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New book release · November 22, 2026

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A memoir by Shihan Rick Donkel

Soldier Warrior
to Black Belt

My journey from the battlefield to black belt at 51.

A story of service, discipline, and the courage to begin again—told through one remarkable path from military life to the martial arts.

Discover the memoir Meet Ricky
COURAGEDISCIPLINENEW BEGINNINGS
Soldier Warrior to Black Belt: A Memoir by Shihan Rick Donkel, book cover
A life shaped by service.
A new chapter forged through discipline.
Updated hardcover edition of Soldier Warrior to Black Belt by Shihan Rick Donkel

The memoir

The journey is the making.

Soldier Warrior to Black Belt follows Rick Donkel's journey from the battlefield to the dojo—and the path to earning a black belt at 51.

Part memoir, part testament to perseverance, this is a story about meeting life as it comes and discovering that it is never too late to take on a new challenge.

Read about the author

A story of transformation

Lessons carried beyond the page.

01

Resilience

The determination to keep moving through demanding chapters of life.

02

Discipline

Showing up, learning, and committing to the work—one step at a time.

03

Reinvention

Finding the resolve to begin again and pursue a goal at any age.

The author

Shihan Rick Donkel

Rick Donkel is the author of Soldier Warrior to Black Belt, a memoir tracing his journey from the battlefield to earning a black belt at 51.

Through his story, he shares a personal account of perseverance, service, and the discipline of pursuing a goal later in life.

Return to the memoir

Soldier Warrior to Black Belt

The next chapter can start at any age.

Explore Shihan Rick Donkel's memoir and follow a journey shaped by courage, discipline, and determination.

Explore the story

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