In 1979 when I was stationed in Fort Bragg in North Carolina as an Army Airborne Ranger, I trained Karate intensively. Then when it was time for me to be transferred to Fort Ord, California, my teacher, who was also in the Army Special Forces, advised me if I did not find a Karate school as powerful as his school, I should look for an Aikido Dojo. I did not know about Aikido, nor had he explained to me what it is. So I assumed that Aikido was the most lethal martial art that includes the “death touch” techniques.
When I arrived California, I could not resist my curiosity to immediately visit an Aikido Dojo, so I did. I went to Aikido of Monterey where Danielle Smith, Dennis Evans and Tom Gambell were the teachers. I sat and watched their class for an hour, and what I saw was very different from what I had imagined. They were grabbing each other’s wrists, laughing, going around in circles, hugging each other at the end of class, and looked like they were all one family. Coming from a very strict and aggressive Karate training, I was shocked at what I saw, and at the same time I imagined that everything that they were doing in the class was to hide their secret deadly techniques! So I chose to join, anyway.
After months of training, I realized that my “lethal” imagination of Aikido was completely different. Therefore I decided to enjoy Aikido for what it is, and accepted to go on my journey with this art.
In 1981 I traveled to Iwama, Japan and studied directly under Morihiro Saito Sensei. Under the instructors of the Aikido of Monterey Dojo I was promoted to Shodan in 1982 and to Nidan in 1984. I became a direct student of Frank Doran Sensei in 1986. In 1987 I achieved the rank of Sandan. I returned to Iwama, Japan in 1989 as uchideshi under Morihiro Saito Sensei. I continued my training under Doran Sensei and in 1992 I was promoted to Yondan. In November 1998, I was promoted to Godan.
Aikido has given me the understanding of flow, connection and harmony that I value as an Aikido student and instructor. I am one of the California Aikido Association instructors in Division 2, under the supervision of Doran Shihan. I teach Aikido at Monterey Budokan, my Dojo in California.

My most Memorable Aikido Experience
In 1997, I was invited to teach as a guest instructor at the Annual Aikido Summer Retreat in San Rafael, California hosted by Frank Doran Shihan, Robert Nadeau Shihan and Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan. When I received the invitation, I was honored and at the same time excited to teach along with these outstanding teachers. Teaching and sharing the experience with 150 retreat participants shifted my perspective of how to express my understanding of Aikido, and it has continued to serve me in my daily training and teaching.