How the US Trains Its Pilots to Survive

The recent 36-hour evasion of a wounded U.S. F-15 crew member in Iran’s remote mountains highlights the critical role of SERE training—Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape.

Headquartered at Fairchild Air Force Base, this program prepares aviators to survive extreme environments, from the Arctic to deserts, by teaching them to build shelters and consume unconventional food like beetles and cacti. Beyond physical survival, pilots learn the “SURVIVAL” mnemonic to size up situations and manage stress while executing pre-planned exit strategies.

If captured, the training shifts to resistance, a concept formalized by President Eisenhower’s 1955 Executive Order and Code of Conduct, which mandates that prisoners provide only their name, rank, service number, and date of birth.

By utilizing specialized equipment like radio signal bursts and smoke flares, downed personnel can coordinate with rescue teams to ensure they return home safely and with honor, rather than becoming propaganda prizes for hostile nations.