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revisit RISK AND REWARD

What happened to Jay? Saved by a skilled trauma sur- tests as well as life tests such
geon, Jay went on to become one of the most legendary as relationships or career
agents in ATF history. “Being shot empowered me,” Jay challenges. Risk revisiting
says. “It showed me that . . . I did want to be the guy your most recent tests.
that would stand up to the violence on behalf of my Describe how you pre-
community.” Known on the streets and in the law pared for a school test; then,
enforcement community as “Jaybird,” he risked infiltrat- list up to three things you could have done to
ing the Hells Angels motorcycle gang as an undercover prepare more effectively. Now do the same for a recent
agent, earning the extraordinary reward of being the “life” test. How would you grade yourself on this test?
first law enforcement officer to defeat the gang’s mul-
What risk may bring reward beyond your world? Jay’s
tilayered security measures to become a full patched
17 years of undercover street work came at a price. “It
member. His 2009 memoir, No Angel: My Harrowing
darkened my outlook and personality. I had lost faith
Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells
in people,” Jay says. Jay then met Ed Harrow, the
Angels, became a New York Times bestseller. Jay retired
founder of Heartbeat for Africa, a faith-based nonprofit
with 12 ATF Special Act Awards for excellence in crimi-
that provides clean water systems and medical care to
nal investigations. Now married and the father of two,
children and orphans in the Volta Region of Ghana,
Jay is a motivational speaker. “My presentations are not
West Africa. Reluctantly, Jay traveled to Africa on a
hero stories,” Jay says. “I spend more time talking about
Heartbeat mission, witnessing extreme poverty but
the mistakes I made and the failures and regrets. . . . I
encountering people full of spirit and hope. “They
hope people listen to my stories and don’t make the
restored my faith in humanity,” Jay says. Visit www.
same mistakes I made.”
heartbeatforafrica.org to learn more about the organi-
What does this mean for you? To ace the “test” of being zation’s mission. Then consider how you can risk mov-
an undercover agent, Jay armed himself with knowledge. ing past your own ups and downs to create reward for
“I studied criminals. How they talked, walked, looked, someone else—locally, nationally, or internationally.
dressed, what they drove, where they lived, how they What cause inspires emotions in you and makes you
interacted. Crime environments were my school room.” wish you could help? Research online and turn that
Knowledge and experience are the keys to passing school wish into reality.

A final word: Tests reflect your ability to show what you know. They do not neces-
sarily indicate what you know, and certainly they do not define who you are. Under-
stand the limitations of tests. Learn from them and take from them what reward you
can as you move into the greater test of life in the 21st century.

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