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| SGT Medina, Un Kim, SGT Laboy 1987 |
| Armed Forces Team 1987 |
| Army Team 1996 |
| Army Team 1989 |
| Army Team 1988 |
| Army Team 1997 |
| Army Team 1998 |
| Armed Forces Team 1998 |
| Army Team 2000 |
| Army Team 1999 |
| Army Team 2005 |
| USA 2nd ID ARMY TEAM |
2005 Army TKD Team
This article addresses Taekwondo as a sport, recognized by the U.S. Army
SFC(R) Rafael Medina (Army Coach and Armed Forces Coach)
Many sports will keep soldiers in top physical condition if the soldier maintains the sport as a serious business, but to
be one of the best takes time and a lot of discipline. The task of being a soldier and an athlete is not an easy task. You
must get up early in the morning and get ready for PT, maintain your job skills and perform any additional task that lies
ahead. Soldiers are soldiers twenty-four hours a day for seven days, but becoming a soldier and an athlete is two
times harder. We must sacrifice our personal and family time to get in top physical condition.
Taekwondo is an excellent sport. I reflect back to 1984 and all the things we did to try and get support from our
Commander. We had to workout at least two hours before PT formation (6:00 am) to prepare for the State and National
Taekwondo Competitions. A lot of soldiers studied Taekwondo before us, but as far as I know, they never represented
the Army as a team. We took the first step in making this happen. In 1985 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the Army
Taekwondo Team was formed.
We had a vision and in order to accomplish our dream, we had to first prove to the Army (Fort Bragg) that we would
represent it with the best quality of soldiering and athleticism. We had many obstacles in front of us, no support from
our commander, company mission, details and field training exercises but we were determined to see this through.
The athletes to represent Fort Bragg were SPC Pedro Laboy (heavy weight), SGT Rafael Medina (Bantam weight) and
SPC Mark Green (Feather Weight) for the 1985 N.C. State Championship. After winning three gold medals and being
interviewed by the newspaper the doors opened for better opportunities. A week later, all athletes had the Commander’
s consent to practice Tae Kwon Do during the hours of 5:00-6:30 and 1300-1630. Under Mr. Laboy’s instructions, we
continued to work out hard toward our goal, of representing Fort Bragg, in the 11th National Championships.
On June 8, 1985 Ft. Bragg’s sport department sent a group of soldiers TDY to attend the 11th United States
Taekwondo Union (USTU) Championships, in Hartford, Connecticut to represent the Army for the 1st time. The Army
athletes were SPC Pedro Laboy (Heavy Weight), SGT Rafael Medina (Bantam Weight), and SPC Mark Green (Feather
Weight). The following year the Army sent four soldiers SPC Pedro Laboy, SGT Rafael Medina, SPC Mark Green, and
SGT Leo Oledan (Fly Weight) to attend the 12th USTU Championship, held on the 5th of April 1986. Before this time
the Department of the Army (sports) didn’t recognize Taekwondo as a sport, it was Ft. Bragg’s sport office (MWR) that
did so. The funds came from the left over budget from the boxing team. The uniforms we wore at the competition were
black t-shirts with the word ARMY written on the back. From time to time people asked where the team trained and how
was the coach.
Master Sergeant Bruce Harris had a lot of questions that needed answers. He proposed to take care of us and
become the liaison between us and the Army TDK Team and work with the Department of the Army (Sports), to make
Taekwondo an official sport of the Armed Forces.
In October 1987 for the first time ever Taekwondo was recognized as a trial sport by the Department Of the Army
(Sports). The first Armed Forces Team trials were at the Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA. Coaches such as
MSG Bruce Harris and Navy Chief William D. Balwin, along with athletes from the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy
came aboard to compete. There were about 40 to 57 athletes from Taekwondo, Karate and Kung Fu. The competition
tryouts lasted for three days. It was a round robin bout qualifying 3 Army soldiers and 1 alternate, 2 Airmen and 3 Navy
sailors to participate in the 2nd International Military Sports Counsel (Counseil International du Sport Militaire) (CISM)
Championship in Korea for the first time.
SGT Rafael Medina (Humacao, Puerto Rico) was the only Army soldier to place, winning a Bronze Medal along with
Timothy Tower (Navy) and Melvin Boatner (Air Force).
In 1988, the Armed Forces recognize TKD as a sport. The first Army Taekwondo Team trials were held at Fort
Indiantown Gap, Pa. Mr. Paul Boltz along with head coach Bruce Harris was the coordinator and liaison for the
Department of the Army, sports (MWR). Nothing was easy, coaches and athletes had to work hard to show Mr. Boltz
that we were the best athletes (sports) he had ever seen in his life.
During our first training session, Mr. Boltz stated that if you were not in top shape, you would be sent back home. The
second week, Coach Harris was sending athletes back home. The requirements were 1st Dan WTF, proof of U.S.
Citizenship and become a member of the USTU.
In 1995, Coach Bobby Clayton led the team to the National Championship. The following year he asked me to be part
of his coaching staff and not to worry because I would get all the knowledge that I needed. My dreams came true.
Coach Clayton taught me how to become one of the best.
Today I look at the Army Team and I see my first competition back in 1985 when TKD was a nightmare. (No show of
support, just similar scenarios). Thanks to Mr. Pedro Laboy, Coach Harris, Mr. Boltz, Ms. Berwager, Coach Clayton,
Coach Kim, Coach Bennett, Coach Williams, COL. Thomas A. Allmon and Coach Lee for keeping Taekwondo a sports
program in the Army.
Army Taekwondo (TKD) started in 1988 at Fort Bragg, NC by SPC Pedro Laboy from Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was the
1st President for the Army TKD Association. (1985-1986).
MSG Bruce Harris, President for the Army TKD Association (1987-2000)
Ms. Claudia Berwager, President for the Army TKD Association (2001- 2007)
ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT!!.
WARRIORS!!!
SFC(R) Rafael Medina (Army Coach and Armed Forces Coach)
Many sports will keep soldiers in top physical condition if the soldier maintains the sport as a serious business, but to
be one of the best takes time and a lot of discipline. The task of being a soldier and an athlete is not an easy task. You
must get up early in the morning and get ready for PT, maintain your job skills and perform any additional task that lies
ahead. Soldiers are soldiers twenty-four hours a day for seven days, but becoming a soldier and an athlete is two
times harder. We must sacrifice our personal and family time to get in top physical condition.
Taekwondo is an excellent sport. I reflect back to 1984 and all the things we did to try and get support from our
Commander. We had to workout at least two hours before PT formation (6:00 am) to prepare for the State and National
Taekwondo Competitions. A lot of soldiers studied Taekwondo before us, but as far as I know, they never represented
the Army as a team. We took the first step in making this happen. In 1985 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the Army
Taekwondo Team was formed.
We had a vision and in order to accomplish our dream, we had to first prove to the Army (Fort Bragg) that we would
represent it with the best quality of soldiering and athleticism. We had many obstacles in front of us, no support from
our commander, company mission, details and field training exercises but we were determined to see this through.
The athletes to represent Fort Bragg were SPC Pedro Laboy (heavy weight), SGT Rafael Medina (Bantam weight) and
SPC Mark Green (Feather Weight) for the 1985 N.C. State Championship. After winning three gold medals and being
interviewed by the newspaper the doors opened for better opportunities. A week later, all athletes had the Commander’
s consent to practice Tae Kwon Do during the hours of 5:00-6:30 and 1300-1630. Under Mr. Laboy’s instructions, we
continued to work out hard toward our goal, of representing Fort Bragg, in the 11th National Championships.
On June 8, 1985 Ft. Bragg’s sport department sent a group of soldiers TDY to attend the 11th United States
Taekwondo Union (USTU) Championships, in Hartford, Connecticut to represent the Army for the 1st time. The Army
athletes were SPC Pedro Laboy (Heavy Weight), SGT Rafael Medina (Bantam Weight), and SPC Mark Green (Feather
Weight). The following year the Army sent four soldiers SPC Pedro Laboy, SGT Rafael Medina, SPC Mark Green, and
SGT Leo Oledan (Fly Weight) to attend the 12th USTU Championship, held on the 5th of April 1986. Before this time
the Department of the Army (sports) didn’t recognize Taekwondo as a sport, it was Ft. Bragg’s sport office (MWR) that
did so. The funds came from the left over budget from the boxing team. The uniforms we wore at the competition were
black t-shirts with the word ARMY written on the back. From time to time people asked where the team trained and how
was the coach.
Master Sergeant Bruce Harris had a lot of questions that needed answers. He proposed to take care of us and
become the liaison between us and the Army TDK Team and work with the Department of the Army (Sports), to make
Taekwondo an official sport of the Armed Forces.
In October 1987 for the first time ever Taekwondo was recognized as a trial sport by the Department Of the Army
(Sports). The first Armed Forces Team trials were at the Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA. Coaches such as
MSG Bruce Harris and Navy Chief William D. Balwin, along with athletes from the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy
came aboard to compete. There were about 40 to 57 athletes from Taekwondo, Karate and Kung Fu. The competition
tryouts lasted for three days. It was a round robin bout qualifying 3 Army soldiers and 1 alternate, 2 Airmen and 3 Navy
sailors to participate in the 2nd International Military Sports Counsel (Counseil International du Sport Militaire) (CISM)
Championship in Korea for the first time.
SGT Rafael Medina (Humacao, Puerto Rico) was the only Army soldier to place, winning a Bronze Medal along with
Timothy Tower (Navy) and Melvin Boatner (Air Force).
In 1988, the Armed Forces recognize TKD as a sport. The first Army Taekwondo Team trials were held at Fort
Indiantown Gap, Pa. Mr. Paul Boltz along with head coach Bruce Harris was the coordinator and liaison for the
Department of the Army, sports (MWR). Nothing was easy, coaches and athletes had to work hard to show Mr. Boltz
that we were the best athletes (sports) he had ever seen in his life.
During our first training session, Mr. Boltz stated that if you were not in top shape, you would be sent back home. The
second week, Coach Harris was sending athletes back home. The requirements were 1st Dan WTF, proof of U.S.
Citizenship and become a member of the USTU.
In 1995, Coach Bobby Clayton led the team to the National Championship. The following year he asked me to be part
of his coaching staff and not to worry because I would get all the knowledge that I needed. My dreams came true.
Coach Clayton taught me how to become one of the best.
Today I look at the Army Team and I see my first competition back in 1985 when TKD was a nightmare. (No show of
support, just similar scenarios). Thanks to Mr. Pedro Laboy, Coach Harris, Mr. Boltz, Ms. Berwager, Coach Clayton,
Coach Kim, Coach Bennett, Coach Williams, COL. Thomas A. Allmon and Coach Lee for keeping Taekwondo a sports
program in the Army.
Army Taekwondo (TKD) started in 1988 at Fort Bragg, NC by SPC Pedro Laboy from Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was the
1st President for the Army TKD Association. (1985-1986).
MSG Bruce Harris, President for the Army TKD Association (1987-2000)
Ms. Claudia Berwager, President for the Army TKD Association (2001- 2007)
ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT!!.
WARRIORS!!!
| Sport Taekwondo Center Associates Armed Forces Taekwondo Hall of Honor |
| Armed Forces Team 2001 |
| Armed Forces Team 2006 |
| Armed Forces Team |
| All Army Team 2001 |
| Coach Kim, Nelson and Coach Medina |
| Army Team 1995 |
| 2002 Armed Forces Team |
| 2003 Army Team |
| 2004 Army Team |
This website is dedicated to all coaches and athletes around the world. I am also very honored and thankful to my friends Coach Bobby Clayton, Coach Bruce Harris,
Mr. Pedro Laboy, Mr. Paul Boltz, Ms. Claudia Berwager and Col. Thomas A. Allmon to dedicated many years of their lives to develop Taekwondo into the U.S. Armed Forces sport
program.
Sincerely, Coach Rafael Medina
Mr. Pedro Laboy, Mr. Paul Boltz, Ms. Claudia Berwager and Col. Thomas A. Allmon to dedicated many years of their lives to develop Taekwondo into the U.S. Armed Forces sport
program.
Sincerely, Coach Rafael Medina
| Army Team 1992 |
| Armed Forces Taekwondo Hall of Honor |
| Bongseok Kim |
| Bongseok Kim |
Coaches recognized by the Armed Forces
Bruce Harris: 1987-1994 Army and Armed Forces
Bobby Clayton: 1995- Army and Armed Forces
1996- Army
1997- Army and Armed Forces
1999- Army
1996- Army
1997- Army and Armed Forces
1999- Army
Rafael Medina: 1996-2000 Army and Armed Forces
Michael Bennett: 1998- Army
Bonseok Kim: 1998- Armed Forces
2001-2003 Army and Armed Forces
2005-2006 Army and Armed Forces
2008 Army and Armed Forces
2001-2003 Army and Armed Forces
2005-2006 Army and Armed Forces
2008 Army and Armed Forces
Hun Suk Lee: 2001-2003 Army and Armed Forces
Kevin Williams: 2004 Army and Armed Forces
Brad Carter 2006 Air Force and Armed Forces
2008 Air Force and Armed Forces
2008 Air Force and Armed Forces
Curtis Brown 2001 Air Force and Armed Forces
Elizabeth Evan 2002 Armed Forces
Ridenour Rachel 1996 Army
2000 Army and Armed Forces
2000 Army and Armed Forces
SSG Andrew H Roberts Jr.
May 9, 1990 - March 18, 2000
Houston, Texas
May 9, 1990 - March 18, 2000
Houston, Texas
| 2008 Air Force Team |
| 2008 Army Team |
| 2008 |
CISM 2008
ARMED FORCES 2008
OCT 08 Camp Victory OIF Taekwondo Class