Kyo Sa Nim Garris 

Mr. Garris Began studying tae kwon do in 1972 under master Byong Binh, he studied with Mr. Binh for approximately 1 year and moved to the Fort Bragg tae kwon do club headed by Mr. Jimmy Brown and Mr. Wilton Bennett .. Mr. Garris trained with the Fort Bragg Tae Kwon Do club until his graduation from Fayetteville State University in 1977.Mr. Garris then moved to Syracuse NY. where he studied at the Fulton tae kwon do academy and was subsequently promoted to 1st degree black belt in June 1978 by Sensei Gene Simes In May 1979 Mr. Garris returned to Greenville NC to begin graduate studies at East Carolina University during which time he taught tae kwon do during the two years he attended ECU. From 1981 until 1995 Mr. Garris was not officially affiliated with a school but visited several local schools including Master Mayes school then located on Hope Mills Rd.. In 1995 he was introduced to Master R.J. Shaw a 4th degree Tang Soo do stylist and immediately began Tang Soo do training. In 1997, Mr. Garris was promoted to 1st degree black belt in tang Soo do, and continued to train with Master Shaw until his departure in late 1998. During this same time Mr. Garris met and began weapons training with Sensei John Jackson a 5th degree black belt in Okinnawan Kenpo Karate Kubudo and student of Grandmaster Seikichi Odo. In January 2000, Sensei Jackson formed the Nintaikan Kubudo Kai and Mr. Garris was named Chief Advisor. Mr. Garris and several of his MTA students continue to be students of Okinawan Kenpo Kubudo. In 1998, Mr. Garris met and began training with Master David Sgro a 5th degree Tang Too do stylist and student of Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Mr. Garris was promoted to 2nd degree black on January 15, 2000, Master Voelker, Master Sgro (both 1999 coaches for Team USA World Championships in England), Mr. John Connelly, 3rd Degree black belt (NY) and Jeff Galvin 3rd Degree black belt (Conn.) sat on the promotion board.