Latest news with #resilience
Associated Press
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
GySgt. Dale Simmons' Life of Combat Now Available as Audiobook, Offering Insights into Revolutionary Military Hand-to-Hand Combat System
Life of Combat by GySgt. Dale Simmons, detailing his journey to introduce the SAMBO combat system to the U.S. Marine Corps, is now available in audiobook format, offering powerful insights into military combat and resilience United States, June 28, 2025 -- GySgt. Dale Simmons' Life of Combat Now Available as Audiobook GySgt. Dale Simmons' highly anticipated memoir, Life of Combat, is now available in audiobook format on Amazon. This gripping autobiography chronicles Simmons' remarkable journey as he worked to introduce the Russian hand-to-hand combat system, SAMBO, to the U.S. Marine Corps. The audiobook offers a firsthand account of his experiences training Marines in a counter-combat technique, overcoming both physical and psychological challenges along the way. Life of Combat captures the struggles and triumphs of a man who, despite a difficult and traumatic childhood, grew into a respected combat instructor. It's a story of resilience, persistence, and the mental and physical toll that military combat demands. For those interested in military history, martial arts, and personal stories of overcoming adversity, Life of Combat provides an unparalleled, authentic perspective on military life. From Personal Struggles to Combat Mastery Simmons' story begins long before he became a Marine Corps instructor. As a child, he faced significant trauma, from abuse to a severe dog bite injury that left lasting scars. These early life challenges shaped his determination to learn martial arts, leading him to teach himself various combat techniques, from hand-to-hand combat to assassination methods learned from other cultures. Through intense self-discipline, Simmons eventually found his calling within the Marine Corps. He noticed a gap in the hand-to-hand combat training for Marines and worked to fill it by introducing SAMBO, a Russian system known for its brutal effectiveness. His Counter-SAMBO course became an integral part of Marine Corps training, eventually training 93 Marines to instructor level. 'I always felt that the Marines deserved better training to survive in hand-to-hand combat,' says Simmons. 'The Soviets had mastered SAMBO, and I believed that American troops needed a counter-system that was just as effective.' Overcoming Resistance and Bureaucratic Challenges Simmons' attempt to introduce the Counter-SAMBO program was met with resistance from military leaders, who were reluctant to adopt foreign techniques. Furthermore, Simmons faced bureaucratic roadblocks, psychological opposition from colleagues, and even personal attacks throughout his journey. Despite these obstacles, Simmons refused to back down, believing that the course could ultimately save lives. His story is one of determination and the pursuit of excellence against all odds. 'I had the weight of 172,000 Marines on my back,' Simmons recalls. 'It wasn't just about teaching combat—it was about ensuring they were prepared for the realities of close-quarters combat.' A Powerful Message of Perseverance Simmons' memoir is not just for military professionals or martial artists—it's a source of inspiration for anyone who has faced adversity. The book is a testament to the power of perseverance and never giving up, even when the odds seem impossible. Simmons' journey demonstrates that no matter how difficult life may seem, determination, hard work, and self-belief can lead to success. 'The fight wasn't just physical—it was mental, emotional, and bureaucratic,' says Simmons. 'But I knew I had to keep pushing forward, no matter the cost. If it meant saving the lives of my fellow Marines, it was worth it.' Simmons Receives Prestigious Award for Martial Arts Instruction Adding to his accolades, GySgt. Dale Simmons has recently been honored with the Best Martial Arts Instructor for Military Personnel in the U.S. of 2025 award, as announced on June 27, 2025. This award, given by Best of Best Review, recognizes Simmons' groundbreaking work in martial arts training for military personnel, especially his development of the Counter-SAMBO combat course. His work has revolutionized the approach to military hand-to-hand combat training, combining practical techniques with a deep understanding of psychological and tactical expertise. 'It's a humbling honor to receive this award,' says Simmons. 'It's a recognition of the hard work and sacrifices made to ensure our Marines are ready for any combat scenario. I'm proud to continue contributing to the legacy of excellence in military training.' Now Available in Audiobook Format In addition to the book's written version, Life of Combat is now available in audiobook format. The audiobook brings Simmons' story to life, offering an immersive listening experience that reaches an even wider audience. The format is ideal for those who prefer to absorb the narrative while on the go, making it a valuable addition for both casual listeners and combat sports enthusiasts. 'I'm thrilled to offer this book in audiobook format,' Simmons says. 'It allows even more people to hear the story of perseverance, the lessons of combat, and the dedication it takes to make a difference in the world.' The audiobook version of Life of Combat is now available for purchase on Amazon. To purchase or learn more about the book, visit About Life of Combat Life of Combat is the true story of GySgt. Dale Simmons, a former Marine who developed the Counter-SAMBO hand-to-hand combat system for the U.S. Marine Corps. The book details his journey from a traumatic childhood to becoming a leader in military combat training, and his mission to help fellow Marines survive the brutal realities of close-quarters combat. With a passion for martial arts and an unyielding drive to save lives, Simmons' story provides insight into overcoming adversity and the importance of resilience in combat. Media Contact Dale Craig Simmons Close Combat Scientist Email: [email protected] Website Contact Info: Name: Dale Craig Simmons Email: Send Email Organization: Life of Combat Website: Release ID: 89163446 Should you detect any errors, issues, or discrepancies with the content contained within this press release, or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we kindly request that you inform us immediately by contacting [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our expert team will be available to promptly respond and take necessary steps within the next 8 hours to resolve any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. We value the trust placed in us by our readers and remain dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Murdered Plymouth University lecturer awarded posthumous PhD
A university lecturer who was murdered has been awarded a posthumous Chick was stabbed to death in January by her estranged husband, who was jailed for 27 gathered to mourn the 48-year-old, who was also a former nurse, at a candlelit vigil at Plymouth Hoe, with her partner saying "she cared about everyone and was so proud of her family".Plymouth University said the degree would be an "enduring part of her legacy" and a way its staff and students would "continue to remember her". It said: "As well as being an incredibly valued nurse, lecturer, tutor and colleague, Claire was also studying for a PhD at the time of her tragic death earlier this year. "Her PhD was centred around supporting and developing resilience in student nurses, something she was incredibly passionate about, and the award is deserved recognition for everything she achieved."
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
‘Everybody can feel the pain': Middle Eastern views on the present and future
Syrian Amr Alhamad (42), lawyer and researcher, based in Damascus: 'My hopes for Syria have remained the same since the very first day of the revolution in March 2011. I believe everything changed with the liberation of Syria and the fall of [Bashar al-] Assad 's control. Despite the many internal challenges – sectarian tensions, economic hardship, lack of transparency and competence within the interim government, and ongoing regional interference – my hopes remain strong. 'Honestly, we don't have the luxury to stop fighting for a free Syria. I've lost many friends in this struggle, and I remain fully committed. I've adapted my efforts to meet the evolving needs on the ground. I won't hesitate to give it my all. 'Since the liberation in December 2024, I returned and launched a consultancy company, Nexus Consulting , to support media and NGOs, and to provide reliable data on the needs and perspectives of Syrians. Despite all the difficulties, I believe in a better future for Syria – and I'm not alone. According to a recent survey we conducted with more than 10,000 Syrians, the majority still believe in a better Syria, despite the continuing lack of services and economic crisis. READ MORE 'I also hope this spirit of resilience and hope spreads to Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, and Iran. I truly hope they can join us in this journey toward freedom and dignity.' (In conversation with Sally Hayden.) Palestinian Rawan Yousef , a researcher and academic in Jerusalem (photo and age withheld for safety reasons): 'I think that with the situation now, one of the most humane and visible solutions [is a] one-state solution for the entire people of Palestine and Israel . So one state on the mandatory or historical lines of Palestine, where everyone has equal rights and where obviously no group of people is supposedly superior to the other, including dismantling the apartheid system of Israel. 'The issue with the Middle East is that there's hostile states, such as Israel, that are still in a colonial settler mindset, and they want to expand, and they want to submit other countries to their will. So my hopes for the region is that people can work towards just peace, and also there would be a sort of balance between different countries. 'I think it is important to think about justice and about people being held accountable for what they've done. An example of this is [Israeli prime minister Binyamin] , and he's a war criminal, so people like him must be brought to justice, and there should be accountability for what he and the Israeli army have done. 'I think people tend to see Palestine/Israel as a complex issue, but in reality it's not that complex. It is an active settler colonial endeavour on the Palestinian lands. And it is as simple as that. One group of people are settlers that have all the international backing, weaponry, everything, and the other population is native, and it's being genocided, it's being ethnically cleansed for the last seven decades. And ethnic cleansing goes into different speeds. So in the West Bank , there's also ethnic cleansing, there's also displacement of people. And to achieve peace, there need to be changes in the Israeli mindset and that needs to stop it being a settler colonial state.' (SH) Iranian Shima Vezvaei (37), Tehran-based journalist: Shima Vezvaei 'Everybody wants to know what Iranians want, and what do they think and what do they feel? And I have to say, it's very difficult to argue that and to talk about that as a homogenous thing ... People belong to different associations. They have been exposed to different media, different narratives, different groups. So it's very natural that we have different moods and we have different opinions. 'What I can say is that no matter what ... everybody, I think, can feel the pain, can feel the fear of a sound of the explosion of a missile, and everybody wants an end to that. '[As for the future], it's so out of our hands, and it's difficult to predict what's going to happen, and that's the part that sucks, because it depends on a lot of political groups and politicians that don't know anything about how the world should work. And they're breaking any law and any regulations, any system that was supposed to keep the world safe and to stop wars from happening and to de-escalate. I think political change must be connected to real material lives of our people. Not just powerful men who are running the world — Shima Vezvaei 'So I feel like there is nothing to hold on to. There is no law to hold on to, nobody to hope that acts, especially in the US, in Europe. And progressive groups in the Middle East are getting oppressed one after another, and their voices are not being heard. 'I think we have realised, more than before, the liberation of our people can't happen in a vacuum. That our fate is connected to each other. So I'm hoping that this 'ceasefire', or whatever that is (it's crazy even this news is breaking in Truth Social and X, instead of real meaningful negotiations), lasts long. But also an end to the genocide in Gaza, self-determination for people of Syria and Lebanon and Iran. 'I hope the power gets in the hands of people. And we can think about what justice and democracy looks for us, and how to achieve it. How to recognise the diversity of our people and celebrate it. And how to stop this accumulation of power and despotism in our own local governments. 'There is so much at stake now. Especially the achievements of our social movements, our women's movements ... laws, regulations, social and political freedom and equality ... 'I think political change must be connected to real material lives of our people. Not just powerful men who are running the world.' (SH) Israeli Sid Knopp (62) lives in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv and works in military computing: Sid Knopp 'A ceasefire with a fanatical terrorist regime is always going to be tenuous. The only way I see real progress is if the ayatollah is removed and a 'moderate' leadership comes in. 'My hope for the future is to live in peace without the constant threat of destruction. One would hope that the Islamic extremists in the neighbourhood will finally realise that we are not going anywhere. However, the 'cold peace' we've had with Egypt for decades is probably the best we can hope for with Lebanon and Syria. Most of my family and friends do not agree with my political views. They tend to be more optimistic and way less realistic. 'Gaza is disastrous for everyone involved. Another fanatical regime which pretends that their goal is to 'get their country back'. Hamas abuses their civilians, steals billions and is way more interested in terror than actually making progress. We see that following the October 7th massacres, almost two years ago, Hamas and their partners have been well battered, yet Hamas holds on to hostages because they dream of getting back to their previous role of total control and rebuilding their terror network. Sadly, I don't think it will end well for the few living hostages and when the time comes, Hamas will have to be obliterated.' (In conversation with Mark Weiss)
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
At 13, He Lost His Arm. Now He's a Top Peloton Coach
Growing up, Logan Aldridge could never sit still—and if you've met him, you know that hasn't changed. Sitting across from him in his cowboy hat at Sounds Like Nashville Live, his smile was warm and his energy magnetic, so much so that you might not even notice he's missing his left arm. And that's exactly how he wants it. When Aldridge was 13, he was out wakeboarding—something his family did almost every weekend. In an instant, the rope he was holding tangled in the boat's propeller. His left arm was severed, and blood was everywhere. On the way to the hospital, still in shock and trying to process what had just happened, he looked to his mom for answers. 'In the ambulance, when I was thinking, 'Oh my gosh, my arm might get amputated,' I asked my mom [what would happen],' he told Men's Journal. 'And she says, 'Logan, it's just an arm.' That mentality can be viewed by someone as tough love, but it was also the moment that shifted my perspective. It kind of transformed the way I saw myself—and what could become of this.'Aldridge has never let his accident define him, and he doesn't want it to define how others see him either. After he lost his arm, he stood up in front of his entire school and told them what happened—head-on, no drama, no whispers. He's never been afraid of the spotlight—and he's spent the years since turning that resilience into a movement. Today, Aldridge is Peloton's only adaptive fitness instructor. The accident that changed his life also changed how he sees others: with compassion, not caution. While he encourages his trainees to work within the realities of their bodies, you better believe he'll still push them. "My coaching style is one of inclusive accessibility and democratization of fitness, where there shouldn't be barriers to entry, especially if the individual has physical limitations. And through that lens, it's made me a really compassionate instructor and coach. But, big but here, I will make you want to throw up." When he was young, Aldridge remembers people constantly trying to help him. Whether it was teachers stepping in to assist before he had a chance to figure things out, or people gently reminding him of what might be harder now that he'd lost his dominant arm, he understood they meant well. But he never saw himself that way—and he never wanted to be told what he couldn't he brings that same mindset into his training and coaching. He wants everyone he works with to walk away knowing they're capable of more than they think. That they can work hard, push themselves, and move past the limits they—or others—have placed on them. "Just because you're a seated athlete, bilateral amputee, one arm, or whatever the case may be, I have compassion and understanding, but I don't have sympathy," he said. "I still want to push you and show you, regardless of impairment condition or not, if somebody's timid and afraid, doesn't think they can become strong, I want to show them through affirming, empowering action that they're capable." He's able to do just that through Peloton, a platform that meets people wherever they are—no gym membership required. Since joining in 2022, Aldridge has made it his mission to help people of all abilities see themselves reflected in fitness. "I want to help build a way in which people who are intimidated, fearful, who have disabilities, can have this platform. It doesn't have to be on a bike or a tread. It can be in their pocket. It can be on an app. They can just be on the couch and open the app and just watch, just watch. And then maybe the next day you'll try, you know, it's just baby steps, micro changes that make it to macro solutions. And the community at Peloton is the definition of an inclusive, welcoming, understanding community." At 13, He Lost His Arm. Now He's a Top Peloton Coach first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 27, 2025
The Independent
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Lewis Capaldi makes emotional comeback at Glastonbury Festival
Lewis Capaldi made a triumphant return to Glastonbury 's Pyramid Stage for a surprise set, two years after his 2023 performance was cut short due to Tourette's and mental health struggles. His previous Glastonbury appearance saw the crowd sing along in solidarity when his voice gave out, a moment of both defeat and profound connection. Capaldi's comeback set, which included his new single 'Survive,' was met with immense anticipation and a hero's welcome, showcasing his strong voice and emotional resilience. His public vulnerability and subsequent recovery from his 2023 struggles are seen as significant, challenging toxic masculine stereotypes in music and raising awareness for Tourette's. Despite the brevity of his 35-minute set, Capaldi's return is hailed as an inspirational and personal triumph, signaling a new beginning for the artist.
