ParaCombatives Crest

This is the primary patch for our club and is worn by all students on the left side of their chest. Much like a police officer's badge, it harkens back to traditional shields which would be carried with the left arm and protect the heart as the right hand wielded an offensive weapon. This patch names our style (ParaCombatives Jujutsu) along the top and the location of our primary dojo (Northwestern University) along the bottom. Between the top and bottom rockers there is an outer circle which names the arts which have contributed the most to ParaCombatives: Miyama Ryu, Aikido, Atemi, and Judo. The inner circle contains a styled Japanese character read as "Bushido", translated as "The Way of the Warrior".

JJL

We began wearing the JJL patch after the death of our founder, John J. Lewis. The three Japanese characters underneath John's initials are pronounced "Samurai Kata Gi" and translate as "the spirit of the Samurai". This patch is worn by all students on the left shoulder of their gi. We wear this patch in memory of John and the spirit of martial skill, bravery, and honor which he exemplified and instilled in his students.

"The Wings"

This patch is worn on the left shoulder, just above the JJL patch, only by those who have attained a yudansha rank. Owing to John Lewis's long service in the military, it's design is reminiscent of the US Army's Airborne patch. It includes the name ParaCombatives, the Bushido symbol, and the depiction of a figure scuba diving and parachuting. (These two activities were ones which John Lewis originally wanted all yudansha candidates to complete before promotion. They remain as symbols of our dedication to bringing our study of Jujutsu into our lives outside of the dojo.)