Founders of FUMA

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MICHAEL DEPASQUALE JR                         
FUMA Founder and Executive Director

Michael DePasquale Jr. is the Head Instructor of the DePasquale Yoshitsune Combat JuJitsu & Mixed Martial Arts Academy, located in Rivervale, New Jersey.  He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Federation of United Martial Artists Crusade Against Crime. (FUMA) He was the Publisher of Karate International Magazine, and the Author of 9 Personal Safety and Self Defense books including: Streetwise Safety for Women and Children.  Michael DePasquale Jr has over 45 years of experience in the Martial Arts. His martial arts training began at the age of 4 under the direction of his father the late SokeMichael DePasquale Sr; the Pioneer of American Ju Jitsu; Counter Terrorism Expert; Military and Law Enforcement icon. Michael DePasquale Jr’s martial arts background consists of numerous advanced Black Belt ranks in Judo, Karate, Yoshitsune and Hakkoryu JuJitsu.

                       
Michael DePasquale Jr has been an instructor of the 1stDivision of the Army Special Forces, FBI, US Marshals, Postal, and Police Departments. He has taught over 800 women’s and children’s anti-crime programs nation-wide since 1981. He currently promotes his “Streetwise Safety Self Defense” programs, concentrating on the special needs of people of all ages in the community.
Michael DePasquale Jr appeared in over 50 TV shows including: Regis Philbin, MTV Raps, Good Morning New York, Nickelodeon, and many other TV and cable news programs.  Michael DePasquale Jr’s film credits include: Blood Brothers, The Power Within, American Shaolin, Blood Moon, and the Cut Off. He is the Founder and Director of the Action Film Academy that specializes in film stunts, and fight choreography. Michael DePasquale Jr is one of the most sought after Self Defense and Personal Safety Instructors bySchools, Corporations, Dojos, Law Enforcement, and Military Departments worldwide.

GRANDMASTER MICHAEL DEPASQUALE SR
“Father of American JuJitsu”

Grandmaster DePasquale was the pioneer of American JuJitsu. He was a Counter Terrorism Expert; a Military and Law Enforcement icon. In 1940’s, Grandmaster DePasquale began his martial arts training while serving in the US Army as a CID Special Agent during World War 11. He began training in the Ju Jitsu system under the direction of Junji Saito Sensei. Besides his military career, Grandmaster DePasquale had an extensive career in Law Enforcement. For many years until his retirement, he was a Police Officer, and served as a Corporate Security Director for several large corporations, prior to launching his own International Protection System.
Grandmaster DePasquale was commissioned by Soke Ryuho Okuyama of Omiya Japan to teach the Hakkoryu Ju Jitsu System. Grandmaster DePasquale founded the Yoshitsune Hombu Dojo in 1961. In 1964 at the World’s Fair, Grandmaster DePasquale performed JuJitsu demonstrations in the Japanese Pavillion. He was the Grandmaster and Founder of the (IFOJJ) International Federation of JuJutsuans. Grandmaster DePasquale’s knowledge of the Martial Arts was unsurpassed. He was inducted into numerous International Martial Arts Halls of Fame, and received innumerable Martial Arts awards and honors.

Grandmaster DePasquale traveled the globe teaching Self Defense to the Military, US Marshals Service, FBI, Business Corporations, Postal Police, Law Enforcement, Advanced Black Belts, and the average citizen. Grandmaster DePasquale was in high demand worldwide as a Self Defense Master Instructor. Sadly, after a long illness Grandmaster DePasquale passed away in 2006. His son Michael Jr, is now “Soke” of the Yoshitsune Hombu Dojo.