Two types of survival.

**Great Dane** · 08-06-2014, 09:35 PM

Just to clarify. There is more than one level of SERE training (A, B and C), and different programs. There are also tons of different military survival schools, that I know is being used by the US Military, both in and outside the US.

And I agree with Crash. Combat training has nothing to do with survival training.

One of the things that there is to these shows, is that they are often very much along the way of "You've landed in a bit of a mess, in an enviroment you don't know - Get out of there alive A.S.A.P.". That does lend itself towards some of the military guys. That's very much something we can relate to.
Sometimes we will take a calculated risk, with some water. Because we need it now, and need to get to Point A A.S.A.P., so we can get out. We'll swing by the medics when we get back to base and have them hand out whatever medicals we'll need by then.
Taking risks, seems to be very much part of a lot of these guys OM, where guys like Cody Lundin and Les Stroud don't. They play it safe, much more so than the soldier boys.
Now we might discuss wether there's a lot of educational value in most of these shows, or if they're simply "infotainment". I doubt that there would be much of an audience for Cody Lundin living barefoot in the wild, showing people how to make watercontainers from birch trees. People would rather see Bear Grylls eat something disgusting.
If you're seriously stranded on some trip to the middle of nowhere, you should play it safe. You shouldn't rush things. If you haven't had much water for days, or even hours depending on the climate, and you come across some that's good to drink, you stay for as long as you need to get plenty of water in your system, you don't just fill your bottle and get on without having an idea if there's no more water to be had for several square miles. You shouldn't climb mountainsides and tall trees, unless you're very experienced with these things and you don't jump into a body of water from 30-40 feet up, when you have no idea about how deep the water is. But that's not great television.
Chances are, that most people who find themselves stranded out in a dessert, a jungle, a very large wood or similar could very well be physically hurt.
I've only seen Les Stroud attempt it once (faked a broken arm) and Cody Lundin (some kneeinjury I think). But doing all the Bear Grylls things could put you in serious trouble. If the water isn't very deep and you jump in from 30-40 feet up, what do you think will happen? And if you fall when you're climbing? Good luck getting anywhere with a broken leg, or two. Or a broken back.

At the end of the day, these shows are about entertainment. They'll throw in some knowledge, some ideas, but they won't educate.
As we all know, that's for Google these days

**Sarge47** · 08-07-2014, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

I disagree with this to an extent. For the narrow focus you are putting on "military survival" it may be true, but that is only one, very narrow aspect to it. Take for example the part of the military I was in. We hid and snuck around for a living, but if there was a casualty where rescue was needed, we employed everything we could to aid us in that. Several of the systems onboard were designed just for that purpose.

The SERE school school is intended for (but I imagine not exclusive to) personnel that will likely be in a position where they could be captured (aviators and air crew). In their case, survival is facilitated by avoiding whereas most other military survival training is facilitated by making yourself found.

Another confusing aspect, perpetuated by some of the TV shows is to mistake combat training for survival training.

This is what I was looking for! Positive Rep sent!...

**Sarge47** · 08-07-2014, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Great Dane

Just to clarify. There is more than one level of SERE training (A, B and C), and different programs. There are also tons of different military survival schools, that I know is being used by the US Military, both in and outside the US.

And I agree with Crash. Combat training has nothing to do with survival training.

One of the things that there is to these shows, is that they are often very much along the way of "You've landed in a bit of a mess, in an enviroment you don't know - Get out of there alive A.S.A.P.". That does lend itself towards some of the military guys. That's very much something we can relate to.
Sometimes we will take a calculated risk, with some water. Because we need it now, and need to get to Point A A.S.A.P., so we can get out. We'll swing by the medics when we get back to base and have them hand out whatever medicals we'll need by then.
Taking risks, seems to be very much part of a lot of these guys OM, where guys like Cody Lundin and Les Stroud don't. They play it safe, much more so than the soldier boys.
Now we might discuss wether there's a lot of educational value in most of these shows, or if they're simply "infotainment". I doubt that there would be much of an audience for Cody Lundin living barefoot in the wild, showing people how to make watercontainers from birch trees. People would rather see Bear Grylls eat something disgusting.
If you're seriously stranded on some trip to the middle of nowhere, you should play it safe. You shouldn't rush things. If you haven't had much water for days, or even hours depending on the climate, and you come across some that's good to drink, you stay for as long as you need to get plenty of water in your system, you don't just fill your bottle and get on without having an idea if there's no more water to be had for several square miles. You shouldn't climb mountainsides and tall trees, unless you're very experienced with these things and you don't jump into a body of water from 30-40 feet up, when you have no idea about how deep the water is. But that's not great television.
Chances are, that most people who find themselves stranded out in a dessert, a jungle, a very large wood or similar could very well be physically hurt.
I've only seen Les Stroud attempt it once (faked a broken arm) and Cody Lundin (some kneeinjury I think). But doing all the Bear Grylls things could put you in serious trouble. If the water isn't very deep and you jump in from 30-40 feet up, what do you think will happen? And if you fall when you're climbing? Good luck getting anywhere with a broken leg, or two. Or a broken back.

At the end of the day, these shows are about entertainment. They'll throw in some knowledge, some ideas, but they won't educate.
As we all know, that's for Google these days

Another post on what i wanted! Tried to send you positive rep but gotta spread the love 1st I guess!...

**Sarge47** · 08-07-2014, 11:13 AM

The point is this, weather you've learned survival from the Boy Scouts, military, survival schools or the like, at the end of it all, if you're still alive, you've won! No matter how you do it! I'm sure that military survival training and gear includes bright orange panels and flares to aid in pick-up when available. Survival to me means staying alive...period. It's just that there are different ways to get to the same conclusion. As far as Bear Grylls goes, he would be "long pig!"...

**hunter63** · 08-07-2014, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge47

Another post on what i wanted! Tried to send you positive rep but gotta spread the love 1st I guess!...

Got it covered....and I agree.

**diddap** · 08-14-2014, 10:06 PM

In the lower 48 states, if you need a longarm at all, you'll need a silenced fighting rifle, not some toy single shot, bolt action, etc, not some bow or pellet rifle. If it aint that serious, then a integrally suppressed .22lr pistol will suffice. It's far more likely that you'll be attacked by men than need to take game. Just ask Randy weaver and the Davidans about that. Ask people in St Louis or many other places, right now. And such a rifle can serve just fine for the "other" type of (fantasy) survival. You know, the kind where you're "in the wilderness", which there aint hardly any left of, in the lower 48 states (and hasn't been for about 50 years now).

**diddap** · 08-14-2014, 10:11 PM

If you'll just climb the tallest tree or hill around you, and wait until it's full dark. You'll see lights. Mark the direction, and come dawn, walk in that direction. repeat as necessary. If you can't move, how is a longarm going to be of any help, much less a bow? As the man above said, maintain a smoky fire during daytime, and wait, In a very few days, somebody will be along to check out that fire.

**hunter63** · 08-15-2014, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by diddap

If you'll just climb the tallest tree or hill around you, and wait until it's full dark. You'll see lights. Mark the direction, and come dawn, walk in that direction. repeat as necessary. If you can't move, how is a longarm going to be of any help, much less a bow? As the man above said, maintain a smoky fire during daytime, and wait, In a very few days, somebody will be along to check out that fire.

Although this might have worked at a much younger age....most people would not climb a tree, no matter what.

Difficult to do, something a lot of people would find physically impossible.......dangerous, (why put your self in a bad situation?,...and come down in the dark?... ... many people are afraid of heights....hard to see lights with your eyes closed.

And I would be real, real careful on the fire thing....as millions of acres have burned in the west....few have been traced back to lost hunters.

**Grizz123** · 08-15-2014, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by diddap

If you'll just climb the tallest tree or hill around you, and wait until it's full dark. You'll see lights. Mark the direction, and come dawn, walk in that direction. repeat as necessary. If you can't move, how is a longarm going to be of any help, much less a bow? As the man above said, maintain a smoky fire during daytime, and wait, In a very few days, somebody will be along to check out that fire.

I used to live just outside Albq. NM, less than a mile from the desert. Every few years someone would drive out there, get lost and die within a few days even though at night you can see the glow from city lights at night. And the desert is flat without any trees to climb. As for getting a fire started, thats a different story. Brush and other burnables were just too scarce and if you did start a fire it would burn out really fast because everything is so dry.

**Tokwan** · 08-16-2014, 02:01 PM

diddap...if I am in a survival mode, and alone (which i usually am as I solo camp), I am very much against climbing a tree and if you fall, (not to say you are not a good climber, but I just don't trust the tree branches), no one will be there to help you...just IMHO.