Ronald David Haskins

was born in a leap year on February 29, 1964 in Limestone, Maine.He graduated from Mount Ararat High School in Topsham, Maine in 1982. It was during high school that he first cultivated interests in the areas of Fine Arts, the Culinary Arts, Music, and Sports (like Soccer, Track, Lacrosse). After graduating high school Ron joined the Army where he was trained as a military policeman or MP, assigned to the 118th Military Police Company (Airborne) at FT Bragg NC. As an MP he participated from October to December 1983 in Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada, West Indies. Ron later volunteered and was accepted into the Army Special Forces (Green Berets), where he passed the Special Forces Selection Course, and was then accepted and trained for 2 years as a Special Forces Medic�the most demanding and multi-skilled military specialty within Special Forces. He worked in Asia and the Pacific Rim on numerous assignments during his time with the 1st Special Forces Group in FT Lewis, Washington.After his tenure in Special Forces, Ron left the Army to form his own company that specialized in training law enforcement Special Operations personnel and personal security units in close quarter combat, hostage rescue and hostage recovery operations. He was also an instructor for Department of State for the Anti-Terrorism Assistance program for 3 years, working with foreign law enforcement and special operations personnel in anti-terrorism operations.Ron held numerous law enforcement and homeland security teaching certifications with both Federal and State agencies, teaching in all aspects of physical and personal security.After 9-11 Ron became an instructor with the US Air Marshal program, where he was heavily involved in the development of new curriculums for the greatly expanded Air Marshal program. From 2004-2005 he worked for Triple Canopy in Iraq in conjunction with the State Department as a Personal Security Agent for the Coalition Provisional Authority. Upon his return, Ron continued working numerous assignments training law enforcement, security and military personnel throughout the United States.Ron earned an Associate's Degree from Pierce College in 1995. His military training and education were extensive, with military diplomas from the Basic Military Police Course, the Airborne Course, the Special Forces Selection Course, Special Forces Medical Course, the Malaysian Jungle Survival Course, the US Army Jungle Survival School, the Special Forces Waterborne Infiltration Course, the Close Air Support Operations Course, and the US Army Jumpmaster School.His military awards and decorations include the Army service ribbon, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal w/1 oak leaf cluster, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Non-Commissioned Offier professional Development Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal w/3 addendums, and the Korean Parachutist Badge.A special mention must be made of Ron's background and experience in martial arts. At the age of 12 Ron started Wing Chun Kung Fu Training in Canada, attaining the level of Brown Belt in 1980 at the age of 16. He subsequently trained at a school in Brunswick, Maine with Renshi-Shihan-Kaiden Al S. Gardner in the arts of Shotokan Karate, Chinese Internal Arts, and Ju-Jitsu. Al was a wonderful, warm-hearted person who made a huge impact in Ron's life, for in addition to martial arts, they had similar interests in music, art and philosophy. Ron attained the level of Black Belt with Al in 1981, then from 1982 to 1994 he went to study Shodan Chinese Goju Ryu, under Sifu Vincent J. Atripaldi, attaining the level of second degree Black Belt in 1993. Ron started instructing Military Combatives and civilian self-defense techniques in the mid 1990s, later transforming all his experience with Martial Arts into his own unique martial arts form, and sharing his expertise with thousands of students over the last 16 years. It was during a civilian self-defense lesson that he met his wife Joanna. After their courtship, Joanna and Ron were married at Fay Bainbridge State Park on September 18, 1999.Ron had a deep interest in and a passion for music. He played the Clarinet as a child and later the Drums as a teenager. In his adult life he began composing music, later discovering the guitar as an instrument he wanted to master; he was well on his way to reaching that goal.Ron is survived by his wife Joanna, his brother Bruce, his sister Debbie, his mother Nora, and his father Charles.For service information please email: darelcool@aol.com. Arrangements through Cook Family Funeral Home.