American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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the sort of hands-on instruction that would help prepare their personnel
for the different situations they might find. With our experience,
we knew we could tailor courses and provide enough range time to
make a difference.
The problem was getting everything together to do it.
Money, of course, was a pretty big consideration. Then, partly by
chance, I happened to meet someone who realized the company could
be a good investment, and who also had faith in me: J. Kyle Bass.
Kyle had made a lot of money investing, and when we met, he was
looking for a bodyguard. I guess he figured, “Who better than a
SEAL” But when we got talking and he asked where I saw myself in a
few years, I told him about the school. He was intrigued, and rather
than hiring me as his bodyguard, he helped provide the financing for
our company. And just like that, Craft International was born.
Actually, it wasn’t “just like that”—we busted butt to get it going,
working long hours and sweating out all the details the way any entrepreneurs
do. Two other guys joined Mark and me to form the ownership
team: Bo French and Steven Young. Their areas of expertise have
more to do with the business side of things, but they’re both knowledgeable
about weapons and the tactics that we teach.
Today, Craft International’s corporate offices are in Texas. We
have training sites in Texas and Arizona and work internationally on
security measures and other special projects. Mark can occasionally be
seen on the History channel. He’s pretty comfortable in front of the
cameras, so at times he’ll relax into a real thick British accent. The
History channel is kind enough to translate his thick accent into good