Force of One Martial Arts · Fort Walton Beach (850) 420-8410

Instructors

Certified, not self-appointed

Every rank here is registered with Kukkiwon in Seoul. Every coaching and officiating credential is issued by a recognized governing body, and we list who issued it.

The Force of One instructors in white dobok and black belts, standing together in the dojang beneath the American and Korean flags

The family behind Force of One. Every belt on this mat is registered with Kukkiwon in Seoul.

Master Brian Harrington

School Owner and Head Coach

Master Brian teaches adult Taekwondo and life skills, and is responsible for the administration and daily operations of the school. He has taught adult Taekwondo for 19 years and has studied under masters in the United States, Korea, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines.

Certifications

  • Rank
    5th Degree Black Belt Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters)

    Certified directly by Kukkiwon in Seoul, the body that sets the world standard for Taekwondo rank.

  • Instructor
    Kukkiwon Membership System - Individual Member Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters)

    Registered with Kukkiwon in Seoul as a Master under Force of One Martial Arts.

  • Service
    Retired Green Beret, U.S. Army Special Forces United States Army

    Served 1986-2014 as a Special Forces Communication Sergeant, Armor Officer, Special Forces ODA Team Leader and Special Forces Company Commander.

  • Coaching
    USA Taekwondo Level-1 Coach USA Taekwondo

    Certified by the national governing body that selects and trains the U.S. Olympic Taekwondo team.

Accolades

  • Faculty Sponsor, Oregon State University Taekwondo Club
  • Coached at local, State, USA Taekwondo and ATU National level
  • 19 years teaching adult Taekwondo

Master Thomas Harrington

Master Instructor

Master Thomas teaches high performance and competition Taekwondo along with sport-specific conditioning, and is the primary instructor for our daily class activities. He has taught alongside his family for 19 years and has studied under masters in the United States, Korea and Japan.

Certifications

  • Rank
    5th Degree Black Belt Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters)

    Certified directly by Kukkiwon in Seoul, the body that sets the world standard for Taekwondo rank.

  • Instructor
    Kukkiwon International Taekwondo Master, 3rd Class World Taekwondo Academy (Kukkiwon)

    Completed the Kukkiwon Master Qualifying Course in Seoul - an international teaching qualification, not a rank any school can award locally.

  • Coaching
    USA Taekwondo Associate Coach USA Taekwondo

    Certified by the national governing body that selects and trains the U.S. Olympic Taekwondo team.

Accolades

  • Coached two athletes to Gold at USAT Florida State, men’s middleweight and women’s heavyweight (2026)
  • Competed at USA Taekwondo Nationals in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014
  • Competed at the Pan-American Tournament (2012)
  • Trained at the US National Team camp, Colorado Springs
  • Competed at State level in Oregon, Washington and Florida

Master Silvia Harrington

School Co-Owner and Dragons Coach

Master Silvia teaches our Little Dragons classes. Originally from Germany, she is a Registered Cardiac Care ICU Nurse with certifications in both Germany and the United States. She and Master Brian met while practicing martial arts in 1987. She has taught youth Taekwondo for 19 years and has trained alongside her family for 25.

Certifications

  • Rank
    5th Degree Black Belt Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters)

    Certified directly by Kukkiwon in Seoul, the body that sets the world standard for Taekwondo rank.

  • Coaching
    USA Taekwondo Level-1 Coach USA Taekwondo

    Certified by the national governing body that selects and trains the U.S. Olympic Taekwondo team.

Accolades

  • Coached at local, State, USA Taekwondo and ATU National level
  • 19 years teaching youth Taekwondo
  • 25 years training alongside her family

Why it matters

Ask any school who certified them

Rank means different things at different schools. A Kukkiwon dan certificate is issued by the World Taekwondo headquarters in Seoul and recognized internationally. A rank issued by a private organization is recognized by that organization.

It is a fair question to ask anywhere you are considering, including here — and we are happy to show you the certificates.