Lieutenant Colonel Richard Burklund was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1983. During his over 20 years of service, LTC Burklund held a variety of command and staff positions in light infantry, military intelligence and special operations forces. He has led or commanded units and sections ranging in size from 40 soldiers to 500 soldiers.

In addition to troop leading and staff assignments, to include combat operations in Panama during Operation Just Cause, he has served at the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he managed a $30 million dollar annual budget and interacted with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and members of Congress. LTC Burklund's final assignment was with Special Operations Command. While there, he served with Task Force Dagger, the Joint Special Operations Task Force in combat in Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom and at the Combined Forces Special Operations Command during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

LTC Burklund's military education includes the Command and General Staff College and the Joint Forces Staff College. LTC Burklund also holds a doctorate in History from Columbia State University.

Burklund Sensei has studied the martial arts and Ways of Japan for 33 years. He is a member of both the Kokusai Budoin of Japan and the SMAA. He holds dan grades in judo and Nihon jujutsu. Burklund Sensei has been granted a Fuku-shidoin certificate by the SMAA and teaches privately, part-time. His first judo teacher was Otaka Shuichi Sensei, godan, of Nihon University. Sato Shizuya Sensei, judo ninth dan and Chief Director of the Kokusai Budoin, and Walter Todd Sensei, judo eighth dan and one of the founding members of the SMAA, have also instructed him. Burklund Sensei is additionally a past contributor to the SMAA Newsletter and the SMAA web site.