How long is Air Force SERE?

Each course takes 19 days to complete, and 49 classes are taught each year. Students rise early in the morning, and spend many hours without sleep. They endure extremely hot and extremely cold temperatures to become SERE specialists.

How long is the SERE course?

This school lasts 19 days, during which time you'll be evaluated on your physical fitness, speaking ability, dedication, ability to complete tasks and follow instructions, and your leadership potential. Only the best will go on to the formal course – SERE Specialist Training (SST) at Fairchild AFB, Washington.

How hard is Air Force SERE?

SERE training is hard but not too hard and certainly not impossible. There are multiple reasons people don't make it through the training but most failures/eliminations are due to one of the following reasons: 1. Not physically prepared, many cannot meet the minimum requirement.

Do you get tortured in SERE?

Myth #2 SERE is a “Torture” School designed to break you: Wrong again. It isn't a torture school at all. It is tough, it will push you in ways you probably haven't been pushed before and it isn't fun.

Does USAF SERE see combat?

That's because SERE specialists' primary mission is to practice and refine the techniques required for surviving and evading, so that they can teach what they've learned to the rest of the Air Force. Despite being some of the military's toughest and most resourceful members, they almost never see combat.

U.S. Air Force: SERE 101

Does USAF SERE deploy?

Eventually, SERE specialists can move on to operational support squadrons at flying wings to provide refresher training to aircrew, or to postings at other locations, such as the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency. They also can deploy to combat locations, but SERE airmen do not directly participate in combat operations.

Where do Air Force SERE get stationed?

Duty Locations. SERE specialists are located at a large amount of Air Force bases. The preponderance of SERE specialists reside at Fairchild AFB, WA, where the Air Force Survival School is located.

Do you get beat up in SERE school?

The slap. So, there is some physical discomfort inflicted on SERE students, all of which is to make it as realistic as possible. Part of the physical discomfort comes by way of open-handed slaps to the face and head.

What is SERE level C?

Army SERE Level C encompasses full-spectrum training including academics and resistance training labs. The SERE-C training provides a unique opportunity to teach Soldiers adaptive leadership skills to be employed in complex operational environments.

What can I bring to SERE Air Force?

As part of their search and evacuation training, SERE specialists use helmets, harnesses, gloves and carabiners to rescue missing personnel and extract patients. An altimeter, safety helmet, MC6 parachute with jumpable ruck and reserve parachute are all used to teach emergency parachuting operations.

What Asvab score do I need for SERE?

Successful completion of SERE physical ability and stamina test (PAST) ASVAB score of 55 on General. Must score a 55 or higher on the SERE 2-Factor Selection Model. Meet psychological and physical requirements outlined in AFI 48-123.

How long is the SERE pipeline?

The average SERE Specialist will be in the rigorous training pipeline for approximately 1-year where they will become an expert on the methods used to survive in the arctic, desert, open ocean, jungle, and mountain regions.

How much does SERE training cost?

Craig D. Wills said in a July 30 interview he expects the changes will free up about 46,000 training days and around $35 million each year. Putting a student through the program costs about $750 per day. When Wills was a young F-15E backseater in the 1990s, the SERE program for combat aircrews lasted 14 days.

What is Air Force SERE school like?

This program lasts five and half months. It teaches students how to train aircrew members to survive no matter where they land. They learn several skills, including basic survival, navigation, arctic survival, how to teach, evasion, desert survival, rough land evacuation, tropics/river survival and coastal survival.

Where is SERE school Air Force?

The 336th Training Group, located at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, is home to the U.S. Air Force's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school.

How many levels of SERE training are there?

There are three levels of SERE — A, B, C — that are progressively more demanding and tailored to different service members. Each service conducts its own SERE training, with a total of five military facilities authorized to run the course.

What branch does SERE?

As the designated executive agency for US military SERE training, the USAF's 336th Training Group continues to provide the only US military career SERE specialists and instructors who are part of Air Force Special Warfare Operations and are utilized in varied roles throughout the Air Force and DoD.

Is SERE Special Forces?

Although SERE Specialists are not considered special operations forces (SOF), they do have considerable input in the training and exercises conducted by SOF. There are four enlisted specialities and three officer specialities that form what are known as Battlefield Airmen (Table 1).

How hard is SERE specialist training?

“To become a SERE specialist there are a lot of steps, including a two-week selection course, multiple water survival training courses, parachuting and arctic survival, three weeks of field and combat survival, daily physical training, classroom work, technical school for six months and finally a one year period where ...

Do SERE specialists get a beret?

The pewter-green beret is worn with the SERE specialist device, which depicts a bald eagle in front of a compass rose with barbed wire across it. “The beret solidifies the Combat Rescue Officer, SERE and Pararescue communities as a united weapons system,” said Chief Master Sgt.

What can I bring to SERE school?

I had been given a packing list for what to bring to SERE school: Dress A uniform (cracker jacks), Pea-Coat, white cover, wool watch cap, flight suit, boots and flight jacket, gloves, leather and wool liners, personal sundry stuff, no civilian apparel (as you are not authorized to leave the base and no liberty off base ...

Do SEALs go through SERE?

SOCOM clarified that before psychologists can ship out to San Diego to assist Navy SEALs pass the SERE course, they must "be a graduate of a SERE level C training curriculum." Level C is the highest level of SERE training, the ones that commandos with a "high risk of capture" endure.

Is SERE high demand?

SERE training is so demanding that roughly 85% of all of those that enter the SERE pipeline training will not make it through the course. Upon completion of the training, the new SERE member will be given their coveted green beret, the symbol of membership into the US Air Force SERE Specialist brotherhood.

How long do SERE specialists serve?

If you are a cross-trainee, your tour on Fairchild will be limited to 5 years. For Non-Prior Service members, you will be limited to 8 years.

What do you do after SERE training?

After SERE specialists complete training, they then begin on-the-job training to become field instructors for the combat SERE course, teaching survival skills to service members. Specialists begin teaching the material in which they are proficient.