Bando Grandmaster=Frank Dux

[rhec]

To whom it may concern I am a Vietnam era veteran and Martial Artist who has had the distinct pleasure of attending a Muang. Gyi seminar. As black belt level in 2 arts I was very impressed with his fighting ability and even more impressed as a vet with his stories of WW2 combat with the Japanese. After the seminar I began to research the Burmese Arts and Gyi, as I wanted to learn as much as I could about this impressive man and his art. My research has led me to believe this man is a complete fraud and pathological liar. As a veteran I was enraged when I came upon the following web sites detailing his lies.

I have done a web search and found your site listed under the American Bando Association, Maung Gyi, Burmese Bando, Dr Gyi or some other reference and wanted to notify you about this con artist as you may be helping him perpetrate his fraud. He is a skilled instructor but is this honestly a man you wish to lend your name and reputation to. He uses our admiration for the brave who defend their countries to capture our respect.

I implore you to read the following websites and make your own decisions. http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies33.htm

phonyveterans.com/Gyi.html

This lowlife spits on the grave of every soldier who died in combat and diminishes the suffering of every POW who sacrificed for his country. You may not like the message and want to take it out on the messenger but if this is not the truth than Gyi should clear it up as we all know he is fully aware of it. If you have heard firsthand his bizarre self-aggrandizing stories please let these fine organizations know.

A concerned Martial Artist and Veteran

[taomonkey]

This is from a response to the exact post over on blade forums and I thought It might be appreciated here.
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A few weeks ago, a friend sent me an E-mail regarding the Internet "Spot a Phony Vet" Website that you have now put up in your link.
I went to it, and I found a mention on the site that Dr. Gyi was a "Moderator" at BladeForums.Com and I have never seen that over here.

Concerned that people might associate this community with that, I E-mailed the owner of the site in question and asked him to remove that comment about Gyi being a Moderator at BladeForums.Com and after he investigated the situation and found out someone provided him with misleading and false information, he removed the reference.

Are you the owner of the website that you posted the link to in here?

I cannot tell, as you have no E-mail, not that you could not have more than one E-mail account anyway.

I also told the owner of the site that he was providing a service to the Country as no one should be parading as a Vet, a Combat Vet or as a POW. No one should pretend they were tortured to promote their own art.

If these things are in fact true, it does not make me happy to say these things about a man, who you have even said is an impressive martial artist. It makes me sick to my stomach as a matter of fact, all of it does.

Yet, I myself have no "PROOF" that Dr. Gyi is not what he says he is. So, I moderate this forum and I will not delete your post, I am merely going to lock it and as you have suggested, people may go to that website you posted a link to, and they can decide for themselves.

You see, I Moderate this Forum, I don't know you or the person that owns the website.

I have a plus and a minus opinion of the website.

The plus is, the owner of the site removed the false information about Gyi moderating a forum over here when I E-mailed him about it.

The minus is, it was rather crappy investigating that led to the information being supplied to him about Gyi Moderating a Forum over here.

So, I have to ask myself, "Is all of his reporting as accurate as that?" To my knowledge, Gyi has not Moderated a Forum here. I might be wrong, this place is vast.

If that one piece of information could not be verified merely by typing in http://www.bladeforums.com and checking it out, that is pretty shoddy investigating and a corruption of this entire website. I'm glad it was removed, but it should have never been placed on his website to begin with.

I think everyone can agree that people that pose as Vets, Combat Vets and POWs are pretty low in character and your criticisms of them are valid.

I know my Dad is a World War Two Combat Vet, I have his Discharge from the Marine Corps. [My Dad was 42 when I was born].

So, I share your anger at anyone who would take away from what our Vets have done for us, the Sacrifices they have made, including the Ultimate Sacrifice...dying for their country. It is an insult to all Vets, and it insults the memory of my Father.

SO, I have to ask myself, should I allow this to remain open so some can come on and defend Gyi, or flame him for being an imposter.

I think both of our Posts on this Thread say what needs to be said and again, as you suggested, people may go to the link provided and decide for themselves. I think that is fair.

People will be able to see what you have posted and the link will remain alive and people will be able to use it.

No flame war erupts here, everything remains somewhat civil if I lock it down and leave what we have said up here for all to see.

Fair enough?

------------------
"You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." ~Jeff Cooper
And the same goes for a knife...
And, I'm a Usual Suspect.

[This message has been edited by Don Rearic (edited 02-05-2001).]

[rhec]

I would like to clarify a number of points

My name is Richard Hecles and my e-mail is rhec@juno.com and if I have intruded on your forum I am truly sorry as my intention was not to ruin anyone’s bulletin board. I am not affiliated with either of the sites posted. I am not looking to argue or name call with Muang Gyi or his supporters as I said I had gone to 2 of his seminars and was very impressed at the time especially because of the been there done that experience of combat. Those who believe and support this man may feel I’m trying to make them look foolish but men as distinguished as Guru Inosanto the Dog Brothers and many others including myself have at one time or another believed in him.

There seems to be some controversy over the site http://www.phonyveterans.com/Gyi.html and his investigative methods and I agree it is very abrasive he does take down false information when pointed out to him.
On the other hand http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies33.htm is a very thorough site, which posts both sides of the story including emails of support and prints up retractions and apologies when factual evidence is presented disputing their site. Many of their disputed facts come from Gyi’s own articles.

I had come to this board for one reason when doing a web search posts had popped up lauding Gyi and his combat experiences and I feel frauds should be exposed especially when others post their supposed exploits and experiences as reason to train with them and every hit on the internet when researching Gyi makes reference to his heroism.

No matter the side of this you are on if you have met the man and are a supporter and can help his side resolve this or if you have just heard his stories contact the sites and let them know what you have experienced it is very important to many people including Gyi as it is his word being questioned.

Again I had only posted this as counterbalance to previous claims of heroics so people could form their own opinions and not accept disputed information as factual. It is up to the individual to form an opinion. I am sorry for the intrusion on your forum.

Rich

[Holdfast]

Does anyone know what Mr. Inosanto or the Dog Bros. have to say about this?

[Kevin]

FYI

There is a letter from (?) Marc Denny at:

http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies40.htm

[BIGGIE]

sad

he may be a great martial artist but being a great martial artist and a nice guy doesn't mean he can't be lying. He may be lying. Second the bando he teaches is a mixture of the native arts and outside asian arts. But others claim his art has no outside influences and isn't "new" when he did admit he trained with non-Burmese MAist.

[thekuntawman]

did anybody ever go to bruma and seen other bando styles? i know a lot of people in dc who teach bando under mr gyi, they are mostly cop. i remember it looks like kuntaw, so i was interested because he said he studies the philippine martial arts too.