Iraq Karate Kat gets makeover from Bossier instructor

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston
  • 506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq --  So what does an off duty martial arts school owner and instructor do with his free time when deployed to Iraq? Martial arts training, of course! 

When a Barksdale 917th Wing member, Maj. Charles Chapman, 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, operations flight commander arrived at Kirkuk Region Air Base, Iraq, he was happy to discover that there was a dedicated facility for martial arts training, but disappointed when he saw it. 

"When I went into the (Karate Kat), I was disappointed in the condition of the facility and the poor condition of some of the equipment," said Maj. Chapman. "The facility was a mess with dirt, garbage and generally poor upkeep." 

Fortunately for the inhabitants of KRAB the 5th Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor and his wife of 15 years, who is a 4th Degree Black Belt, have owned and operated their own martial arts school in Bossier City, La., since 1994. The major's own professionalism wouldn't let the condition of the facility go unchallenged. He decided to do something about the condition of the Karate Kat. 

Like the fussy parent of a messy child, he first embarked on a cleaning mission in the facility--mopping the floor, putting things in its place, cleaning up the trash, etc. Next came the upgrade. 

"I wanted to make the facility look more like a professional martial arts school so I contacted one of the suppliers I buy training equipment from to see if they had some sort of sponsorship program for the troops in Iraq. My suppliers responded with basically an open checkbook of what I wanted," Maj. Chapman said. "As a result, they sent me two hanging bags, new kicking shields, training gloves and flags to hang up." 

Facility upgrades also included repairing the lighting, the stereo, and the heating systems. Unfortunately he was not able to get everything on his wish list. 

"I tried to get some new training mats, but they were too large for the APO box to accept, so unfortunately we didn't get those," he said. 

After nearly 24 hours of Sunday work, the facility was ready for use. His hard work has paid off and everyone who loves a good workout will benefit from the changes to the facility, because unlike other organized sports, everyone participates in the martial arts. 

When asked why so much effort was put into the project by someone who will only be here for six months, his response was inspirational. 

"I teach all of my students, when they visit another school to train or for a tournament or seminar, they should leave the school better than when they got there," Maj. Chapman said. "I practice what I teach, so, I am leaving the Kat in better condition than when I got here. 

Martial arts have allowed Maj. Chapman to pass his knowledge to many others and positively influence the next generation of youth. His nine-year-old son is a 1st Degree Black Belt. 

"Through the martial arts, our family has been able to touch the lives of hundreds of children and young adults," Maj. Chapman said. "Our school provides a positive environment and a sense of achievement to everyone who trains at the school."
Martial arts enthusiasts at KRAB will reap the benefit of his efforts. 

"I hope that during my next rotation here, the facility will still be in great shape," said Chapman. "Now, the Karate Kat looks more like a professional training facility." 

Major Chapman studies the Korean Martial Art of Tang Soo Do and is currently in training for his 6th Degree Black Belt test, where he hopes to earn the title of Junior Grandmaster Instructor. He is the commander of the 917th Civil Engineer Squadron at Barksdale AFB, La., and is currently teaching weekly classes for his fellow deployed squadron members.