About

Our Inspiration...

Kajaki, Afghanistan - April 22, 2012: US Marine prepares C4 charges to destroy and enemy fighting position.

We draw our inspiration from Combat Engineers.

These roots run deep, dating back to 883 BCE, as ancient Assyrian Sappers would dig trenches and breach fortresses during a siege, providing their military a path for entry.

Today, Combat Engineers provide many advantages as they manipulate the battlefield by clearing paths, constructing obstacles, and fortifying positions. Often times, this requires getting creative with available resources and exploring multiple solutions.

Masters of this craft wear a black castle pin. They must be flexible in mind and continually identify areas for improvement to deliver mission success. This is the very essence of Black Castle.

Engineer Training Area(ETA) 9 & 10 Instructors

ETA 9/10 - Camp Lejeune, NC July 2017

About the founder...

"I never claimed to be the best Combat Engineer, but I definitely served with some of them." -Alex Tafoya

Alex is a former Combat Engineer & Engineer Training Area Instructor.

He enlisted into the Marine Corps in 2011 and was honorably discharged in 2018. During his time in service his duties ranged from rafting, breaching, route clearance, and construction operations.

Often realizing that he needed to know more if he were to be effective in his role, he identified and mentored under those who had adept knowledge.

He believes that committing to self improvement and maintaining a student mentality greatly contribute to personal success. Black Castle was created to form a community that shares in his belief.

Whats with the compass and ropes?

Aside from being great tools and skills to exercise your resourcefulness, these activities contain lessons that are instrumental in developing confidence when faced with the unknown.

Too often, we feel lost or even stuck when dealing with adversity. Being able to re-orient yourself and navigate through life's challenges is something that is not often practiced. With this concept in mind, these outdoor skills are simply the lens that we use to sharpen our mastery of self development.