Skills Needed to Survive in Isolation

Courtesy Photo | From left to right, USAF Col. Anne-Marie Contreras, director, Joint Personal Recovery Agency, USAF Brig. Gen. Paul D. Moga, commandant of cadets, United States Air Force Academy, Mr. Steven P. Kelly, division chief, JPRA J7/9, Mr. Richard S. Buchholz, JPRA J7 branch chief - SERE Assessments, and USAF MSgt. Paul W. Daggett, JPRA senior enlisted advisor.  

CO, UNITED STATES

08.22.2022

Courtesy Story

Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff   

By Mr. Steven P. Kelly / Division Chief, Joint Personal Recovery Agency J7/9

Over 1,000 U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) cadet trainees are learning and preparing to survive and evade in harsh environments during Combat Survival Training and the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) is providing staff assistance.

Leadership from JPRA visited CST sites in Colorado to assess training from June 20 to July 7, 2022.

The 21-day Combat Survival Training course provided survival, evasion and support to recovery knowledge and skills to USAFA cadets whose future duties, specialties, missions, or assignments may expose them to an increased risk of isolation. A team of 35 SERE Specialists on temporary duty from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, trained and monitored the cadet cadre.

Combat Survival Training will eventually replace a legacy program from the early 2000s in which Academy students completed the survival and evasion portions of survival, evasion, escape and resistance.

JPRA monitored all phases of training and provided a full out-brief to senior members of USAFA, to include Brigadier General Paul D. Moga, Commandant of Cadets. “JPRA was honored and thrilled to provide this assistance to USAFA. The future security environment will provide long-term survival challenges for those who are isolated and this training will provide them the skills they need to survive,” stated Col. Anne-Marie Contreras, JPRA Director.

As a Chairman’s-Controlled Activity of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, JPRA facilitates personnel recovery stakeholder activities across the Defense Department and between agencies. One of JPRA’s core functions is to assess and provide staff assistance to Military Departments conducting Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training. The primary purpose is to ensure SERE training programs are safe and consistent with DOD policy and guidance, joint doctrine, and joint education and training standards.

Going forward, JPRA will continue to work with members of USAFA as well as Fairchild Air Force Base to ensure the Academy meets one of its highest priorities, to bring back SERE training.

• Date Taken: 08.22.2022
• Date Posted: 08.23.2022 15:19
• Story ID: 427882
• Location: CO, US