David Sgro — Master Bio 1. Combatives — Military Instruction & F.I.G.H.T. C.U.T.From 2000 to 2006, David served as a Contracted Combative Instructor to U.S. Special Forces (Green Berets), the 82nd Airborne Division, PSYOP (Psychological Operations), Civil Affairs (CA), and VMI (Virginia Military Institute). He began developing F.I.G.H.T. C.U.T. Combatives (Fully Integrated Grappling and Hitting Techniques, Close Up Techniques) in March 2000 for 2/3 SFG (A) (2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Airborne). He was awarded the 2/3 SFG (A) contract in June 2001 and also held contracts with 1/3 SFG (A) and 3/3 SFG (A). David designed the POI (Program of Instruction — the formal military curriculum document that defines a course's content, sequence, and standards) and personally wrote and produced the F.I.G.H.T. C.U.T. instructional manuals. Over his six years of service, David personally "trained the trainers" — 1,400 82nd Airborne trainers, who went on to train more than 14,000 soldiers Army-wide. FIGHT CUT was taught across the U.S. Special Forces, 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps, Field Artillery, Signal, COSCOM, Military Police, Military Intelligence, Civil Affairs, and PsyOP. David also developed the Combatives program for USACAPOC (United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command) during this period. (USACAPOC's reserve CA/PSYOP component was administratively split from USASOC — U.S. Army Special Operations Command — to Army Reserve Command in May 2006, with active-duty PSYOP moving directly under USASOC.) Within that period, his Mobile Training Team (MTT) also directly trained more than 1,100 82nd Airborne paratroopers from July 2004 to July 2005 — a specific, documented engagement photographed with Brigadier General Michael Ferriter. This body of work is documented: a Battalion Coin presented by LTC Edward M. Reeder, Commander of 2/3 SFG (A) (who went on to become Group Commander of 7th SFG (A)); an official Department of the Army Letter of Recommendation dated 31 May 2002 from LTC Bryan R. Owens, HQ 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, recommending David for Military Unit Combatives Instructor; a Certificate of Appreciation from the 1-325th Airborne Infantry Regiment "Red Falcons," dated 23 April 2004; and a photograph with Brigadier General Michael Ferriter, 82nd Airborne Division Assistant Division Commanding Officer. David also founded San Kil Mu Sul, a self-defense system drawing from Tang Soo Do, Filipino Martial Arts stick and knife fighting, Japanese Ju-Jitsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, built for extreme efficiency in realistic scenarios. 2. FMA — Filipino Martial ArtsDavid is WEKAF Guatemala Country Director (World Escrima Kali Arnis Federation) and USEKAF Southeast Regional Director (United States Escrima Kali Arnis Federation). He is also Co-Founder and permanent odd-year host of PAEKAF (Pan American Escrima Kali Arnis Federation), alongside M. Javier Bello Durán of Colombia. 
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2. FMA Cont: On February 22, 2020, David was personally appointed WEKAF Guatemala Representative by SGM Diony Cañete, the late founder of WEKAF, whom he met personally at the 2018 Philippine National Games. He is a certified Sung Ku Dan Tapado Instructor, certified in Bacolod City, Philippines, and has made 23 trips to the Philippines — the birthplace of Filipino Martial Arts. David hosted the 1st Pan-American Championships in Guatemala in October 2025, drawing roughly 200 competitors from 6 countries. He is the author of Beginning Arnis (Stick Fighting) Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Filipino Martial Arts has been part of David's combatives work from its founding — F.I.G.H.T. C.U.T. and San Kil Mu Sul both incorporate FMA stick and knife fighting methods alongside Tang Soo Do, Ju-Jitsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 3. Tang Soo Do — Rank, Training, History, Association & Tournaments. David Sgro is a Kwan Jang Nim (Grandmaster) and 9th Dan in Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do. He was promoted to 9th Dan in September 2025 by the Korean Moo Duk Kwan Association in Geumsan, Korea — with the promotion conducted at the Railroad Dojang in Daejeon, Korea, the oldest standing Moo Duk Kwan school. David founded San Kil Tang Soo Do on May 30, 1996. "San Kil" means "Mountain Path" — an old Korean expression meaning that when a mountain blocks your way, you find the path and overcome it. He also serves as President of Moo Yea Tang Soo Do and founded the United States Tang Soo Do Association. He is Owner/Instructor of SGRO Martial Arts Academy in Fayetteville, NC (2631 Raeford Rd), a school he rebranded from "SGRO Karate" to reflect that its curriculum now spans well beyond traditional karate. David was a long-time student of KJN Charles Ferraro, Kwan Jang Nim and Founder of Tang Soo Do Mi Guk Kwan, who served as a major life mentor. He was also technically influenced by KJN H.C. Hwang, Grandmaster of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan (Dan #509). David has over 50 years in Tang Soo Do. He competed and coached for Team USA at Nationals from 1979 to 1992, and at Internationals in the USA (1982, 1986, 2007), England (1986, 1999, 2003), Seoul, Korea (1989, 2010), Mar del Plata, Argentina (1991), Greece (2001), Holland (2002), Colombia (2024), and Guatemala (2025). 4. Mission Work: David has run the S.E.E.D. program (Self-Esteem Enrichment & Development — "We plant confidence") in Santo Domingo Xenacoj, Guatemala for approximately 15 years, currently serving roughly 1,200 to 1,600 students across multiple public schools with four full-time Guatemalan instructors. He holds a B.S. in Physical Education Ministry from Cumberland University (2007) and an M.Min. from Lucent University (April 2025, counting as 50% of a Master of Divinity). He is continuing toward his M.Div. and has been accepted into the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program at Colorado Theological Seminary. In 2025-2026, he taught Latin and Physical Education at Renaissance Classical Christian Academy. David is a missionary to both Guatemala and the Philippines. He lived in Santo Domingo Xenacoj (SDX), Guatemala from 2010 to 2013, owns a home there, and describes it as a place of deep personal meaning. He is currently building out S.E.E.D.'s U.S. expansion through partnerships with the Salvation Army and Boys & Girls Clubs, and through a structured internship pipeline. 
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