An Cosantóir November 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie
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REPORt AND PhOtOS BY SGT WAyNE FITzGERALD
T
he basic skills of unarmed combat are taught in
recruit training. They are necessary skills that a soldier
may call on if required, possibly in an aid-to-the-civil-
power setting or on a peacekeeping mission, where they
could be used as a non-lethal alternative to prevent being
disarmed or injured in an attack.
No two fights will ever be the same as there are too many
factors at play, such as the specific situation and each fight-
er's willpower, physical fitness, size, training and natural
fighting skills. A trained fighter, however, will generally have
an advantage over an untrained one. While not redress-
ing the imbalance fully, unarmed combat training can also
reduce the advantage held by an armed attacker.
The Defence Forces Physical Education School (DFPES)
conducts an unarmed combat instructors course every
year. This year's course, which ran from 22 September to 10
October, was attended by 22 DF students from around the
country and two civilian students undergoing work experi-
ence with the DF.
Training for unarmed combat requires a high degree of
physical fitness and willpower. Accordingly, every morning
the students underwent conditioning training that included
circuits, gym workouts, and a mixture of endurance and
stamina training.
At the end of the course the new unarmed combat
instructors will go back to their respective unit/brigade/
formation qualified to instruct other soldiers on basic un-
armed combat techniques and skills.
The instructors for this year's course were Sgt Tommy
Sheehan, Sgt Liz Kelly, Cpl Leonard Smith, Cpl Shane Staf-
ford (all DFPES) and Cpl Dermot O'Leary (Tpt Gp, DFTC).
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