Dragon Force National Karate Team

Grandmaster Dale M. Stengele President / Founder OMAA 10th DAN Master Teacher USMC Vietnam War Veteran Grandmaster Dale M. Stengele (Red Ghi Top) pictured with Shihan Tim Thompson at the 2006 OMAA Self-Defense Seminar.

Grandmaster Dale M. Stengele, 10th Dan President & Founder OMAA Tournament Promoter of the OMAA National Karate Championships Tournament Promoter of the East Coast Open Karate Championships Tournament Promoter of the Pennsylvania Open Karate Championships Chief Instructor & Promoter of Self-Defense Seminars WKU Hall of Famer USMC Veteran Vietnam War Veteran Grandmaster Dale M. Stengele is a 10th Dan and he lives with his family in Emmaus, PA . He is the President and Founder of the Open Martial Arts System (OMAA). The Original Organization that he founded was called the Okinawan Martial Arts Association. He changed the name to Open to incorporate all the other styles of Martial Arts into his Organization. He is a Tournament Promoter of Local, East Coast and National Martial Arts Championships. His tournaments are professionally managed and fair. He conducts Self-Defense and Breaking Seminars all over the USA. He started his Karate Training in the 1960s while serving in the Marine Corps. He attained the rank of 5th Dan during this period while stationed in Virginia. He was known throughout the USA as a Great Karate tournament Fighter. His 6th through 10th Dan were confirmed by Grandmaster Conklin. His 10th Dan was certified by the Board of Directors of the OMAA. He was inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame in 1997. He is a decorated USMC Vietnam War Veteran. Both Grandmaster Stengele and his Wife play a big part in their Church. His son is currently serving in the USMC. ******************************************* Baptist Church Magazine Article My Name is Dale Stengele, and this is My Story I really believe this is another evidence of God's mercy keeping me alive. God miraculously spared my life while I was serving in the Marine Corps in Vietnam in the late 1960's. In one case, our ship had fired upon a Vietcong vessel and I was sent in a small boat to take five of the men as prisoners of war. I could have easily been overpowered as I was outnumbered, but the capture was completed without incident. Another time we were involved in heavy artillery firing all night. A small crew of us was manning one gun, loading and firing high explosive rounds that are designed to detonate on impact. We were firing so fast that mistakes were almost inevitable. One round rammed, ricocheted off the breach block and landed on the deck - but miraculously didn't explode. I was the lucky guy who had to pick it up and dispose of it. I carefully picked it up and threw it overboard where it exploded violently as soon as it impacted the water. A little later that same night the gun was loaded wrong and the powder keg and explosive round rolled out the back of the gun and slammed into a pile of hot empty powder kegs that were just fired - but miraculously again did not explode. Once more I realized how close to death I had come, but wondered why God had spared my life. I finished two tours of duty in Vietnam without an injury, and returned to Virginia where I married my wife, Ginny. I worked as a corrections officer for the state. One day I was on my way to pick up my wife from work on my motorcycle. As I approached a sharp turn, I noticed that the oncoming car was not going to make the curve, but it was too late. The next thing I knew my bike collided head-on with the car and I flew through the air. For a time I felt as though I was separate from my body and could see my body hurtling through the air. Then my body slammed into me, it seemed, and the pain was excruciating. At the hospital they told my wife that there was a 90% chance I would lose my leg even with the reconstructive surgery. Now I look back and realize that God mercifully and miraculously brought me through the recovery. I started my own band. We played everything from polkas and Bar Mitzvas to country and rock and roll. Our "Eastbound Express" group became quite popular in the bar circuits and later the military circuit. When the group eventually disbanded, I became a disc jockey. When my step-father had a heart attack, we moved back to Pennsylvania to be closer to him. When I got a side job as a bar bouncer, I found myself in many fights and sometimes encountered knives and weapons. A friend introduced me to karate at a health club and I fell in love with the sport and saw its usefulness for self-defense. I began to train and work out for eight hours a day and before long had become a fifth degree black belt master with a reputation for travelling anywhere in the state for a good fight or tournament. (Dale Stengele through his continued practiced of Karate was eventually promoted to Tenth Degree Black Belt. He is a Grandmaster, Hall of Famer and President of the Open Martial Arts Association.) Off and on during this time I was attending churches. I noticed that they were preaching one thing, but the Bible was saying something else. I became very disillusioned with church and just wanted to find "truth" which I believed would be in the Bible. One day I had to have my son's car towed home and I struck up a conversation with the mechanic about spiritual things. He invited me to his church - Lehigh Valley Baptist Church. I had seen the church before but was afraid to visit. Now that I had an invitation and knew someone there, my wife and I attended the next Sunday. We were impressed by the sincerity of the members and the fact that everyone was following along with the pastor in their own Bibles, looking up verses, and even agreeing with the pastor out loud. It seemed like the preaching was directed right at me.The assistant pastor of the church came over for a visit one day and I literally dragged him into our house. I was so excited to start a Bible study and find the answers to life's questions. After a year of visiting the church and studying the Bible, God finally broke through my hard heart. On a Sunday morning in February, 1998, I saw myself the way that God saw me, as a wretched sinner. I surrendered right then and there to be sold out to Christ. I went down the aisle at the invitation with happiness and joy and a smile on my face, knowing that Christ had loved, accepted and saved me in spite of myself. I was humbled that He would save a sinner such as I. Within a short time dramatic changes were taking place in my life. The Holy Spirit was making me into a new creature. I gave up my smoking habit of 4-6 packs a day. My wife accepted Christ as her Savior a few weeks later. To see me now you may find it hard to believe where I came from. But when God saves us, we become "trophies of His grace" - "that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:7-9) I haven't shared all these things to brag on them in any way, but to help you see the gutter from which God saved me. The complete difference seen in my life is a great illustration of the love, mercy, and grace of God and His power to change a life. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever." (I Timothy 1:13-17)

Hanshi James S. Herndon Tsuruoka Hachidan 8th Degree Black Belt Kaicho Kensei-Kai Kaicho Daiko Kuniba-kai Tsura-Ha Martial Arts Founder Grand Master Japanese Karate Teacher Ph.D, Ed.D USAF Veteran

Kyoshi James S. Herndon Hanshi Jim Herndon (Hachidan 8thDan) is a gifted Grand Master of the Martial Arts. He has practiced Japanese martial arts for more than 40 years. His Teacher was Soke Shogo Kuniba, who founded the Seishin Kai Martial Arts Organization. Mr. Kuniba died in 1992. He is the Founder of the Kensei-Kai / Tsuru-Ha Karate & Kobudo Style. A Shito-Ryu Martial Arts System influenced by Soke Kuniba.. He has authored numerous article on the Martial Ars. Dr. Herndon’s professional training is in human resources management (M.A., Pepperdine University), industrial/organizational psychology (Ph.D., Old Dominion University), and counseling psychology (Ed.D., University of Sarasota). He has earned five Diplomates in areas of Board Certification, to include Police Psychology, Forensic Examination, Psychological Assessment, Evaluation and Testing. He has presented/published more than 200 papers and articles. He is a USAF Vietnam-era veteran; and, he has practiced Japanese martial arts for more than 40 years. In his spare time, he is a serious genealogist and family history researcher. A Virginia native, he currently resides in Longwood, FL. Shihan Thompson studied directly with Hanshi Herndon at "The Dojo" located in Chesapeake, Virginia from 1985 to 1991 and was promoted by him to 4th Dan in Kensei-Kai Karate-Do (1990) and 2nd Dan in Tsura-Ha Kobudo (1987). Since that time he has attended Hanshi Herndon's Seminars including an Outstanding Karate Do Philosophy / Psychology and Tomari Bassai Kata / Bunkai Seminar conducted in Virginia Beach, Virginia 11 July 2009. Through Hanshi Herndon, Shihan Thompson was introduce to and participated in seminars conducted by Soke Kuniba and Kyoshi Yamashita.

Hanshi Tadashi Yamashita Grandmaster 9th Dan Kobayashi Shorin Ryu Karatedo / Kobudo Hall of Famer Founder / Director Yamashita Budo International Hollywood Martial Arts Star Sensei Tadashi Yamashita is one of the best Karate Masters in the World. He is a Martial Arts Legend. He has starred in numerous Hollywood Movies including The Octagon, American Ninja, American Ninja 5, Rising Sun, Gymkata, Capital Punishment, Bronson Lee Champion, The Shinobi Ninja, Enter the Dragon, Judge Dee, Golden Needles, The Seven, The Magnificent Three, Lethal Weapon 4.Kung Fu, A Man Called Sloan, Knight Rider, Thrill Seekers, ESPN Karate Demonstrations, several Pay Per View Events, The Karate, The Blind Karate Man, and Karate II. Sensei Yamashita has dedicated over 40 years of his life to the practice of Okinawan Karatedo and Kobudo. He teaches karatedo and kobudo seminars all over the world. He is a student of Sensei Nakazato and was promoted to the rank of ninth degree black belt in both karatedo and kobudo. Master Yamashita is also the President and Director of U.S. Shorin-Ryu Karate Association, and U.S.A. President of the Zen Okinawan Kobudo Association. Master Yamashita’s experience of more than 4 decades in the martial arts began at age 11. He was the roughest kid in school, and picked fights with other students, as well as the teachers. This was brought to the attention of the P.T.A., which realized they could not handle him. The P.T.A. president, who was also a karate instructor, stopped by to pick up Tadashi after school one day. Always the warrior, Tadashi tried to fight him. The instructor grabbed the rebellious youngster and dragged him off to the dojo where he was taught the elements of kicking, punching, and most important of all, discipline. Tadashi found his probation period very interesting. His destructive energy was channeled into a hidden talent. The young man had found an art form, a religion, and a way of life. Master Yamashita was awarded his black belt at the age of 16. In 1960, he captured the All-Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Free Sparring Grand Championship title. In 1968, he visited Japan and tested before his Sensei, Sugura Nakazato, 9th Degree Black Belt. Also on the panel was the famous Grand Master Chosin Chibana, 10th Degree Black Belt. Master Yamashita became the youngest 7th Degree in the history of Japan. In 1972, Master Yamashita moved to California where his talent and skill were noticed by many top artists, such as Mike Stone and Ed Parker. He is also known for teaching the late Bruce Lee the use of the nunchucku. Master Yamashita is the foremost Karate and Kobudo expert in the U.S. today, and is the Head Instructor of Sui-Ken-Do in the U.S. He is also a world-renowned weapons master. During the 1973 Pro-Am Karate Tournament, he brought over 7,000 spectators to their feet in a standing ovation after demonstrating his mastery and skill of ancient kobudo weaponry. Master Yamashita has traveled worldwide giving seminar in locations that include North and South America; Central and Eastern Europe, The Middle East, The Mediterranean Region and Asia. He keeps a close connection with his birthplace of Japan and Okinawa. Not only is Master Yamashita recognized as a leading authority in the martial arts, but his accomplishments also include his study with several notable high ranking masters. These masters include the late Chibana Chosin of Shorin Ryu, and Shuguro Nakazato founder of the Shorin Ryu Kan. He has also trained directly under the late Shinpo Matayoshi, founder of the Zen Okinawan Kobudo Renmei. Well known for his explosive open hand techniques, Master Yamashita combines many progressive fighting tactics with traditional aspects of karatedo, thus resulting in a devastating fighting system. His dynamic fighting system known as “Suikendo,” translates to, “fist flowing like water.” This non-stopping flowing system of fighting allows the karateka to simultaneously block and strike his opponent with blinding speed and accuracy. Shihan Thompson participated and studied Directly under Sensei Yamashita at Seminars, Classes, Trips to Japan / Okinawa, Hollywood Onset Action since 1983. Sensei Yamashita promoted Sensei Tim Thompson to 6th Dan in 1996.