Master Troy Burleson has been training in Taekwon-Do since 1980 and began his teaching career in 1982 in Lead Hill, Arkansas. Since that time, he has founded over 20 schools or clubs in Arkansas and Missouri. He is a former Mayor of Diamond City, Arkansas, Justice of the Peace in Boone County, Arkansas, President of the Lead Hill School Board, law enforcement officer and security specialist. He is President of Hard Target Security Resources, LLC and Owner of MiB Security Service. Master Burleson owns and operates Impact Martial Arts in Hollister/Branson, Missouri. Even though Master Burleson has had tremendous success as a Martial Arts school owner and instructor, he has been active as a training student and sport competitor.
Master Burleson began training as a white belt with Mr. Tony Madle, a 16 year old 2nd degree black belt, training in Harrison, Arkansas. Mr. Madle moved to Fort Smith and the school closed. Burleson, as a blue belt, reopened the school in Lead Hill and built the school to over 30 students training in his sister's small basement. He moved the school to back to Harrison after she strongly encouraged that he get a bigger place. The school continued to grow to over 100 students. Not having an instructor and being the rank of blue belt, he knew he needed to find help. He was introduced to Mr. Scott McNeely at a testing in Russellville, Arkansas at the invitation of Mr. Jim McCastlin, who was the instructor there. Mr. SMcNeely was a 4th degree black belt and had been Mr. Madle's instructor. After an intense interview he agreed to take Burleson on as a student. For over two years, Mr. Burleson would drive to Fort Smith every week to take Mr. McNeely's classes (3 hours and 45 minute trip one way trip). Over the next two years, Burleson would earn his 1st degree Black Belt in May of 1984. His school surged to over 225 students and he opened a Mid-American Taekwon-Do and Nautilus Fitness Center in Harrison. During the next few years, Burleson would also train with Mr. Bob Hardin. Mr. Hardin was a fifth degree black belt at the time and was located in Hot Springs, Arkansas and was Mr. McNeely's instructor. When Mr. Hardin, now Grand Master Hardin, moved to Nashville, TN., Mr. Burleson followed and took classes from him on an average of once or twice per month (eight hours one way). During the next 12 years, Burleson enjoyed working out with Master McNeely (now Grand Master McNeely) and GM Hardin.
Beginning in 1993, Master Burleson traveled with the USA-USTF National Taekwon-Do team as a team member and captain. He won gold medals at World and International Championships in Russia, Scotland, Italy, Canada and the USA. He has won over ten USTF, UTA and AMA National Championships and was the GTF World Champion in 2002 and won the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame World Championship in 2004. He has made two "Taekwondo cultural tours" of Korea and has trained in the Yong In University and also at the Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea.
In 1995, he and Master Jason Wadley were selected to coach the USA-USTF junior teams. During the next five years, their teams never were beaten in international competition.
In 2004, he was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame and the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame. One of his favorite memories and accomplishments was winning the gold medal in Russia by breaking five separate targets in the air with one jump in the Special Breaking Competition.
In 1998, Mr. Burleson developed the "Kicks for Character" Program that has been taught in several public and private schools and to other youth oriented organizations and he continues to teach Character Programs and Assemblies in area schools.
In 2006, Master Burleson became the first elected President of the United States Taekwon-Do Federation and then went on to serve as the Executive Director of the United Taekwon-Do Foundation and the United States Taekwondo Alliance and is now the Executive Director and President of the American Martial Arts Alliance.
Today, Master Burleson enjoys teaching Taekwon-Do classes both in the school and also privately and continues to expand his career in the Emergency Disaster Security , Executive Protection and Personal Protection fields. Master Burleson teaches his classes and conducts security details based on the moral, ethical and character standards derived from his faith as a Christian. Master Burleson is a father of two children, Brianne and Skyler, and has been married for 26 years to Tina Cobb Burleson. He and his family reside in Diamond City, Arkansas. Master Burleson enjoys regular training sessions and he has since reconnected with his Taekwondo teachers of old and is excited to be a student of this great art.
Master Burleson is on Facebook