SERE

SERE refers to military skills and training for surviving separation from friendly forces, avoiding capture, resisting exploitation by an adversary and returning to friendly control. The letters stand for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and, depending on the military system, Escape or Extraction.

Expansions and national usage

The British wording uses verbs: survive, evade, resist and be extracted. The difference between Escape and Extraction, however, concerns the event being described. Escape means getting free from an adversary's control; extraction means pickup or recovery.

Meaning of the four areas

Survival – staying alive

Survival covers preserving life and the physical ability to act. It includes protection from the weather, water and food, navigation, medical fundamentals and the use of personal survival equipment. Under hostile threat, these tasks must be considered alongside the risk of detection. The need for protection and sustenance continues after capture.

Evasion – avoiding capture

Evasion aims to avoid detection and capture. Navigation, use of terrain, camouflage and movement support a return to friendly forces or preparation for pickup. A route is therefore also assessed for where a person might be observed and what physical reserves they need. Evasion primarily concerns the situation outside an adversary's custody; it may be needed again after escape.

Resistance – resisting exploitation

Resistance counters attempts to exploit captured personnel and their information for an adversary's purposes. It includes responding to questioning, information protection and responsibility towards fellow prisoners. National frameworks for conduct play a part: the US Code of Conduct applies to US military personnel.

Escape or Extraction – escape or recovery

Escape may end immediate captivity without returning the person to friendly forces. Sustenance, navigation and further evasion may then be necessary. Extraction refers to recovery to friendly control. The isolated person supports it through contact, signalling, authentication and coordinated conduct during pickup.

A person may be recovered without first being captured. Captivity is a form of military isolation.

How is SERE used?

In military usage, SERE describes both the required skills and the training for them. The starting point is a possible isolation situation: individuals or groups are separated from their unit or organisation and are no longer under its intended control. Examples include an aircrew after an emergency landing or soldiers cut off during operations.

The term SERE training covers instruction in these capabilities. It may include theoretical foundations, practical field components, evasion, controlled captivity scenarios and cooperation during recovery. The combination depends on the military system, the person's role and the risk of isolation or exploitation. Aircrew may also need emergency procedures for leaving an aircraft and surviving in water.

What do SERE Levels A, B and C mean?

Within the NATO framework, the levels distinguish training scope and risk profile. Level A provides foundations for low risk; Level B mainly adds practical survival and evasion skills for moderate risk; Level C includes advanced practical preparation, including resistance, for high risk.

National programmes combine the content differently. The US Air Force's Evasion and Conduct After Capture (ECAC) course, for example, already includes practical captivity scenarios at Level B. The German model combines advanced survival and evasion with conduct as a prisoner of war at Level C. Resistance to Interrogation (RtoI) is an additional training component.

SERE, Personnel Recovery and Combat Survival

Personnel Recovery (PR) encompasses military, diplomatic and civilian efforts to recover and reintegrate isolated personnel. The isolated person, recovery forces, commanders and staffs work together. SERE prepares the individual for their part in this effort; PR also includes planning, support, pickup and care after return.

Combat Survival means military survival under hostile threat. Many of its skills overlap with SERE, including sustenance, navigation, evasion and supporting recovery. SERE names the connected areas of skills and training; Combat Survival addresses the survival situation under threat.