Dated 26 April 2015 and bearing Jon Bluming’s signature, this handwritten document formalises the creation of the Kyokushin Budokai – Shin Kakutogi group within the IBK.
The text places the group’s development under Jon Bluming’s authority and, at that time, assigns its leadership to Tatsuya Shikano for Japan and Lionel Bricnet for Europe (France).
It also sets out a high technical standard and a principle of openness: the group works and develops without distinction of ethnicity, political beliefs, religion or nationality.
Kregg JORGENSON belongs to that rare breed of men whose lives are forged through adversity, discipline and honour. A hero of the Vietnam War, a veteran of several campaigns and a member of the American special forces, he continues to embody the complete warrior: physical courage, technical clarity and moral integrity.
Serving with the US Army Rangers, and later joining elite helicopter-borne units operating in the most dangerous areas, Jorgenson faced what few men could endure. Wounded several times in combat, he always returned, more determined, sharper and more resolute.
His military decorations bear witness to this exceptional bravery: he wears the Silver Star, the third-highest American decoration for heroism in combat. He received two Bronze Stars, recognising his courage and merit in a war zone. Wounded three times, he was awarded three Purple Hearts. He also wears the Combat Infantryman Badge, a symbol of his direct involvement in the fiercest fighting.
These medals are more than decorations: they are the visible marks of a life spent protecting, serving and standing firm where others retreat.
Among the most significant episodes of his career, November 17, 1969 remains one of the most emblematic. That day, Jorgenson was operating with an LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) team from the 1st Cavalry Division, elite units tasked with penetrating deep into hostile territory, often behind enemy lines.
His team was caught in an exceptionally violent ambush. Enemy fire filled the jungle, fragments struck the trees and communications became chaotic. Despite the enemy’s numerical superiority, despite the wounded and despite their isolation, Jorgenson refused to yield. He protected his comrades, returned fire with precision, coordinated movements, stabilised the situation and helped hold the enemy back until a relief force arrived.
This heroic action earned him one of his highest decorations: the Silver Star.
Wounded during this action, Jorgenson was evacuated to a field hospital. But his esprit de corps, loyalty and sense of duty outweighed the pain and the medical advice.
Refusing to remain in bed while his comrades continued the mission, he left the hospital without permission, crossed the operational area and returned to his unit. This act, both reckless and admirable, perfectly illustrates the man: a soldier for whom brotherhood in arms comes before everything, even his own survival.
Some of his actions under fire were filmed live by CBS reporters, bearing witness to the brutal reality of combat and Jorgenson’s exceptional composure. Broadcast in the United States at the time, these images show a man calm under fire, precise in his movements and clear in his decisions — a warrior whose presence commands respect, even in the midst of chaos.
Kregg Jorgenson served in several long-range reconnaissance units, notably the 1st Cavalry Division’s LRRP units, and later in specialised detachments operating in high-risk areas. The LRRPs — predecessors of the modern Rangers — consisted of carefully selected soldiers capable of operating in isolation, with complete autonomy, often behind enemy lines.
Jorgenson excelled there: endurance, composure, tactical awareness, the ability to read the terrain, anticipate and survive. His comrades describe him as a man “made for this kind of war”, a born scout, a warrior whose presence reassures and inspires.
Beyond the battlefield, Kregg Jorgenson is an accomplished martial artist, deeply committed to Kyokushin-Budokaï / All Round Fighting, that complete form of karate where effectiveness comes first, where the mind is laid bare and where the truth of combat is revealed without artifice.
He practises neither for glory nor for rank, but for the inner journey, for exacting standards and for the truth of movement. His commitment to Budokaï is that of a man who knows the reality of actual combat and finds in this discipline the same intensity, rigour and honesty.
Grandmaster Jon Bluming, a legendary figure in Kyokushin and the founder of Budokaï, speaks of him with deep affection. He states:
“Kregg possesses all the qualities of a true warrior: physical, technical and moral. He is a genuine samurai.”
Jon Bluming
Coming from Bluming, these words are never spoken lightly. They honour a man who, in the dojo as in the field, embodies the spirit of All Round Fighting: power, precision, courage and respect.
Kregg Jorgenson is also a writer, a clear-eyed witness to his era, his missions and his brothers in arms. His accounts, marked by realism, humility and sometimes pain, never glorify war. He tells it as it is: brutal, demanding and relentless, yet also revealing the brotherhood, loyalty and moral strength of the men who endure it.
His books — Stalking the Dragon, Eyes Behind the Lines, LRRP Team Leader, Notorious Sniper Stories, and other memorable accounts — have become reference works for those seeking to understand what it truly means to serve in the special forces, face danger, survive and keep moving forward.
In moving accounts such as Acceptable Loss and MIA Rescue, he puts his intellectual and moral qualities at the service of the unvarnished, often ugly truth, describing the raw reality of war with the honesty that characterises honourable men.
After the war, Jorgenson pursued an exemplary career as a K9 Officer with US Customs. Here too, he distinguished himself through his professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment. Working with service dogs requires absolute trust, perfect discipline and the ability to act quickly and correctly.
Kregg Jorgenson serves with the same intensity as he did in the military: without compromise, without weakness and with honour.
With his characteristic humour and modesty, he likes to say:
“My dog did all the work, and I collected the pay.”
Kregg Jorgenson
Kregg Jorgenson leaves a clear, powerful and lasting impression: that of a man who never stops fighting for what is right, who upholds the values of Kyokushin-Budokaï, lives by the principles of Bushido, serves his country with courage and shares his experience with sincerity.
He is an elite soldier. He is an accomplished martial artist. He is a writer committed to the truth. He is a protector, a brother in arms, a man of integrity.
And to those who know him, he remains what Jon Bluming sees in him: a true modern-day samurai.
The Kyokushin-Budokaï Shin KakutoGi organisation is proud to count among its members this legendary warrior, this extraordinary master, this Man in the noblest sense of the word. His presence, example, journey and spirit profoundly enrich our martial path and honour our community.
