Carl Thomas (far left) began his Jiu-Jitsu training in 1983 in St.  Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.  While serving in the United States Navy from 1986 to 1994, Carl was not able to actively continue formal martial arts training, but he continued to practice on his own. After his Navy service, he resumed martial arts training in the Virginia Beach area. When he moved to northern Virginia in 1998, Carl joined the Roberts School of Karate where he continued his training in Tang Soo Do.  In 2006 he earned a third dan, and teaches and trains regularly at Brown’s Karate and with the NVCC Tang Soo Do Student Interest Group.