At least one Texas Isshinryu Karate Kai student took the lessons Kyoshi Robert Kristensen offers in class each day to heart and then some.

Kristensen, a Vietnam veteran and an eighth degree black belt, said while the focus of his classes is perfecting one’s character, he stresses that the United States would not be what it is today if it were not for the thousands who have served in the military.

And TIKK students know the importance of honoring those who have served.

Purple belt Austin Gillham, who has been training at TIKK since 2004, took it one step further and decided to serve the country himself. Gillham, who graduated from Coppell High School in June, spent 13 weeks this summer in intensive basic training in the Marine Corps.

On Sept. 18, he graduated from U.S. Marine Corps Boot Camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and was a member of the honor platoon.

After a brief visit home and slipping in a few classes at TIKK as well, he then went to Camp Pendleton in California for military combat training where he was an honor graduate ranking fifth out of 300 in his class.

The private first class then traveled to Maryland for military specialty school where he will be until February.

Austin’s father, Alan, reports, “While he will finish in Maryland and become a reservist in February, he seems to be enjoying himself so much that he may go active while squeezing in college.”

TIKK has dojos in Coppell, Aubrey, Denton, Flower Mound, Granbury, Seguin and Plano. For more information, call (817)491-1130 or visit www.txikk.com.