A Legend.
A Legacy.

Dr. Leonard Holifield is the Director and Founder of the US Educational Institute (Phalanx Training Academy), the I.A.E.P.A. (International Academy of Executive Protection Agents), the SKF (Sikaron Karate Federation), and the International Academy of Martial Science and Philosophy.

He is the former Chief 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 corporate CEOs, government officials, celebrities, and foreign dignitaries.

Holifield has over 60 years of martial arts experience and is Supreme Grandmaster of the International Sikaron Karate Federation, as well as Founder President of the I.A.P.M.S.D.T. (The International Academy of Police & Military Self Defense Tactics), H.C.S.I. (Holifield's Combat Systems International), and leader of numerous professional organizations.

He is considered one of the top U.S. leading experts in military hand-to-hand combat — often compared to the Midway Games Mortal Kombat character "Major Jackson 'JAX' Briggs." He is a published author of several publications and frequent lecturer on reality-based 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 incorporating major changes to the Army's official manual on Combatives (FM 21-150, Dec 1971).

While stationed at Camp Casey, Korea, he and his team spearheaded a hand-to-hand combat training program taught throughout the 2nd Infantry Division and 8th Army Command. His military positions included: Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Specialist, Combat Lifesaver, Master Fitness Instructor, Instructor Certified "H" Identifier, MP Inmate Labor Supervisor, Tac-Fire Operations Specialist, Military Police Officer, and CQC/USD trainer to Airborne, Air Assault, Air Cavalry, Infantry, Field Artillery, SRT Special Reaction Teams, and Special Operations.

During the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) he was credited with capturing the first Iraqi Enemy Prisoner of War (POW) — a moment recognized by the California Legislature Assembly with a Certificate of Recognition.

His work in the field of hand-to-hand combat has been featured on AFKN (Armed Forces Korean Network) and in numerous military publications — Stars & Stripes, Soldiers Magazine, Army Trainer Magazine (Cover), Korus Magazine, Military Police Magazine — and has been recognized by top military leaders including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Colin Powell, SMA Richard A. Kidd, SMA Michael Grinston, CSM Leslie Freeman Jr., and Col. Dennis R. Lewis.