SERE school

Jareth has had numerous tasks and tests up to this point but nothing has been anything like what he will be doing from May 24th to June 14th. He will be attending SERE school (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape). Most of what is taught to these soldiers is confidential. To explain what he will be enduring for the next three weeks- I have taken the information from wikipedia and http://www.training.sfahq.com/survival_training.htm. Contrary to what wikipedia explains, a SERE school has recently been added to Fort Rucker for all aviators. Some Rangers also attend the Fort Rucker school, other Rangers go to Fort Bragg to join all the Special Forces Soldiers. Between Bragg and Rucker, all soldiers going to SERE -C school go through these military bases.


SERE is a United States military acronym for Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape, a program that provides military personnel, Department of Defense civilians and private military contractors with training in evading capture, survival skills and the military code of conduct. Established by the United States Air Force at the end of the Korean War (1950–53), it was extended during the Vietnam War (1959–75) to the Army, Navy and United States Marine Corps. Most higher level SERE students are all military aircrew and special operations personnel considered to be at high risk of capture.

Survival and evasion
Most of SERE training focuses on survival and evasion. Skills taught include woodcraft, and wilderness survival in all types of climate. This includes what is known as emergency first aid, a variant of the battlefield variety, land navigation, camouflage techniques, methods of evasion, communication protocols and how to make improvised tools. This list is by no means comprehensive, and some of what is taught is classified secret.
Resistance and escape
Training on how to survive and resist the enemy in the event of capture is largely based on the experiences of past US and allied prisoners of war. Most of this aspect of the course is secret. Several official websites, however, give a general overview. Official sources insist that SERE students are not themselves taught how to apply coercive techniques, but are taught how to resist them if captured.

Code of conduct
SERE training is intended, above all, to provide students with the skills needed to live up to the US military code of conduct when in uncertain or hostile environments. It is recited as follows:
1. I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
2. I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command I will never surrender those under my command while they still have the means to resist.
3. If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.
4. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information nor take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.
5. When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
6. I will never forget that I am an American, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

SERE training takes place at three levels:
• Level A: Entry level training. These are the Code of Conduct mandatory classes taken by all at induction (recruit training and OCS). All service personnel get this basic training annually.
• Level B: For those operating or expected to operate forward of the division rear boundary and up to the forward line of own troops (FLOT). Normally limited to aircrew of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Level B focuses on survival and evasion, with resistance in terms of initial capture.
• Level C: For troops at a high risk of capture and whose position, rank or seniority make them vulnerable to greater than average exploitation efforts by any captor. Level C focuses on resistance in terms of prison camps and serious military interrogation.

Jareth will be attending the Level C school. For 3 weeks, a CNN camera crew was allowed to view the school at Fort Bragg, NC. Their findings and pictures can be found on this site. I encourage you to read this story (unless you are Lisa) as most of the information about SERE school is confidential and this may be one of the few places you will be able to see and hear what happens during these three weeks.