Okinawan Karate Federation

**Caine** · Posted On: 9/16/2002 10:13pm

Mmmm, I just jumped on here for the same reason as Sicillian Dragon, probably originating from the same source:) I don`t like to label anyone McDojo without good reason, I think these guys are pretty close. How can a Karate association offer recognised ranking in Aikido, well I know how they can, but you know what I mean? How about their Dan advancement, here`s the section from their FAQ

Question: Do I have to appear before a Certified Promotion Board in order to be considered for advancement as a Black Belt?

Normally YES...However the OKF has just recently introduced a New Testing Program that involves the submission of a quality video tape illustrating and containing the proficiency of the individual that desires to be considered for Rank Advancement. With the high cost of travel and uncertain employment schedules of most individuals, it is most often very difficult for an OKF registered Black Belt to travel to our headquarters for promotional reviews. Full details of this program are provided to all members upon written request.

** The OKF is not a "Diploma Mill" and considers itself as having very high standards for all those earning rank and being certified by the OKF. The OKF bases its Rank Advancement Policy on reasonable and rational guidelines, with no arbitrary barriers or unreasonable age or time restraints.

Grand Master Premru - Okinawan Karate-Do Federation - World Hombu Soke,
Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Soken-ha Karate-Do, 10th Dan, Soke
Okinawan Shorin-Ryu.Soken-ha Kobudo, 9th Dan, Soke

Has a very high pedigree but send a video along with your cheque and we`ll give you Shihan at 4th Dan, how McDojo is that not?

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/21/2007 6:52pm

Found this thread in the forums, thought the people asking questions back in 2002 were very observant.

you see, it turns out they were absolutely right to question the legitimacy of the Okinawan Karate Do Federation.

http://www.azalmanac.com/AzMostWanted031304.htm

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/archiv...p/t-10146.html

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/23/2007 1:42am

For those of you who don't follow the links, here's what happened:

Round about 2002 Grand Master Glenn R. Premru was arrested for mail fraud in relation to a huge mail order scam he was running out of his house. Apparently he also was involved in a fraud scheme that attempted to bilk investors out of almost 10 million dollars.

He was arraigned, posted bail.........and fled.

Today it is my understanding that he is still a wanted felon, eagerly sought by the US Marshalls.

Why is this important?

Because Glenn R. Premru is the founding owner of the Okinawan Karate-Do Federation.

He was basically selling dan certificates from his house.

I know this because I ended up taking an Aikido class from a guy in Texas who was claiming to be an Aikido 5th Dan based on his promotion by Grand Master Glenn R. Premru.

Turns out later on not only was Dan Vella not an Aikido Shihan, he had never tested for any sort of rank under any legtimate Aikido organization. He just hung around Aikido schools and attended seminars for a few years, but told others he didnt believe in testing.

'Shihan' Dan Vella managed to keep his Aikido school going for a few years, but he had high turnover and finally closed down about a year and a half ago. Too many people in the area had figured out his scam. Last I heard he was up in the Houston area teaching 'ki' seminars at New Age conferences.

Just thought this was interesting because back in 2002 before the Premru thing even broke there were observant people on this website raising questions about the idea of Aikido guys getting their ranks from an Okinawan Karate Federation.

Good call guys.

manofaiki

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/23/2007 1:51am

BTW, here's some fun you can have with the whole Okinawan Karate Do Federation nonsense.

Type those words in an internet search engine like Yahoo and find out how many Martial Arts instructors there are out there with web pages where they claim advanced ranks based on being promoted by 'The Okinawan Karate Do Federation' under the auspices of 'Soke Grandmaster Glenn R. Premru' - who has been a wanted felon for the past 5 years.

I found

http://www.angelfire.com/ak4/tw/Chie...uctorsBio.html

http://www.risingsundojo.com/Certification.htm

http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/metals/bio/resume_k.pdf

http://www.guitarstop.com/Sessakai/beisho.htm

(This guy appears to be legitimate; he was promoted by Premru back in 1974, before Premru apparently decided to prostitute his martial arts. Still, you have to wonder what that certification is worth today when you see what Premru developed that organization into)

http://www.maa-i.com/who/7/Heinz_Sch...paepeghem.html

BTW, I had no idea there were so many grandmasters and soke's out there in the world:

http://www.bushido.org/whfsc/whfsc14.htm

http://arizonakarate.pbwiki.com/Mart...20Communicator

http://home.swbell.net/rianardj/shorin.html

How many can you find?

manofaiki

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/23/2007 6:43pm

Just located more who claim a high dan rank from being promoted by Glenn R. Premru:

http://www.usakarateacademy.net/stigall_015.htm

http://www.geneseo.edu/~karate/Our%20Style.html

http://www.asma-usa.org/masters/Gene%20Thorner's%20Page.htm

Apparently, the fact that Premru gained some renowned in the 1970's as a Kata performer gave him some recognition, and from the very beginning he was claiming advanced Dan ranks in karate systems where he had had very little, if any, contact with the real Masters of those systems.

http://www.viewusedcars.com/smoka-usa/premru3.htm

I note that George Dillman is not unknown to the members of these forums. He and Premru base their inflated ranks on claiming promotions from respected masters with whom they had little, if any, real contact:

http://www.viewusedcars.com/smoka-usa/weakest_link.htm

What apparently allowed Premru to get away with his scam for so long is that no one questioned his claim to have been elevated by Master Soken, and he was indeed one of the pioneers of Karate in America. Unfortunatley he seems to have used this reputation to scam people.

**bodhihuss** · Posted On: 5/24/2007 2:32pm

This site has been listed before, but I wanted to emphasize it.

http://www.smoka-usa.com/

This is the site of James Coffman, the first American student of Hohan Soken (legitimately). I know this for a fact because my Sensei, Roy Suenaka, trained with Hohan Soken from 1961-1972. Many claim to be students of Hohan Soken, but few are legit (e.g. George Dillman). Coffman is for real and he has some interesting things to say about the Okinawan Karatedo Federation and Glenn Premryu. Go to his site and read the articles. They will answer many questions about this.

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/24/2007 5:49pm

Thank you for that info, bod! And that website was great, very informative.

Dillman and Premru apparently have taught their unhanded "I was promoted by this Great Master Who In Actuality I Only Met Once" technique to others.

I trained for 4 months with an Aikido 'Shihan' in Corpus Christi Texas who had been promoted to 5th Dan by Premru's Okinawan Karate Do Federation. On his website, he claims to have studiend under Sensei Aikira Tohei.

Well a respected Sensei I know who was part of the Corpus scene for many years and now practices in Houston told me that my 'Shihan' attended exactly one seminar with Tohei Sensei.

It's all in the Aikido Web forum link I posted above.

Classic bullshido, claiming training by some well respected master one only met once, if ever.

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/24/2007 5:53pm

BTW, I have Suenaka Sensei's book Complete Aikido, which I consider one of the best books on the later history of Aikido ever written. Most books I have seen only cover it up until O-Sensei's death.

I love that book, and it indeed does have pictures in it of Sensei Suenaka and Sensei Soken together. I loved the part where Suenaka Sensei talked about how he had to wait outside Soken Sensei's house for weeks as his committment to train was tested.

**manofaiki** · Posted On: 5/24/2007 6:07pm

I have seen people go, Well Premru is a good Karate man, he was famous in the early 1970's as a kata performer, etc. and he's in the Black Belt Hall of Fame, yadda yadda yadda so his Okinawan Karate Do Federation must be legit.

Only they don't know, as Sensei Coffman reveals, that Premru was only a 4th Dan before he invented a story about being trained by Soken Sensei and then jumped up to 8th Dan overnight.

http://www.viewusedcars.com/smoka-usa/premru2.htm

So apparently the very first person to receive an inflated dan rank from Glenn Premru.....was Glenn Premru.

**Rock Ape** · Posted On: 11/09/2010 6:17am

Not withstanding that fact this is an old thread, it's interesting that the subject made a resurgence recently over at aikiweb where Dan Vella has been previously discussed.

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18932

The thread discussing Vella directly:

http://aikiweb.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=Vella

And what appears to be his on-line retort: Anyone up for claiming the reward ?

http://brokenricebowl.com/identity_board

Sixth from the bottom..