Veteran's Corner - Michael Pick

THORNTON – Marine Corps, combat veteran Michael Pick lives out past Thorton with his wife, and two adopted grandkids.

Pick joined the Marine Corps in 1967, and served in Vietnam in the late spring of 1968.

"I was second battalion third marine, so telecompany second platoon," Pick said, adding that he was part of the northern I Corps DMZ. The northernmost region of South Vietnam, bordering North Vietnam at the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. Pick was a rifleman, machine gunner, assigned to search and destroy missions.

"I was the designated in my platoon to set up all the trip flares, trip wires, claymore mines," Pick said.

After Pick left the Marine Corps he was the chief combat instructor for 10 special forces groups at Fort Carson Colorado for seven years. Pick taught between 16 and 18 thousand green berets, combaters.

"I created a system called the American Kemplar Combaters system," Pick said, noting that he also designed a knife called the Pick Tactical Knife. A knife that is battle tested, combat tested, and used around the world still. The first kills reported for the knife were in Afghanistan in 2002.

After designing a knife Pick retired, and was presented with a flag, flown at special operations command in Baghdad, in a shadow box.

Pick was inducted as the 53rd member in Thor Omega started by Audie Murphy who was a WWII medal of honor winner. He started an organization called Thor Omega that was developed in 1953.

"It was an honor to be the 53rd member inducted into that," Pick said, adding that he was also inducted into the International Close Quarter Combat Association founded by Rex Applegate.

Pick and his wife had a program when they lived in the redwoods of Northern California teaching disabled veterans how to blacksmith, receiving two rewards for his program.

Pick has spent 65 years in the martial arts, starting when he was ten years old.

"I started in Pasadena under Edmund Kealoha Parker, who was the father of American Karate," Pick said, noting that Parker introduced Bruce Lee to the world.

"He was Elvis Presley's bodyguard for 16 years, and I was Ed Parker's bodyguard up until he died in 1990," he added. Parker left Pick the senior in the system, Pick explained, saying that there are between 4 and 5 million people who practice Kenpo in the world.

Pick has three sons, all who also served in the Marine Corps, he explained. His oldest son was in the Battle of Mogadishu during Black Hawk Down, and is an attorney on the central coast of California. As well as been nominated to be Superior Court Judge.

His middle son was an Embassy guard in Russia He is married and lives in Maryland. Pick explained that his son is now a paramedic first responder at a fire station on the Potomac River.

"He rescues people who get caught in the fast water on the Potomac River," Pick said, adding that he has two grandchildren through him.

Pick's youngest son did two tours in Iraq, where he was also a machine gunner. Wounded in his second tour, he now works with Pick in the blacksmith shop. He received a purple heart for being wounded in action. He is currently in Northern California redoing a house.

"I was Sergeant At Arms for the United States Marine Corps league for the state of California," Pick said, explaining that when he was in Eureka in Humboldt County he did all the blacksmithing for most of the timber companies from San Francisco to Portland.

"I recruited young men to go into the Marine Corps and get them off the street, and my DOS is that you have to help an elderly person at least once a week by taking the trash out or whatever," Pick added.

Pick counsels young men and women who want to go into the Marine Corps. He explained that being a Marine is earned, not given.

"The first thing I tell them is that it's an incurable disease," Pick said, "Being in the Marine Corps. Once you're a Marine you're always a Marine."

For Pick, his time in the service was both a blessing and a curse. In a time when the soldiers weren't welcome back in a friendly manner, Pick is proud of his time served. Having earned medals, citations, and a purple heart for being wounded in action he dedicates time to help combat veterans who have served find peace.

"Being in the infantry, being a rifleman, being a machine gunner and a combat veteran is another deal," Pick said. "Another deal."