Riding for the Brand

Wasted Honor -

Carl R. ToersBijns is the author of the Wasted Honor Trilogy [Wasted Honor I,II and Gorilla Justice] and his newest book From the Womb to the Tomb, the Tony Lester Story, which is a reflection of his life and his experiences as a correctional officer and a correctional administrator retiring with the rank of deputy warden in the New Mexico and Arizona correctional systems.

Carl also wrote a book on his combat experience in the Kindle book titled - Combat Medic - Men with destiny - A red cross of Valor -

Carl is considered by many a rogue expert in the field of prison security systems since leaving the profession. Carl has been involved in the design of many pilot programs related to mental health treatment, security threat groups, suicide prevention, and maximum custody operational plans including double bunking max inmates and enhancing security for staff. He invites you to read his books so you can understand and grasp the cultural and political implications and influences of these prisons. He deals with the emotions, the stress and anxiety as well as the realities faced working inside a prison. He deals with the occupational risks while elaborating on the psychological impact of both prison worker and prisoner.

His most recent book, Gorilla Justice, is an un-edited raw fictional version of realistic prison experiences and events through the eyes of an anecdotal translation of the inmate’s plight and suffering while enduring the harsh and toxic prison environment including solitary confinement.

Carl has been interviewed by numerous news stations and newspapers in Phoenix regarding the escape from the Kingman prison and other high profile media cases related to wrongful deaths and suicides inside prisons. His insights have been solicited by the ACLU, Amnesty International, and various other legal firms representing solitary confinement cases in California and Arizona. He is currently working on the STG Step Down program at Pelican Bay and has offered his own experience insights with the Center of Constitutional Rights lawyers and interns to establish a core program at the SHU units. He has personally corresponded and written with SHU prisoners to assess the living conditions and how it impacts their long term placement inside these type of units that are similar to those in Arizona Florence Eyman special management unit where Carl was a unit deputy warden for almost two years before his promotion to Deputy Warden of Operations in Safford and Eyman.

He is a strong advocate for the mentally ill and is a board member of David's Hope Inc. a non-profit advocacy group in Phoenix and also serves as a senior advisor for Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council in Chino, California As a subject matter expert and corrections consultant, Carl has provided interviews and spoken on national and international radio talk shows e.g. BBC CBC Lou Show & TV shows as well as the Associated Press.

I use sarcasm, satire, parodies and other means to make you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Riding for the Brand

Riding for the Brand is a western idiom that can be applied to the past, present and future. It’s about human beings and the possession of such traditional qualities as leadership, motivation and change.

Riding for the brand instills pride and motivates people to deal with change and adversities just like in the good old cowboy days when wranglers went on month-long treks herding cattle from one end of this great country to the other side and do it with great efficiency.

Most literally the brand referred to is the way cattle were marked or branded to show ownership. However the meaning goes much deeper than just showing ownership or possession of land or stock. It is a trademark that represent pride, duty and obligations and loyalty, dedication and solidarity from within the team.

Americans have long been active producers of great work and successful projects or missions. Riding for the Brand reflects American values responsibility, well-earned pride, trust, integrity and duty.

Those that Ride for the Brand –

· Can be trusted as well and trust each other and stand united until it’s time to go home

· Complete the work no matter how hard it no matter what the weather

· Don’t work for the almighty dollar – but work to complete the task at hand or mission ahead

· Don’t complain and never use the words “I can’t” or “I won’t.”

· Do each other’s job without a whim or whine - rain or shine

· Know that at the end of the day, a hard dollar earned for a hard day’s work

· Know to never let their responsibility down and go astray

· Knows that every job is important and works well with others

· Never refuse to spell another who is tired and gave it all he had

· Realizes that he has his pride, his job and his brand to keep it together

· Search for excellence and never quit when the job needs to be done