THE US SCHOOL OF SURVIVAL (US-SOS) brings elite, real-world expertise under the leadership of John Dobbins—a United States Marine Corps veteran trained by the U.S. Department of Defense in Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE). Certified through the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross and the American National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, John blends battlefield and disaster zone-tested resilience with advanced wilderness medicine and academic distinction.
His career spans classrooms, wilderness areas, command posts, and crisis zones across the globe. He has designed and delivered survival and medical training programs for Ivy League institutions including Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, and Dartmouth College. He also taught Search and Rescue at Red Rocks Community College and led advanced certification programs at Tufts University and Ohio University.
As founder of SOLO Colorado with SOLO Wilderness Medicine, John worked with some of the world’s foremost experts in wilderness emergency care. He has been selected as a Lead Instructor for Colorado State Police (Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officers), the U.S. Geological Survey, United States Space Force contractors, and the American Red Cross, after leading disaster response teams in high-stakes environments where his decisions saved lives.
John is a four-season backcountry athlete who lives off-grid, continuously practicing what he teaches as a volunteer rescuer. John authored the US School of Survival Field Manual and brings unmatched credibility to every course. In addition to teaching at the national level, John has also advised the United States Government during times of crisis, when clear thinking and decisive action matter most.
