Dojo Instructors

The Dayton Bujinkan Dojo is unique in the fact that it is owned and operated by its students. All of the staff members of the dojo have regular careers; the dojo is not run as a fulltime career for any of the instructors. Because of this, the training programs are more grounded, as each instructor is teaching Budo Taijutsu with their own personal experiences intertwined. In addition, the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo and its staff are part of the Bujinkan's Shidoshi Kai (teacher's guild) from the hombu in Japan.

Below provides brief information about the instructors of the Dojo:

Jeff OchesterJeff Ochester

Jeff (Bujinkan Shidoshi) is one of the co-owners of the dojo. He has been training since 1991. Jeff passed the Godan test at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan during 1999. He visits Japan yearly to train with Soke and the Japanese Shihan. He currently teaches adult classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Jeff's full-time career is as a corporate security analyst in the power industry.

Pam DunskyPam Dunsky

Pam (Bujinkan Shidoshi) is one of the co-owners of the dojo. She has been training since 1995. Pam passed the Godan test at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan during 2006. She visits Japan yearly to train with Soke and the Japanese Shihan. She currently teaches the kids classes and fills in for the adult classes as needed. Pan's full-time career is as a senior director for a global retirement corporation.

Marty DunskyMarty Dunsky

Marty (Bujinkan Shidoshi) is one of the co-owners of dojo. He has been training in the Bujinkan since 1995. Marty passed the Godan at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan during 2003. He visits Japan yearly to train with Soke and the Japanese Shihan. Marty currently teaches Wednesday kid's and adult classes. His full-time career is as a licensed Emergency Room Physician (D.O.) in the Miami Valley.

David VandenBosDavid VandenBos

Davis (Bujinkan Shidoshi) is one of the co-owners of dojo. David has been training in the Bujinkan since 2001. He visits Japan regularly to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan. David passed the Godan test at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan during 2010. He provides assistance during adult classes and teaches as a fill-in instructor when needed. David's full-time career is as a Fire Chief of a local Fire Department.

Charles Gelm

Charles (Bujinkan Shidoshi) has been training in the Bujinkan since 1995. He passed the Godan test at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan during 2007. He visits Japan regularly to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan. Charles currently teaches Tuesday & Friday adult classes and Saturday children classes. His full-time career is as an operations manager in the Dayton area.

Bob EnsignBob Ensign

Bob (Bujinkan Shidoshi) has been training in the Bujinkan since 1994. He visits Japan yearly to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan. Bob passed his godan test during 2005. He also has earned a Kyosei rank in Tenshin Ryu Kenjutsu (non Bujinkan), and has performed a number of demonstrations for the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo. Bob currently fills in as an instructor on Monday nights. His full-time career is as a physician assistant (PA) in the Dayton area.

Mike OckermanMike Ockerman

Mike (Bujinkan Shidoshi-ho) has been training since 2001. He visited Japan for the first time in 2007 to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan. Mike currently teaches the Monday & Friday night adult class and the Saturday morning kid's class. His full-time career is in the commercial truck sales industry. Mike is also an accomplished musician, playing guitar and bass for local bands in the Miami Valley.

Kevin DunskyKevin Dunsky

Kevin (Bujinkan Shidoshi) has been training in the Bujinkan since age four (1995). He has been to Japan three times to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan since 2005. Kevin passed the Godan test during the 2010 Dai Komyo Sai Seminar at Ayase, Budokan in Japan. He has competed in multiple NAGA grappling competitions in Ohio, commonly winning first place in his weight class. He currently attends a local State of Ohio university and maintains a training group that meets weekly.

Mark Gregory

Mark (Bujinkan Shidoshi) has been training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu since 1998. During his first trip to Japan in August 2011, he took and passed the Godan test under Noguchi Shihan at Ayase Budokan on the first attempt. Mark currently teaches adult classes on Thursday nights. His full-time career is as a Christian Minister in the Miami Valley.

Jim Davis

Jim (Bujinkan Shidoshi-ho) has been training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu since the mid-1980s. He currently teaches the adult class on Thursday nights. Jim is also an Army reservist after serving in the Army full-time. Jim's full-time career is in the maintenance industry for local school systems.

Alan Sakoman (located in North Carolina)

Alan (Bujinkan Shidoshi) has been training since 2001. He passed the Godan test at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan during 2008. Alan taught at the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo through March 2011 until moving to North Carolina for business. Alan has visited Japan three times to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan. He also trained extensively with Dan Klug and Sean Askew (mentors). Alan is originally from Croatia and is fluent in English, Croatian and Russian. His full-time career is as an IT business manager.