In the fall of 1974, my cousin David had returned home from Germany, ending his tour of duty with the U.S. Army. David had some interesting stories while serving in the army and the martial arts. As he spoke, David had pulled out a pair of Nunchucku’s from a leather case explaining what they were as he spun them around. When he was done swinging them he had asked if I would like to try them. That was my first introduction to the martial arts and how not to hit yourself with two sticks attached by a thin rope. Well after David had moved back to North Carolina around spring time in 1975. For now there was not anyone else to train with until I had met John LaLonde at the Doughnut Kastle in Taylor Michigan. John is a Tae Kwon Do practitioner teaching lessons out of his garage and continuing his training at the local Tae Kwon Do school. He already had some great kicking skills under his belt while station in Japan with the US Marines. I had explain to John what little that I had learned from David and the Martial Arts magazines
I started out with John by learning the basic stuff…. a lot of stretching, and some punching
techniques to go along with the kicks he had taught me. This lasted until September 1975 when I
had enlisted in the US Army and heading to fort Dix, New Jersey. Fort Dix was an awesome learning experience in itself. Once I was assigned
permanent quarters, the training routine began every morning at 5:00AM, you
know the basic stuff running, climbing After basic training, I found my next stop at Fort Polk, Louisiana where I received additional hand to hand and infantry combat training. What was so interesting about Fort Polk were the women going through the combat coarse, some very fine Infantry troops themselves. The Army had given camping a whole new meaning. Once I had graduated with the rest of the troops, I was off to South Korea, the DMZ; and my new home became “Camp Grieves”. Near our camp was a ROC marine base camp. Twenty men were all lined up in four rows each had a bayonet at the end of their rifles. They were practicing drills that were similar to the katas that were being taught at the morning Tae Kwon Doo class and without injury. I was impressed enough to resume my training and soon found a school of Tang Soo Do. I mean I did try Hapkito for about two weeks and that was enough for me, reason to stop was to stupid so I will not give one. Now
the years have passed me by. I have gotten married, raised a family and
have earned a career
as the Chief Building Engineer at the Fairlane Training and Development Center. One day, one of my
staff member, Bobby, told
me about “Chuck Cory” (Chuck was teaching in the Computer Lab) who
said he was a Kung Fu Master. Well
off to the lab Stan and I had gone to inquire about the new learned
information and Chuck's take on the whole martial Arts thing. After
speaking with Chuck and doing some In July 2000, “Master” Cory told a few select and others know of his intent to open a martial arts training club; and he asked if we wanted to join in the Group. On our first day at the Wayne Recreation Center in Wayne, Michigan, Stan and I were heading towards the school doors when we saw Chuck in his martial arts garb, the “Gi”. Stan first statement; "Dang Jiffy Chuck sure looks awfully comfortable in that that Gi"! From that day I was hooked on San Soo kung fu.
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shooting, the every day rigors of the US Army basic training troop.
Adding to this new adventure, my personal
freedom was limited to a three-day pass and I was at the mercy of an irate
Drill Sergeant with issues. The 