Combat Survival Courses?

[agent911]

Just had a few questions about a combat survival course. Firstly, is it even available to the reserves?
If it is where and how often is the course run? Also duration and such. What does the course consist of? Is it basically just wilderness survival but training for being in combat survival situations aswell?
any info would be greatlt appreciated.

 

[aesop081]

Just had a few questions about a combat survival course. Firstly, is it even available to the reserves?
If it is where and how often is the course run? Also duration and such. What does the course consist of? Is it basically just wilderness survival but training for being in combat survival situations aswell?
any info would be greatlt appreciated.

I'm not sure what course you are refering to.  If you mean the SERE course ( survival, evasion, resistance and escape), its is an aircrew course. All aircrew MOCs and those army personel employed as mission specialists in tac hel sqns are required to take the basic SERE course run by CFSAT in Winnipeg.

 

[agent911]

I'm reffering to the course listed as Combat Survival Instruction listed here http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/30899.0.html

 

[Gayson]

4 guys in my unit took a basic survival course this year.

I believe it consisted of a few weekends lecture, followed by a field weekend practicing their skills then a final "survival" weekend.

There is also a more advanced survival course after this one they were to participate in but got cancelled.

I'll ask some of them about the course tomorrow and post what I find out afterwards.

 

[KevinB]

I know of a few people who have gone to Britian and taken the SAS Survial Course - but know of no Candian Army run course.

 

[Dirt Digger]

CFSSAT (2 x S) runs both Basic SERE and Advanced SERE courses out of a remote camp in Nopiming Provincial Park, about 2.5 hours NE of Winnipeg.

The SERE program was adopted in the late 90s when Canada signed on with STANAG 7030 (CSAR), which dictated that we would run training to provide at-risk aircrew with the skills necessary for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape if their aircraft happens to go down in enemy controlled territory.

The Basic SERE course replaced the historic land-survival course run out at Jarvis Lake and focuses on the survival component of SERE.  Most of the courses are run in the winter.  The Advanced SERE focuses on the remainder of the acronym: evasion, resistance and escape. These courses for safety reasons are run from spring to fall and conclude with an evasion exercise that encorporates an enemy force, dog teams and helicopter support.  Truth, Duty Valour did an episode on Advanced SERE.

BUT...if you aren't aircrew or a foreign SERE instructor, the chances of you getting on one of these courses is extremely remote...slots are strictly controlled.  I don't know of any other courses of Canada that run along the lines of SERE training.

 

[paracowboy]

I'm reffering to the course listed as Combat Survival Instruction listed here

never heard of it. If you find anything on it, lemme know, wouldja? Sounds interesting.

 

[aesop081]

CFSSAT (2 x S)

My misstake....don't kill me when i come down for course  :-\

 

[agent911]

Sounds interesting, but also disapointing. Im interested to see what course J gayson's friends took. Hopefully not the SERE course. I'm really interested in learning some advanced survival tactics. It's always been an aspiration of mine to go into the wilderness and see how long I can surive.

 

[Gayson]

From talking to them, I'm pretty sure it was the basic SERE.

 

[Dirt Digger]

My misstake....don't kill me when i come down for course   :-\

Sorry...damage done.  You get the "special" flight to 43K.  ;D

Don't worry about it...all my pay stubs go to "CFSAT"...

 

[KevinB]

Dude any reservist selling SERE course stories - needs to hook up with tacsit and Windwolf.


DHTC was supposed to run/support and ARMY wide (Force wide?) RTI course - but not survival(wilderness) based.  I'm guessing in the era of colour jumpsuits and throat slashing/head rolls ; then the needs of me to shut my mouth for the 15sec it takes one of them to cut my throat (if I was foolish enough to give up) is kinda non relavant.

 

[aesop081]

Sorry...damage done.   You get the "special" flight to 43K.    ;D

Don't worry about it...all my pay stubs go to "CFSAT"...

I've already done the chamber.......you'll have to wait another 10 years for that " special" flight.  I was refering to that "other" course that feels too much like the army !

 

[the4thhorseman]

The course that has been run successfully in 2004 (not withstanding the 2005 serial that got cancelled - it was supposed to run this past Feb - it was a basic and advanced course) was a bush survival and primitive skills course.   For those who want to read about it - go to the 32 Brigade web site and check out the archives - it's under the title Winter Bush Survival and Primitive Skills.   This training was created from an idea to run a "four season - moving survival" program.   It encompassed the skills and experienced developed by the Chief Instructor over 25 years of "living it" and developing the expertise.   For more info - go to the 32 Brigade site as well, go to Tracker Trail web site - under the headings/subject titles of Allen "Bow" Beauchamp.

For those who are interested in this type of program - seek out those who participated in the earlier serials.   This training is challenging - "outside the square".