Grandmasters

Grandmaster M. Romines, 9th Dan (President of All American Tang Soo Do Association)

1963 through 1967: Studied Martial arts in the Michigan area in Judo and Shotokan. Studied under Sensi Bill Armstrong, Master Ushida and 2 time world champion Professor John McCray, eventually receiving Black Belt ranks in both arts.

1965 through present: Studied Tang Soo Do with a number of instructors including Master Sang K. Shim, Master J. Klinfeld, Master C.I. Kim, Master H. Murphy and Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Current instructor, Grandmaster W. Clingan, 9th Dan ( Pin #5845 ) since 1985. Received 8th Dan and Grandmaster Certification in 2006; 9th dan in 2013. Currently President of the All American Tang Soo Do Association. Grandmaster Romines has over 58 yrs of experience in the martial arts.

USKA:  Past Member and Instructor
 

U.S. Tang Soo Do MDK Federation:   Past Member and Instructor

World Tang Soo Do Assoc.:

• Past Member and Instructor
• Past Regional Director
• Past Technical Advisory Chairman
• Director of 1988 World Championship

Studied Aikido, no rank achieved. It was his great honor and privilege to have studied briefly with Grandmaster Ueshiba, (founder of Aikido).

1979: Studied Arnis under Grandmaster Remy Presas (founder modern Arnis), no rank achieved

Grandmaster Romines has been featured in several local and national newspapers and has showcased his skills on television, including "That's Incredible"

Studied Tae Kwon Do for many years, eventually receiving rank of 8th Dan in 2012. It was his great honor to have studied with Grandmaster General Choi Hong Hi (co-founder of Tae Kwon Do) and Professor E. Humesky, Grandmaster. 

Grandmaster Romines has been inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame and Who's Who in the Martial Arts. He also serves as an ambassador to the Korean Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and is listed in Sa Ja Nim Timmerman's book "Who is Who in Korean Martial Arts".

Grandmaster Romines also currently serves as Regional Director, Northern Region, of the World Dang Soo Do Union-U.S.A.

2015, GM Romines inducted into the Korean Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame.



 

Grandmaster M. Driggers (8th Dan) Board Member, All American Tang Soo Do Assoc.

Grandmaster Driggers has over 40 years in the martial arts.  His martial arts training  began in the late 60’s while stationed in Korea with the United States Air Force.  He trained daily either at the Osan Air Force Base facilities or in the Do Jangs in Chico Village, Kunsan and/or Soul Korea.  Training during this time was very different than the way Tang Soo Do training is conducted today in the United States.  Classes in Korea were extremely intense both mentally and physically. Grandmaster Driggers remembers trying to conduct his first Tang Soo Do class in the US, out of 20 students that joined, in less than two weeks the class was down to “0” zero due to the class being too demanding and hard.

After leaving Korea, the US Air Force provided Grandmaster Driggers with the opportunity to travel extensively both within the continental US and abroad.  He was able to teach classes in places such as: Paris, Greece, Egypt, Philippines, etc.  In every country or state that Grandmaster Driggers was assigned to, he always started a Tang Soo Do class and worked-out with other martial artists in the area.  By participating with other styles, Grandmaster Driggers was to able to enhance his knowledge of different martial art’s philosophies and techniques.  Although Grandmaster Driggers trained with many different styles, Tang Soo Do, in his opinion, is the most effective and well-rounded Martial Arts.  Tang Soo Do teaches the overall capabilities of a person’s body including the mental aspects.

Grandmaster Driggers considers himself very lucky, not only was he able to train with the Masters in Korea, but he was able to continue his training with Great Grand Master Clingan.  From the time both of these masters met in Korea until present, they have continually learned and trained together.  Not only is Grandmaster Clingan a mentor and senior master to Grandmaster Driggers, he is also a close friend to Grandmaster Driggers and his family.

Grandmaster Driggers is originally from East Point, Georgia.  After retiring from the US Air Force, he and his wife selected Northern California as their home.

In Grandmaster Driggers profession outside of Tang Soo Do, he has over 40 years in instructional design, developing, managing and delivering training programs.  He is retired from Bank of America where he held a Vice President position.  Grandmaster Driggers has a Master Degree in Business Administration, Bachelor Degree in Sociology and an Associate Degree in Instructional Methodology. Grandmaster Driggers owns and operates “Driggers and Associates” a consulting firm.

• Began study of Tang Soo Do in 1982 (to current date) with now Grand Master M. Romines 9th dan
• Received 1st Degree Black Belt in 1986 (Dan #21405), World Tang Soo Do Association.
• Received 2nd Degree Black Belt, World Tang Soo Do Association.  
• Received 3rd Degree Black Belt, All American Tang Soo Do Association
• Received 4th Degree Black Belt, All American Tang Soo Do Association
• Received 5th Degree Black Belt, All American Tang Soo Do Association
• Received 6th Degree Black Belt, All American Tang Soo Do Association
• Received 7th Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do, UMAB
• Received 7th Degree Black Belt, in Tae Kwon Do, Dr. E. Humesky, Sr. Grandmaster,/Founder UTB/UMAB 
• Received 8th Degree Black Belt / Grand Master Cert. in TSD, NKMAA and All American TSD Assoc.
• Received 9th Dan in TSD from All Amer. TSD Assoc. and NKMAA

            Grandmaster Romines has a Bachelor's of Science in Accounting, and works as a Controller in Construction Industry and is chief instructor at First Nation Tang Soo Do at the North American Indian Association in Detroit, MI

           Grandmaster Romines can be contracted at mr8986@att.net