Anyone know anything about judo in the Air Force?

[Jody Holeton]

Dear all,


I heard that there is supposed to be some sort of Air Force Judo group/organization. Can anyone share some info or does somebody know someone I can talk to?

Does the Air Force have any special martial art groups?

Thanks--Jody

[Joseph Svinth]

Probably the most easily accessible and reasonably accurate account of USAF judo of the 1950s and 1960s appears in Corcoran and Farkas, "Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People." There is some additional information at JNonLethal at http://ejmas.com , and I'm planning on posting another article describing the Fairchild AFB club of the 1950s during the next month or two.

In 1969 the US Armed Forces judo association became the US Judo Association, under the leadership of Phil Porter, who among other things resented the Japanese Americans then dominating the US Judo Federation not wanting to promote judo politicians past 7-dan.

So far as I know, the USAF currently has no official martial arts organizations. At least, if they do, then the AF Academy Library, the SAC Museum, and the USAF Historical Command didn't know about them. That said, the USAF currently teaches some MA techniques to Air Police and to students at their escape and evasion courses, but I haven't looked into precisely what this consists of.

[MarkF]

Since I have been online, I have received quite a few inquiries as to judo and jujutsu training around and near Kirtland Air Force Base which is literally right up the street from me. Most I have received are from servicemen who are tranfering to Kirtland and are looking for a dojo in which to train.

My first judo teacher in the early sixties learned his judo while stationed in Japan (or Okinawa, I am not completely sure) and then taught self defense and judo while in the force. I also do not know of an Air Force MA club, aside from Porter's organization.