On Oct. 22, Robert Gray of Heuvelton was promoted to the rank of ‘Grandmaster’ by the founder of Combat Hapkido, Grandmaster John Pellegrini at the International Combat Hapkido Federation 30th Anniversary Event in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gray was appointed as a ’Grandmaster’, with the rank of 8th degree black belt in two arts: Combat Hapkido and Taekwondo. Combat Hapkido is a hybrid martial art based in Hapkido with a focus on reality based self defense. Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art that focuses on kicking and striking techniques.

Grandmaster Gray began in the martial arts in 1974, studying various systems. In 1988, he began studying WTF Taekwondo under GM Sam Kim. In 1995, he also began studying Combat Hapkido under Grandmaster Pellegrini. Grandmaster Gray now holds an 8th degree black belt in Combat Hapkido, 8th degree black belt in Taekwondo, is a licensed Police Defensive Tactics Instructor (IPDTI), Seminar Leader, and a licensed Military Combatives Instructor (MCA).

Gray’s dedication to the martial arts has been noted internationally and he has been inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame (2001), Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame (2004), the Budo Magazine Hall of Fame (2006), and the International Combat Hapkido Hall of Fame” (2018).

Over the past 25 years, Gray has promoted more than 50 people to black belt rank, as well as several people to “Master” and “Senior Master” rank. He has taught martial arts programs in the area since 1993, running schools initially in Dekalb and then in Potsdam. He also ran the Clarkson University Taekwondo Club from 1999-2006. Master Gray then taught classes in Potsdam from 2004 to 2012 and SUNY Canton from 2012 to 2014.

He has taught military combatives seminars to 10th Mountain Division soldiers at Fort Drum and has been to Afghanistan in 2006 and Iraq in 2008 in support of this training. Since 2013, he has been teaching in Winthrop at “Adirondack Martial Arts” on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

At the event, several of Gray’s students were recognized with promotions. Senior Master Thomas Morrison was promoted to 7th dan Combat Hapkido and 6th dan Taekwondo, Senior Master Mark Williams was promoted to 6th dan Combat Hapkido, Master Mark Wood was promoted to 5th dan Combat Hapkido, Mike Hornung was promoted to 4th dan Combat Hapkido, Michael Agen was promoted to 2nd dan Combat Hapkido, and Larry Holly was promoted to 1st dan Combat Hapkido.