During 1962 Robert C. Moore returned from a tour of duty in Korea. He brought with him the Martial Art system called Ji Do Kwan Karate. While stationed in Korea, Moore had learned the art directly from the Grandmaster Dr. Kwai Byeong Yun, and one of Dr. Yun's top students, Nam K. Yun.

Before Moore returned to the states, Dr. Yun made him a General Officer in the "Korean Kong Su Do (Karate) Association of Su Bak (Ji Do Kwan)" and sent him home with a few words of advice; "You will be teaching Americans in America, don't become Koreanized".

Dr. Yun was not attempting to belittle Korean Martial Arts or Artists. He was pointing out and acknowledging "The Natural Process", the evolution that eventually happens to every Martial Art when it is taken to a new society and culture.

Upon his return to the United States Moore organized karate clubs at Fort Riley, Kansas, Texas A & M University, and several colleges including Sam Houston College. In 1965 Moore was appointed Texas State Representative, Intercollegiate Chairman, and Regional Chief Instructor for the "United States Karate Association".

USKA was created by Master Robert Trias, the "Father of American Karate". Master Trias opened the first Karate school in the United States in Phoenix, Arizona in 1946. He also gave the first karate tournament in the United States. Robert Moore wrote a major portion of the constitution of USKA and contributed to the bylaws.

In 1968 Moore was brought to Lakewood, Ohio by Dale Brooks to revamp his school's failing karate program. Dale's school, "The Ohio Judo & Karate Association", was becoming the hub of a "Midwest Martial Arts Community" that was just riding the crest of the first wave of many new and wondrous Martial Arts that heretofore had been unknown or misunderstood in the west.

O.J.K.A. in the 60's was a veritable beehive of "Martial Arts Activity". A Master in the Goju system, and Gung-Fu practitioners from Canada. National and International Champions in Karate, Judo, and Yudo. Aikido practitioners Representatives from the Hawaiian Martial Arts. A Master of the White Eyebrow system and expert with temple weapons. Nationally rated competitors from the Kajukenbo and Shorinryu systems. Taekwondo, Ju-Jitsu. Savate, Sambo from Russia. All of these sooner or later made it through the dojo door. It was into this once in a lifetime atmosphere that I was introduced into the Martial Arts.

Moore never bothered teaching a foreign language. All classes were taught in English. Every technique had an English name. The three exceptions were words that I think just carried over from the long running Judo program and the Isshinryu Karate program that just ended. They were Sensei, Dojo, and Kata. Teacher, School, and Form. The same three we still use today. And I might add we use Sensei incorrectly. The word Sensei is used after the proper last name. Such as, Smith, Sensei. However, we would say Sensei Smith. It's the way we've always done it, and I never saw any reason to change it. It's uniquely American, has worked for us, and never interfered with a punch or kick.

Sensei Moore stressed the image of the Black Belt. Nothing was half way with him. "You give your students the moon to shoot for". He believed in hard training; "Get the body out of the way so you may concentrate on the mind". Hard testing; "If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen". And a very high standard of requirements and performance. He also believed in American Martial Arts for Americans. When asked what style we took he would say; "Tell them you take American Karate".

In December of 1968 the Ohio Judo and Karate Association introduced a new concept called, "The Professional Program". This was a course of study that focused on creating professional Martial Artists who intended to open their own dojos. The professional student was taught at an accelerated rate. Karate, Judo, Ju-Jitsu, Aikido, Hand to Hand Combat, Business Management, Business Law, Preventive Taping, and First Aid were but a few of the subjects covered and studied.

To help in this endeavor, Sensei Moore brought one of his first Black Belts, Sensei Curtis Herrington from Texas to Lakewood. Sensei Herrington had spent time training in Karate and Hapkido while stationed in Korea like Moore. Back in the States, Herrington trained in Tang Soo Do and Hapkido with Kim Pyung Soo, Judo and Ju-Jitsu with Sonny Thompson and Karate with David Moon and Robert Moore. His varied background of instructors and styles fit in perfectly, and contributed to the vast amount of "Martial Arts Knowledge" and "Martial Arts Personalities" that were whipping around the dojo.

By now I was involved as a student in the Professional Program, and met Sensei Herrington at an announcement dinner held Monday, December 16, 1968. It was a meeting that was to start a friendship that would last beyond the death of Master Herrington in 1992, and bring together for the first time, the co-founders of the Ohio JI Do Kwan Karate Association.

By April of 1969 I was training almost exclusively with Sensei Herrington. However, specialty classes I still took under Sensei Moore. As we approached the end of the year things began to fragment. Sensei Herrington was moved from Lakewood, Ohio to take over the Elyria, Ohio dojo, and a break-up was coming between Moore and Brooks. I was never told what had happened, but knowing the two men as I did, I would have to bet it was due to business practices or rank requirements.

From my first day through the door of the dojo, up until this point I had trained five days a week, six hours a day. It was now late October 1969 and due to a personal situation I was forced to take time off. Within a few weeks Sensei Herrington would decide to take time off also and go back to Texas for a visit.

Looking back at this point in my training I realize how fortunate I was to be brought up at O.J.K.A. by these special people. At a time when it was common for students to be arguing the old "My style is better than your style", I was given immediate respect for all styles by exposure and the understanding of my Senseis. At a time when teachers were protecting their reputations by taking their students only to closed tournaments, we attended nothing but open tournaments facing all styles and systems. Ah, the growth that occurs the first time a Karate beginner with nothing but straight-line knowledge has a Kung-Fu practitioner run circles on them. How does anyone's ability ever mature by competing against only the same style?