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Balancing service & strength

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kurstyn Canida
  • 81st Training Wing Public Afffairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  

As he stepped onto the mat, the crowd’s roar filled the air. The Armed Forces Wrestling Championships were underway, and he was determined to bring home the gold. After a five-year hiatus from competitive wrestling, the adrenaline coursed through his veins as he adjusted his singlet, the familiar weight of the fabric a comforting reminder of his passion. The man had worked tirelessly, training alongside his Air Force teammates, pushing each other to be the best. Now, as he faced off against the Army and Navy wrestlers, he knew this was his moment to shine. With a deep breath, he locked eyes with his opponent, ready to unleash the skills he had honed since childhood. 

For Capt. Brian Friery, Chief of Military Justice, wrestling is more than just a hobby; it is an opportunity to represent the Air Force with honor and pride.

“I started wrestling when I was six years old and went on to get recruited and wrestle at Penn State,” Friery shared. “Vice Admiral Houck, former TJAG of the Navy, was the wrestling team’s faculty mentor at Penn State and introduced me to JAG while also advising me as I applied to law schools.”
Friery used Admiral Houck’s guidance to help shape his career path. Initially focused on becoming a civilian lawyer, he hadn't seriously considered the military until Judge Advocate General officers visited his campus. This enlightened him on the opportunity to blend legal practice with service to his country through the Air Force. Drawn to the prospect of gaining broad legal experience early in his career by handling varied cases and honing his litigation skills from the outset while also fulfilling a deep-seated desire to serve his country, Friery applied to the JAG Corps during his second year of law school at Notre Dame. When he received his acceptance, he knew he had found his calling.

While Friery felt he had set his life on a course he would love, his passion for wrestling remained, and he sought ways to merge his career and hobby.

“If you're not at an Olympic level after college, then it's hard to find a place for adults to wrestle, so while I was in law school, I started doing jiu-jitsu,” Friery explained.

Friery, dedicated to staying fit through jiu-jitsu while attending JAG tech school, first learned about Air Force wrestling from a classmate. Intrigued, he kept it on his radar as a potential pursuit. Later that year, a flyer promoting Air Force wrestling appeared in the base fitness center, catching the attention of several colleagues who encouraged him to apply. The application process, primarily online and without a physical demonstration of wrestling skills, posed a challenge, but Friery was undeterred. He focused on highlighting his extensive wrestling achievements and experience, hoping his determination and passion for the sport were evident as he awaited the outcome, eager to embark on this new chapter in his career.

“I found out I was one of 25 selected to go to the training camp in Colorado Springs,” Friery recalled with pride. “For two weeks, I was able to train with people from different bases and career fields before we competed at the Armed Forces Championship.”

 His dedication paid off when he clinched two silver medals for the Air Force, a testament to his hard work. Though he can only compete for   the Armed Forces Championship in wrestling once a year, Friery always takes advantage of every opportunity to showcase his skills in   various regional and local jiu-jitsu competitions. Whether on the mat or in the courtroom, he skillfully balances his passion for martial arts   with his devotion to his duties, proving that with perseverance and love for what you do, you can excel.

 “Balancing my workload and my love for wrestling is definitely doable, but it takes good time management,” said Friery. “Throughout life, it      never really gets easier to balance those things, but I think the military makes it easier by prioritizing health and encouraging Airmen to be      mentally and also physically fit.”

For Friery, jiu-jitsu and wrestling are more than just sports; they’re an escape from daily life. When he steps onto the mat or into the ring, the stress of work fades into the background, and he can focus solely on the challenge at hand. The intense training sessions and fierce competitions provide him with a physical and mental outlet, leaving him feeling fit to fight in true Air Force fashion.

“I try to apply my competitive drive I had in college as much as I can now as a professional in the military,” Friery explained. “I hope to return to the Armed Forces Wrestling Championship next year and take home the gold.”