other.Accept failure for what it is. A fantastic learning tool. We don’t care if you occasionally blow it here. The program is designed that way.
What we DO care about is how you choose to cope with that failure. Do you learn from it and improve, or do you feel sorry for yourself, refuse to accept responsibility, and point the finger at others? Your response says a lot about you as a person and impacts powerfully upon your employment capabilities. If you refuse to accept accountability for your actions you’re not going to do well, either here or in the field. Get over society’s concept of failure. It’s a learning tool, nothing more.Stay loose and take it as it comes. Try not to get bent out of shape, and do your best to enjoy the moment. If you can do that, you’re already half way there.Have fun."
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