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Grandmaster Daniel T. Rogers (July
8,1958 - November 24, 2001) has been involved in the Martial Arts for a period
of 33 years. He currently holds an
8th Degree Black Belt in Hapkido.
His instructor in Hapkido is Grandmaster Choi, Han Young, who ranks as a
10th Degree Black Belt, with over 50 years martial arts experience
and has appointed Master Rogers as the Eastern United States Vice-President of
the World Chun Ki Association.
Master Rogers began his martial arts studies in 1965, initially studying
the Japanese art of Judo “the gentle way”, until 1969.
In 1969, his Judo instructor was sent overseas to serve a tour in Japan
with the Navy. At this time, Master
Rogers was introduced to the Korean Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do (the way of the
feet and hands), which he practiced diligently from 1969 to 1971.
In 1971 his involvement with Hapkido began, and in 1973, he received his
Black Belt under Master Choi. Master
Rogers continues to train daily using Hapkido, “the way of coordinated
power”, as his way of life.
While studying the martial arts, Master Rogers also served in the U.S.
Army as a medic, infantry man, and communications specialist with the 82nd
Airborne Division and Special Forces where he instructed (in Hapkido) members of
the military’s elite , such as the Special Forces, Paratroopers, Rangers,
LARPS, Force Recon, and numerous other elite forces both in the United States
and abroad from 1974 to 1988. He
has assisted in writing books used by the military for hand-to-hand combat and
appeared in the American Ninja, a book written for special operations
warfare type personnel. Moreover,
he as received numerous awards for his Martial Arts contributions from the World
Chun Ki Association, Korean Kido Kuk Sool Won Association, the World Martial
Arts Federation, American Martial Arts Alliance and fellow martial artists.
He has been featured in Black Belt Magazine, local newspapers, as
well as being accepted by the Who’s Who as a life member and was inducted into
the World Karate Union’s Hall of Fame for 1998, receiving the Lifetime
Achievement Award for his devotion and service to the martial arts.
He has (also) appeared in publications across North America and Germany.
Master Rogers presently holds the rank of 6th Dan in Han Moo
Tae Kwon Do under Grandmaster Kyo Yoon Lee, 8th Dan in Nihon Ryu
Aikijutsu, and 6th Dan in Shorin Ryu Karate under Dr. Soke
Sacharnoski.
He founded the World United Hapkido Association in hopes of unifying all of the fragmented Hapkidoist(s) around the world affording them the opportunity to practice standardized techniques and the rank recognition that they deserve. He continues, and will continue to be a decisive driving force in us, his students, here and abroad by providing a disciplined path, narrow in its sway, yet never-ending in its destiny, for us to follow and emulate.
The previous information was taken directly from the World United Hapkido Association Curriculum Manual and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the WUHA and AHA.
Note from JDhapkido, my introduction to hapkido:
Walking through the door I saw , "You Need More Practice", located on the cross-beam in the middle of the workout floor in big red letters. This was the first thing that I noticed when I entered the dojang during on my first class of hapkido at the American Hapkido Academy. Grandmaster Rogers welcomed me and thus my training in hapkido began on that day. He asked me what my goal was, I replied, "I don't know, I guess to get a black belt." He pulled out a black belt and said, "Here you go, now you have a black belt." He went on to say, "This belt only holds your dobak (uniform) closed, it is the knowledge and what you do with it that makes you a black belt." Four years later after the three-day, two-night test for my black belt, I remember him saying, "Ok, now that we've got the basics out the way, the real training can begin." I smiled and remembered what he always said, "Complete the Circle." My training for a "Black Belt" led me back to the beginning.
Grandmaster Rogers was a great martial artist, father, husband, soldier, and friend. He was a true warrior in every since of the word, up until his last breath, and will be deeply missed by all those who knew him. Words cannot express my gratitude to him but I will keep it simple and say, "Thank you, Sir, for everything."
If you knew Grandmaster Rogers and would like to post something, please email me at: JDhapkido@netscape.net .