In SERE and personnel recovery, extraction means the physical pickup and removal of isolated personnel during an assisted recovery. It involves contact with the person, identity verification and transfer to the transport platform that takes them out of the recovery area.
Pickup and transport
When a ground team is used, it makes physical contact, identifies or authenticates the isolated person and brings them to the recovery vehicle. This platform provides transport. It may be a ground, air or maritime platform. In German PR training, personnel described as an extraction force undertake tasks such as making contact, providing protection and bringing the person to the platform.
The isolated person assists with the prescribed identity checks and provides information during contact about injuries and their ability to walk. Their condition affects the support required between the contact location and the transport platform. A deployed ground team may provide emergency medical care at the recovery site and during transport.
Identification and authentication confirm that the forces are recovering the intended person. Authentication also aims to prevent enemy deception and the disclosure of sensitive information.
Recover, escape and exfiltration
| Term | Distinct meaning |
|---|---|
| Recover / recovery | Recover in the NATO personnel recovery system and the PR meaning of recovery in US usage concern physically taking custody of isolated personnel and returning them to friendly control. Pickup and removal may form part of this task. Personnel recovery also includes reintegration, with medical and psychological care and debriefing after isolation. |
| Escape | Getting free after capture by an enemy. An escaped person may still be isolated and be picked up later. Extraction can equally involve someone who has avoided capture through evasion. |
| Exfiltration | In US terminology, removing personnel or units from enemy-controlled areas through stealth, deception, surprise or clandestine means. The expression describes the area and manner of removal; it does not require prior captivity. |
Extraction within SERE
NATO and the Bundeswehr use the expansion Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Extraction. The UK's Defence SERE Training Organisation also uses the verbal form Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract. US joint terminology instead uses Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape. Extraction or extract refers to pickup and recovery, while escape means getting free from captivity. NATO preparation for isolated personnel also includes escape following capture.