Infantry: Teaching More Airmen to Deal With Torture

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August 30, 2007: The U.S. Air Force is increasing the number of airmen taking SERE (survival, evasion, resistance and escape) training. The two week course is normally given to all flight crewmen, to enhance their chances of escaping capture, and being rescued, if they are ever shot down and land in hostile territory. About 6,500 air force personnel currently take SERE course each year. But now, with thousands of air force personnel on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, and subject to capture, the SERE course is going to be given to these troops as well.

About half the SERE training is in the classroom, which includes coaching on how to resist interrogation and torture. The rest of the training is in the field, where practical field craft is demonstrated and practiced. This includes proven techniques for dealing with torture, and other bad things than can happen if you are captured by Islamic terrorists.

The expanded SERE program will probably mean that at least 10,000 airmen a year will take the course.