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Dr. Leonard Holifield is Director and Founder of the U.S. Educational Institute Phalanx Training Academy, and the International Academy of Executive Protection Agents (IAEPA).
A seasoned professional with over 3o years of combined experience in the fields of Security, Executive Protection, Military, Law Enforcement, and Education. Former Honor Graduate and Staff Instructor for ESI-Executive Security International, Former U.S. Army Combat Veteran - Operation Desert Storm – credited with capturing the first enemy POW of the Gulf War, Military Police Officer and Chief Combatives Instructor to the United States Army, with over five decades of Martial Arts experience.
He is the former Executive Security Officer and personal bodyguard to the former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Chief Justice Roy S. Moore, aka "The Ten Commandments Judge". He has protected High Profile corporate CEO's, government officials, Movie, Music celebrities, Executives and foreign dignitaries.
Certified Georgia Security Professional, Certified Court Mediator, Board Certified Homeland Security, Certified Fugitive Recovery Agent, POST Certified, published Author and National Speaker. A graduate of the World Academy of Martial Arts Philosophy and Science, he is one of only (10) Americans from the United States to earn the coveted Doctor of Martial Science DMS Degree from this prestigious institution.
He has been inducted into several Hall of Fames, to include 5X inductee into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Recipient of the Who’s Who in America 2004 and Who’s Who in the World 2005, Georgia State Certified Classroom/Firearms Instructor, NRA Instructor Certified (Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO), TCCC – Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Featured in Combative Master of the 20th Century 2005.
He is considered one of the leading experts in the United States in military hand-to-hand combat, he is a published author and frequent lecturer on unarmed self-defense, executive protection and military combatives. During his military career he served as Chief Combatives Instructor to the United States Army from 1987 to 1997 and was instrumental in rewriting the Army's manual on Combatives (FM 21-150).
While stationed in Seoul, Korea, he and his team spear-headed a hand-to-hand combat training program that was taught throughout 2nd Infantry Division and 8th Army Command. His positions included Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Specialist, Combat Lifesaver, Master Fitness Instructor, Instructor Certified "H" Identifier, MP Inmate Labor Supervisor, Tac-Fire Operations Specialist (13C), Military Police Officer (95B) and CQC/USD trainer to Airborne, Air Assault, Air Calvary, Infantry, Field Artillery, (SRT) Special Reaction Teams and Special Operations.
His work in the field of hand-to-hand combat has been featured on AFKN (Armed Forced Korean Network) and in numerous publications, to include, but not limited to: Stars & Stripes, Soldiers, Army Trainer, Korus, Military Police and Black Belt Magazines. He has been recognized by top military leaders to include former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Collin Powell (ret), SMA – Sergeant Major of the Army Richard Kidd (ret), SMA Michael Grinston (ret), CSM Leslie Freeman (ret), Col. Dennis Lewis (ret) and Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Gordon Sullivan (ret).
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