MARTIAL ARTS BACKGROUND: Began formal martial arts study in 1973 with George Dillman of Okinawan Kempo in Reading, Pennsylvania. Continued training in Shuri-Ryu karate at the Ali Kai Academy in Maywood, Illinois. Also studied Chinese Kenpo in a local studio of the Tracy Brothers system. In 1976 moved to California and met several martial artists in the Okinawan community in Los Angeles. Among these special individuals were Takushi Yasukazu, Oyakawa (Roy) Nobuichi, Kimo Wall, and Kenneth L. Penland, dedicated teachers who showed him the beauty of Ryukyu culture. After gaining black belt ranking in Shorin Ryu karate and Matayoshi Kobudo, Pedro sought to gain a greater appreciation of related disciplines. As a result he has studied Japanese Calligraphy and Tea Ceremony, as well as various martial art forms of other cultures including Tai Chi, Shotokan, Tae Kwan Do and Eskrima. Since 1991 Pedro has taught and trained in Northern California where his most recent instructors have included Jim Silvan, Oshiro Toshihiro, and Professor Wally Jay. From frequent travels to Okinawa since 1980 he has acquired friends and mentors such as Matayoshi Shinpo, Nakamura Yoshio, and Shinzato Katsuhiko. In 1992 he founded the RyuBuKan Dojo to continue his pursuit of martial arts training and to propagate the lessons of his teachers to further generations of students.

Brother Jim Botsford: Born Renovo Pennsylvania, October 27, 1944. Jim is currently residing in San Antonio Texas. Wife Miyoko is originally from Okinawa. Jim has three children (two daughters, one son), and four grandchildren.

Retired US Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (Sergeant Major), with a background in military intelligence. Currently working with the US Postal Service in San Antonio. A total of 47 years combined service.

During Jim’s tenure with the Strategic Air Command, Jim was a member of SAC’s marathon team, completing thirty 26.2 mile races, and finished eighth overall at the Pike’s Peak marathon.

Jim is an ardent proponent of diet and exercise, steeped in Martial Arts Tradition. Jim spent 15 years in Asia, beginning in Okinawa in 1963. His passion is Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate, which he studied in the Jinbukan dojo under Katsuyoshi Kanei (deceased).

Jim’s experience is both broad and deep, with Martial Arts experiences ranging from Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan and Okinawa, and in systems, from Choi Li Fut Kung Fu, Vu Vietnam, Tai Chi, Tai Kwon Do, and many more.

With his kohai, Ed Sumner, Jim served as the Base Karate instructor at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969.

Jim maintains a wide circle of friends, many of whom are Martial Arts practitioners. Jim notes that he “deeply values and cherishes all of them,” and most humbly desires to serve in any manner possible.

Brother Mike Boyett: Born 12 May 1943, in Harrisburg, Ill., Mike is currently residing in Port Charlotte, Florida. Mike’s wife Milagros (Gheng) is originally from he Philippines. Mike has 2 sons and a daughter.

Retired US Air Force Master Sergeant, with back ground in military intelligence and Air Force Combat Communication systems, he also performed duties In the Air Force ROTC Detachment at the University of Notre Dame as a T.I., and 4 years of JUSMAAG (Joint US Military Assistance Advisory Group in the Philippines.

Mike has spent 19 years in Asia, beginning in the Philippines in 1964. He practices traditional karate and Tai Ji Quan. Mike has experience in a mixed bag of Martial Arts systems: Wado, Go-Ju Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Kajukenbo, Hung Gar, Shotokan, Wu & Yang Tai Ji Quan and Kobudo.

Mike still practices Shotokan, Go-Ju Ryu and Wu Tai Ji Quan in Florida. He paints Chinese/Japanese brushing and works on his Blog, "Adventures of an Old Karate Ka” in his spare time. Mike hopes to serve the group in any way possible.

Brother Gary Hance: Born and raised in central Missouri. Gary entered in the service at seventeen and was selected for Security Service; upon finishing basic and tech school he was sent to the Philippines. Gary worked in the intelligence field, where he met Ed Sumner, who got him interested in Karate. He trained with due diligence and achieved the rank of Shodan(1st degree black belt) before being shipped to Vietnam. While in Vietnam he continued to practice, but was sent to a remote location where he could not study with his comrades. He returned to the Philippine Islands on RR and tested for Nidan (2nd degree black belt) and achieved that goal. He got out of the service after four years mainly because of his independent way of thinking and return to civilian life.

Gary is married to Mary Anne and has two stepchildren and two step granddaughters. He attended the University of Missouri at Rolla for two years and then went to work for a railroad contracting service where after several years became manager of the western part of the United States and Mexico. Gary worked for this company for thirty-four years before retiring on disability because of a kidney malfunction. Although, he is on dialysis and practice has been somewhat disrupted he still manages to do kata, meditation and deep breathing exercises. Gary says that this also gives him a chance to catch up on research.

Brother Virgil Lucas: Info coming soon!

Brother John Plater: John was born somewhere in rural St. Mary’s County, Maryland in Dec, 1944. His family moved to Washington, D.C. in 1950 where he resided until entering the USAF in 1962. John's wife, Fely, is from the Philippines. They have two grown children and ten grandchildren, seven natural, one adopted, and two from a second marriage of one of our children.

After serving 22 years in the Air Force, John spent 16 years working in Sunnyvale, Ca. He now resides in the Las Vegas Valley and is enjoying his third career as a Realtor®.

John first started his martial arts training in Judo, at Offutt AFB in Dec 1962. He studied there until he was assigned to the Philippines in Oct, 1964. Upon arrival in the Philippines, John immediately started looking for a good karate instructor, one that would train his mind (maturity wise), as well as his body. Two weeks after his arrival he started training at the Crosswinds Karate Training Hall. The rest, as they say, is history.

On subsequent tours to the Philippines John had the pleasure and good fortune to meet Luther Wood, Mike Boyett, Jim Botsford, and Ed Sumner. John stated, "A finer group of guys you’ll never meet. I have had the pleasure to train with them all, and though they may not realize it, they each had a profound influence on my maturation in the martial arts. Another great influence on my marital arts career was Arthur Beverford of Ken Zen Ichii (Wado Ryu), whom I met through Ed Sumner."

John's most recent affiliation was with the Han Moo Kwan Tae Kwan Do school at the Lockheed Martin recreation facility in Sunnyvale, Ca.

During John's continuing study (always a student) of the martial arts, he has taught on occasion. He started with classes at Kirksvillle AFS, then Bolling AFB, Tinker AFB, and a kids class during his last tour in the Philippines.

Brother Duke Shariff-Bey: Born in Cleveland, Ohio, September 29, 1946. Currently residing in Prairie View, Texas. Currently single, father to 7 children, Grandfather to 8 Grandchildren.

Retired US Air Force Master Sergeant with a background in Military Intelligence and the Air Force Equal Opportunity Program (First Command Equal Opportunity & Treatment NCO, Air Training Command). Retired Constable Pct. 3, Waller County Texas, Master Peace Officer Rated, also Police Instructor certified.

Shariff-Bey served two tours in the Philippines (Clark Field), one tour in Viet Nam (Bien Hoa Air Base) and one tour at Osan Air Base Korea. He actively sought out the best instructors in the local Martial Arts for training. His Martial Arts foundation was formed at the Crosswinds Dojo of Angeles City, Philippines under the guidance of Marcello B. Umipeg, Luther E. Woods and James Botsford. His brother student Ed Sumner kept him motivated and on track to what would become a 40 year plus Martial Arts involvement.

Shariff-Bey has taught Umipeg Karate Do at Laredo AFB, Randolph AFB, Brooks AFB Texas, as well as Bien Hoa Air Base Viet Nam. He also taught in the civilian community of San Antonio Texas through the Housing Authority (Sutton Homes, Wheatley Courts). He is Co-Founder of the Jai Yen Yen System which is currently under the direction of Mike Zang of Live Oak, Texas, and Soke of the Uhuru Budo Kai system of Go-Shin Jitsu. He is also the Houston area representative of the Al Francis Karate Organization (Master Al "Alamo Al" Francis, Texas Black Belt Hall of Fame Inductee, Tae Kwon Do).

Shariff-Bey counts among his mentors: Master Frank Waller Jr, Master Richard Dixon, Master Andrew Harrison, Master Jack Gridley and Sensei Ricardo Benevides representing Tan Soo Do, GoJu Ryu, Haka Ryu Jui Jitsu,, Akido and Judo, all of which contribute to Uhuru Budo Kai.

Master Marcello B. Umipeg is his recognized Master, Crosswinds Dojo, Philippine-American Karate Society (PAKS), deceased.

Shariff-Bey currently teaches close quarter combat to Law Enforcement, and provides Personal Safety Management training to students/Staff of Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas as part of his on-going Law Enforcement Crime Prevention Program.

Brother Ed Sumner: Born Alton Illinois, October 30, 1947. Now retired, Ed is currently a resident of Buckeye Arizona (just west of Phoenix). His wife, Irene, is Chinese, and originally from the island of Borneo, in Malaysia. Ed has two sons from a first marriage, and two stepsons. He also has four grandchildren, two girls and two boys.

Ed left the military after four years, and took advantage of the GI bill to further his education, graduating cum laude from Eastern Washington University in 1974.

Ed enjoys many passions in life…. Wife and family, the Martial Arts, physical conditioning (Ed completed 9 marathons after having surgery on both knees and one foot to repair training injuries) and motorcycling being primary among them.

Ed began his training at age 17 in Judo while at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo Texas. He was introduced to Karate by a fellow Judo student who had been trained in Okinawa previous to being assigned to Goodfellow. Once assigned to Asia, Ed immersed himself in Karate, receiving a black belt from Marcello Umipeg (deceased) of the Cross Winds Dojo in the Philippines, and in Goju Ryu from Katsuyoshi Kanei (deceased) of the Jinbukan Dojo in Okinawa.

Jim Botsford, a Nidan when Ed started at the Crosswinds Dojo as a beginner, more or less “adopted” Ed as a younger brother in the arts. Ed shared an apartment with Jim, and they pretty much trained with every spare minute they could find in a day. “Jim even introduced me to my first wife,” Ed said, “and I completely forgive him for that!” he concluded with a laugh.

Jim preceded Ed to Viet Nam by a couple of months, and shortly after Ed arrived, Jim started the Karate Club there. Jim and Ed then served as the Base Karate Instructors during their 18 month tours of duty at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969.

On coming back to the states, Ed continued his training under Sensei Teruo Chinen of the Jundokan International, based in Spokane Washington. Ed was co-captain of the Eastern Washington University Karate Team, with Bruce McDavis. Under Sensei Chinen’s careful supervision, Ed taught Karate as credit classes in Physical Education at six Colleges and Universities while completing his education. It was under Mr. Chinen’s tutelage and coaching that Ed enjoyed some small successes in the Tournament arena. “The limited successes I had as a competitor are a testimony to what a truly outstanding coach can do with a mediocre athlete with a good work ethic,” Ed says.

Ed continues to train daily, and maintains an affiliation with Mr. Chinen and the Jundokan International. “I’ve been blessed to have many outstanding teachers during my Martial Arts journey, but Sensei Chinen is my Sensei, and always will be,” Ed says.

Brother Dave Wilson: Born on May 26th, 1944 to military parents. Life was moving to a new Air Force base about every two years and that encompassed England, Germany, and a good part of the continental U.S. The odyssey ended in Hawaii where his father retired and David graduated from high school.

Martial arts began in his senior year in Wahiawa, HI. A cousin introduced David to Kenpo (Ed Parker Style) and that was a short but undeniable experience.

David graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1966 and also received his commission as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. After intelligence school the young officer was sent to Ton Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon, Vietnam. As a 2nd Lt. David joined the Yin Yang Tao karate school that was started by Jim Botsford and Ed Sumner, both of Crosswinds Dojo in the Philippines. This was the true indenture to martial arts for David. The experience was decidedly “Old School” and followed him through fits and starts in other clubs at various times.

David went on to civilian life, two marriages, and one daughter. He has had a successful Financial Advisory practice for 27 years in Northern California where he resides with his wife Kathi.

No serious reentry to the martial arts occurred until 1977 when David joined a dojo that was teaching Shorin Ryu, Matsubayashi style in San Bruno, CA. Again, following a year at that dojo. Life intervened again until 2005 when David met Sensei Pedro Bernardy at Club Sport, a fitness club and spa where David was doing Tae Bo, playing basketball and volleyball.

With Pedro's encouragement, David reentered the world of shorin ryu and was once again smitten with the discipline and physical requirements to become a martial artist. Clearly more mature at age 60, David was moved to contact his teachers from Vietnam to relate his journey and learn of theirs. What followed was a reunion of a number of veteran "warriors" that had all been involved to various degrees in the martial arts.

David receive his brown belt in Shorin Ryu on the 20th of May, 2007 and hopes to become shodan by next year. He is also a brown belt (san kyu) in goju ryu karate, a rank achieved in Vietnam in 1968. David plans to teach karate and become a certified fitness trainer in his retirement years.

Working with his wife, Kathi, he plans to have a wellness business to further the cause of fitness, health and spiritual development through the martial arts.

Brother Luther "Woody" Wood: Born March 1, 1939 in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Woody’s father was a career military man, and when Woody’s mother passed away during Woody’s high school years, it felt quite appropriate for Woody to relieve his father of some of his child rearing duties during this difficult time by himself joining the military, which he did in 1956, at age 17.

Woody was assigned to duty in the Republic of the Philippines in 1957, and using Clark Airbase as “home,” was sent on numerous “TDY,” or “temporary duty” assignments to other Asian areas, including Okinawa, Guam and Taiwan. Woody’s interest in Martial Arts was growing at this point, but constant travel prevented him from finding a school he could stay focused on.

After a brief assignment back to the States, maintaining missile tracking systems in Florida and the Bahamas, Woody was again assigned to the Philippines, arriving in 1960. It was during this assignment that Woody was introduced to Sensei Marcello Umipeg at the Crosswinds Dojo.

It was also during this tour of duty that Woody met and married Patrocinia (Patricia) Guillemer.

Woody continued to rotate from stateside duty to Asian duty, with multiple tours in the Philippines and a tour in Pleiku Vietnam.

Woody was a mainstay of Sensei Umipeg’s Crosswinds Dojo, serving as assistant instructor, and in 1964, providing the financial assistance that allowed the Dojo to double in size. Any of his kohai from that period will attest to Woody’s dedication, the intensity of his workouts, and his ability to perform tamishiwara, or breaking demonstrations.

Along the way, Woody trained in Wado Ryu Karate, Choi Li Fut Gung Fu, Goju Kai, and Goju Ryu Karate. When Sensei Umipeg closed the Crosswinds Dojo and moved his family to Guam, Woody began training with Sensei Arthur Beverford, a Wado Ryu practitioner, becoming his assistant instructor at Clark Airbase, and eventually taking over the responsibilities for the Base Dojo.

Woody retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1985 after 29 years, 22 days and 4 hours, (but hey, who’s counting?)

Sadly, Woody’s wife Pat was diagnosed with Chronic Paranoid Schizophrenia in 1971, and more recently with Dementia and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease. Pat has been Woody’s all consuming concern, although when able, Woody continues to assist many elderly folks in his community.