TRUE GRIT
There’s a saying often attributed to John Stuart Mill that the subject of this issue’s Survivalist Spotlight is quite fond of: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” While we feel that’s a pretty self-explanatory statement, some may ask what makes a man good. Daniel Lombard has quite a body of experience to answer that question. His dedication to protecting others is truly limitless.
Lombard is a policeman in one of the toughest cities in the country — Chicago. He founded DAVAD Defense, a firearms training company that not only provides instruction to Chicago PD’s various units, but teaches the average citizen how to defend themselves. When Daniel has earned enough respect to be selected as an adjunct instructor by the likes of Kris “Tanto” Paronto of Benghazi fame, you know there’s something to be said for his integrity.
If that weren’t enough, as a native of South Africa, he also took it upon himself to train local game rangers and assist in an ongoing struggle that has no end in sight — battling poachers. Even as rhino populations dwindle and poaching syndicates become better equipped than the native game wardens tasked with protecting them, that doesn’t discourage Daniel from taking an active role in the conservation effort.
We’re pretty sure that the world’s evil wouldn’t stand a chance with more people like Daniel Lombard in it. We sat down with him to get the inside scoop on the anatomy of the poaching underworld, what it takes to survive in the Africa bush and streets of Chicago, as well as the challenges he faces in his police work.
RECOIL OFFGRID: Where were you born?
Daniel Lombard: I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, but pretty much right after that my parents moved to Durban on the coast. I ended up moving down to the ocean there when I was about a year old.
What did you want to do when you grew up?
When I was in school I ended up going to the university to study law. I was the first person in my family to go to a university. My dad expected me to be a lawyer, but law school didn’t quite pan out. I majored in history as well as constitutional law, so once I had my bachelor’s degree I decided not to
