Luke Holloway/Team Wujin/RAW Combat Investigation Thread

[tgace]

Hi T Gace, did he specify what specific courses Luke had taken, and did he have any opinion as to Luke's proficiency with firearms?

He did not state what classes he took, but he did say that LH received "firearm instructor" credentials through his org. He did state that LH was familiar with firearms before attending his school.

There was a bit of "people are jealous of Luke's success" and "other businesses will spread rumors to sabotage the competition" in our correspondence. So one has to balance the professional/personal opinions a bit before drawing conclusions.

[Rock Ape]

There was a bit of "people are jealous of Luke's success" .

I read this on occasion here and, whilst there may be an eliment of truth, it is however used as an excuse to avoid answering what should be relatively straight forward concerns.

I can only draw on my own experiences vs. what I see of what Holloway releases into the public domain - presumably as part of his overall campaign to market himself as an expert in his own right. My experiences are:

I'm a professionally trained tier 3 infantry soldier with operational experience of warfare.
I'm a SNCO (Sgt) in the British Forces
I'm a fully qualified and experienced small arms instructor
I hold Defense Instructional Techniques qualifications
I'm an infantry marksman
I'm a qualified Command Post Signaler
I'm a qualified Battlefield Medic
I hold professional Health and Safety qualifications
I have nearly 8 years experience as part of a Prison Service crisis intervention team
I've studied a number of martial arts continuously since 1988
I can prove my dan grades and verify my years of training
I have pressure tested my MA abilities
I've worked the door on two different night clubs (over 20 years ago)
I have twice the life experience of Holloway

None of the above makes me an "Operator" or, an expert in what I know despite the fact I probably have far more hands on experience of dealing with real conflict of one sort or another than Holloway does.

I've said this before Holloway is not EXPERIENCED in anything other than academic or practical knowledge which he's paid for learning. Nothing which he's claimed to do has ever been substantiated, and I'm speaking specifically about his ambiguous claims of teaching Military, Police/LEO and Special Forces et al. - Teaching what exactly ?

There's no jealousy on my part with regards to Holloway what so ever, what there is, is a concern that he's bullshitted himself through thus far with ambiguous (I won't say lied) statements about his abilities, his working experience and clientel.

[Mick Coup]

As I recall, I reckon I've only posted on Bullshido once before, and that was because my name came up in a thread...but this Holloway character has recently come to my attention elsewhere, and a little research highlighted these threads...

All I can say, in opening, is who the **** is Luke Holloway?

I concur wholeheartedly with the post quoted below:

Mr. Holloway exactly how much actual experience have you of modern warfare?

No disrespect intended but I suspect none what so ever.

What qualifies you to consider yourself able to offer a professionally trained member of an Armed Force, additional training in military tactical doctrine that YOU THINK will be applicable to service and operations in the Middle East (or anywhere for that matter) ?

Please forgive my curtness however, YOU ARE WRONG. you haven't a clue what it's like to operate as a soldier so, prey tell why should such professionals trust what you sell them as being anything other than untested bullshit which you cobble together or make up?

Given that you're selling H2H CQC techniques I would assume you've done your homework so, please elaborate for me (indulge me please) on how often a modern infantry soldier operating out in Afghanistan is faced with the situation where:

He doesn't have the direct support of his team mates.
He finds himself so close to the enemy he chooses not to shoot with either his primary or secondary.
He chooses not to frag

I could go on but I won't

So, you're telling me through your website that as a professional soldier, I would - by paying my hard earned cash to you - learn tactics, techniques and skill at arms which, not only does my employer have a duty of care to provide me FREE OF CHARGE but also PAYS ME to learn and develop before deploying on operational tours which...

You've no experience of
Had no military training
Never been in a fire fight

Mr. Holloway, professional soldiers don't need what you're selling, professional soldiers learn and hone their craft from people who are real operators with real experience of warfare.

You may talk the talk, but you have no legs with which to walk it.

I'm a reasonable man, I'm also someone who trains other military professionals. Please don't bullshit me.

Now I am also familiar with various forms of 'tactical' training, and operational applications of such material - and on even the slightest inspection of what this clown presents...in fact just from his over-insistent marketing and desperate self-promotion...it is painfully obvious that he is a Walter Mitty character.

I like to refer to this type as being a 'tactical tourist' who loves to visit, and tell the folks back home - not to mention complete strangers - about all the cool stuff he saw/did, but doesn't want to actually live in the neighbourhood...and put up with the day to day **** that isn't so cool...

This is before I realised that prior to his current uber-operator incarnation, he was a full-on martial arts master's master sijo...what's next? A career in politics perhaps...?

Most points regarding his fairly pedestrian physical performance seem to have been addressed - personally I feel that he doesn't quite grasp the actual dynamic of violence, and seems to present knife-gymnastics and some apparent form of convoluted combat-Tetris always performed against a static adversary...

Personally I found his extensive 'bodyguard pistol disarming' nonsense to be the most hilarious - if there ever was a collection of more ridiculously pretentious methods of getting yourself shot up-close I've yet to come across it.

It's always a sign that someone hasn't had a lot of hands-on experience when they seem obsessed with ways of making fighting more complicated, rather than the real operator's focus on striving for a more simple and elegant solution...but then, actually being in harm's way does tend to clarify issues somewhat.

One small point that I picked up on, is that apparently he has had some surgery as a child that has left him being unable to receive head contact in training? If this ongoing condition is really that severe, then to all intents and purposes he would be medically downgraded and as a result not suitable for any operational work in a potential use-of-force role.

I certainly wouldn't have him on a team or detail for this reason alone - never mind the fact that he is an obvious bullshitting fucking amateur - since getting banged upside the head is an occupational hazard that has to be dealt with on occasion.

Now I appreciate that possibly I've been quite harsh in my appraisal, and doing this from the detached safety of the interweb could be interpreted as being nothing more than typical keyboard warrior behaviour - so the next time he makes an appearance in the UK I will endeavour, schedule permitting, to confront him in person and take things from there. I know his Scottish representative personally, and travel to Swansea, Wales, on a monthlyish basis to train a small group - my contact there also knows his Welsh representative...so I should be able to arrange something...and I'll keep you guys posted.

Mick

[Rock Ape]

Mr. Coupe,

Welcome to this forum, if you haven't read it already I suggest you take a look at this thread also: http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=101789

Please forgive me if I approach your first post to this thread with a due caution, that's not to suggest I disagree with your comments however, it is not uncommon for such threads to become subjected to false information as an intentional means of derailment.

Can you advise me specifically of the reason why you came about this thread and why you felt compelled to offer your comments. Where else did Holloway's name come to your attention ?

Whilst I appreciate you may not wish to divulge actual names openly, I'm surprised if you have either direct or indirect contact with Holloway's people in the UK, why it wouldn't have been better to have directed them to comment if they so chose.

Again please don't see my comments as being an attack on your credibility to comment however, transparency in these matters is important to maintain our credibility in any form of write-up this site makes at some point in the future.

If you would like to email me please feel free to do so, you can raise me via my profile by simply clicking on my forum alias shown on red.

Dave

[Auszi]

Given that you're in Australia, do you have any information as to the reason why Holloway left his native country and spends most of his time now in Japan ?

Thank you

He is back in Australia now.

http://www.luke-holloway.com/lukes-b...k-to-australia

[Rock Ape]

Yeah thanks I got that info.

[Rock Ape]

..//.. my contact there also knows his Welsh representative...so I should be able to arrange something...and I'll keep you guys posted.

Mick

Mick.

Thanks for the series of email between us today, got your number and will shout you If I'm your way over in the near future.

[cualltaigh]

These have been done globally and a couple in the UK. If he were a UK Citizen
monies received from YouTube (via Google Ada) is taxable.

If it is of worth to you, assuming he has maintained his Australian citizenship then he is required to declare his entire global income (including but not limited to the Google Ads revenue) in his Australian tax return.

Source: I am a chartered accountant with several years of experience in tax compliance.

[Bogus]

In case it was not made clear, my contribution to this thread was based on personal experience. For what it is worth, I can get some independant verification if it is required.

I can dig through my financial records for some PayPal info, as training at Zhen Dao Wushu was direct debited from my account. I may be able to find which account was receiving the transactions, assuming that is possible. However, I do not think this will help matters as Luke's curent business(es) may not use the same method of payment.

I can try and dig up some other paperwork from the school, i should have it in a shoebox somewhere. no financial records, just a couple of grading evaluations, newsletters and things like that. Not interesting or incriminating, as far as I am aware, but it may help provide context on past activities.

I am surprised to hear that he was accepting cash payments for anything, as he usually refused to handle any sums of money over $50. Gradings were the only exception to this and from what I can remember, people payed via cash or a non-negotiable check. A few times he picked up equipment for people, mainly uniforms from the local Bubishi outlet, that was usually cash as well.

Come to think of it, the Bubishi store in Hervey Bay may have some records of transactions, as Luke used to buy a lot of stuff in bulk quantity. They were affiliated with a Karate academy that is still around. The owners may be able to provide some info.

In any case, I'll do some searching over the weekend and scan whatever I come up with. As I said before, I doubt it will be useful, but may provide a little historical context.

[Rock Ape]

Any information submitted into this thread should be followed up with supporting evidence.