TJ Kreutzer

TJ graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1999 with a degree in Behavioral Sciences. Over the next several years he attended NATO’s premier fighter pilot training course, EURO-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) and became an F-16 fighter pilot. He served overseas in Korea and deployed to Iraq as a combat flight lead, and was recognized as the Hill Air Force Base Flight Lead of the Year in 2005. Later he served as an instructor and evaluator pilot at ENJJPT, overseeing student training and managing several operational components of the program. During that time he also earned an MBA from Texas A&M - Commerce. He retired after more than 20 years of service in 2019. TJ began his Jiu Jitsu study in earnest in 2015 and has been an active Masters competitor, medaling at several IBJJF Worlds level events and appearing on multiple Fight 2 Win cards. TJ is currently a brown belt. One chance meeting with a struggling veteran after a Jiu Jitsu class inspired him to search for a volunteer opportunity. Soon after, TJ became aware of We Defy Foundation and applied to serve as an ambassador. TJ is passionate about helping people understand why Jiu Jitsu works as a tool for helping disabled combat veterans cope with their challenges. He firmly believes that components of the practice, such as human touch and personal accountability, are easily overlooked and yet integral to the healing process. TJ uses the organizational skills he practiced as an Air Force officer to help manage the day-to-day operations of We Defy Foundation.