About Greenbrier Tae Kwon Do Academy

Greenbrier Tae Kwon Do Academy is located within the mountains of the Greenbrier Valley in Southeast West Virginia. Master John Boehringer, then a 3rd Dan, is credited with bringing Tae Kwon Do to this area in 1984 even though a couple of other instructors from nearby Charleston had been teaching a small Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do class off and on for about one year. Master Boehringer's arrival in Lewisburg from Texas, where he trained under Master Jae Woo Nam, created a solid foundation for the martial arts to grow.

Master Boehringer opened the Greenbrier Karate Academy in early 1984 in the old Masonic Building on Court Street in Lewisburg. Over the next several years the school changed locations within the Lewisburg/Fairlea area. The name of the school was also changed many times. Past names are Greenbrier Karate Academy, Bo's Tae Kwon Do, Pil Sung School of Martial Arts, Lewisburg Martial Arts Club, and now Greenbrier Tae Kwon Do Academy.

On October 3, 2000 Mr. James Morgan took over the Lewisburg Martial Arts Club from fellow 3rd Dan Wayne Perkins and changed the name of the school to Greenbrier Tae Kwon Do Academy in honor of the first TKD dojang (school) opened by Master Boehringer, Greenbrier Karate Academy.

GTKDA keeps a year-round student base of 25 - 50 students. Aside from having many hardworking and dedicated students from here in the Greenbrier Valley many students travel from Monroe and Pocahontas counties to train. Some even travel from as far away as Rich Creek, Virginia. We teach the Chang Hon hyungs (forms) of Tae Kwon Do which were developed by the late General Choi Hong Hi of the International TaeKwon-Do Federation (ITF). Our school's techniques, philosophy, and traditional manner comes from the Chung Do Kwan, created by Won Kuk Lee.

GTKDA trains more in the art of Tae Kwon Do and not so much the sport. Tournament competition is not required of the students as part of their training but it is highly suggested that they compete from time to time to gain the experience that comes with open competition.

In March 2003 the Greenbrier Tae Kwon Do Academy became a member dojang of the United States Korean Martial Arts Federation (USKMAF) headed by Master J.R. West (8th Dan Hapkido) of Jackson, Mississippi. Master Rich Hodder (8th Dan Tae Kwon Do) of Houston, Texas is the head of the Tae Kwon Do program for the USKMAF. Mr. Morgan reports directly to Master Rich Hodder in regard to all USKMAF activities and protocol.

GTKDA offers training to all students a minimum of two times a week and we invite all guests who may be in our area to stop by and train with us at any time.

About the Instructor

Mr. James Morgan, 4th Dan, began his martial arts career in 1983 in Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do. In 1984 he was introduced to Mr. John (Jack) Boehringer, Tae Kwon Do 3rd Dan, who had just recently begun teaching a TKD class in the same location as the old Tang Soo Do classes. This initial meeting was the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship. While training with Master Nam Jae Woo in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area from 1962 - 1976 Mr. Boehringer became Jae Woo's first American Black Belt. Subsequently Mr. Morgan became Mr. Boehringer's first Black Belt on July 25, 1987.

Also, between 1984 and 1987, Mr. Morgan spent a short period of time learning the Canton Wing Chun Kung Fu system from Sifu Bud Sheppard. Mr. Morgan would like to acknowledge his gratitude to Sifu Sheppard for his teachings and professionalism. He is sorely missed since he moved away from the Greenbrier County area.

While stationed in Pan Mun Jom, South Korea from 1993 - 1994 as part of the United Nations Command Security Force - Joint Security Area (JSA), Mr. Morgan underwent extensive Tae Kwon Do training from a Master Moon, the local TKD Master from Munsan. Master Moon was hired by the United Nations to travel north across the Imjin River into the Demilitarized Zone in order to train the American Infantry platoon there in hand-to-hand combat. It was during these experiences that Mr. Morgan truly began to understand the differences in TKD training in the Orient as compared to the United States. He got to do what very few TKD practitioners get to do -- train in the homeland of Tae Kwon Do and experience its roots.

Upon return to the US from Korea, Mr. Morgan was awarded the rank of 3rd Dan by Master Boehringer who had recently returned to Texas and was himself promoted to the rank of 5th Dan. Mr. Morgan then went on to be stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky as a member of the 3rd RAKKASAN! Infantry Brigade of the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division.

On October 3, 2000, Mr. Morgan officially took over the reigns of the Lewisburg Martial Arts Club from 3rd Dan Wayne Perkins and changed the school name to Greenbrier Tae Kwon Do Academy out of respect for the very first TKD school in Greenbrier County, the Greenbrier Karate Academy. To this day Mr. Perkins still works very closely with Mr. Morgan in assuring that all current and future Tae Kwon Do students train according to the strict code of Tae Kwon Do and its tenets as passed down from Master Boehringer.