|
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. - While navigating the skies,
pilots can experience any number of challenges, especially in a
combat environment.
One critical error or malfunction could
leave military aviators with nothing but their will to survive.
Relying on their Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training
will make the difference in life or death.
“In the event that
the aircrew needs our training, we present them with the skills
necessary to return with honor,” said Staff Sgt. Dustin Jespersen,
28th Operations Support Squadron SERE specialist. “You can make
dangerous mistakes in training; if you do it in the actual event it
could potentially threaten your life.”
In order to fly,
pilots, weapons systems officers and supporting aircrew must
complete annual SERE refresher training. Keeping their minds sharp
and being well prepared for various emergency situations is
essential for B-1 bomber aviators.
|
Staff Sgt. Dustin Jespersen, 28th Operations Support Squadron Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape specialist, left, instructs Chief Master Sgt. Sonia Lee, 28th Bomb Wing command chief, on emergency parachute training at the SERE building at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Feb. 10, 2016. Ejection is a last resort for aircrew members who are trained to stay calm while ejecting and avoid tensing up when landing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Donald Knechtel)
|
"Our aircrews carry out missions throughout the world
against our nation's enemies,” said Col. John Martin, 28th
Operations Group commander. “It is my job to guarantee the
28th [Bomb Wing] B-1 crews have the critical skills
necessary to survive isolation behind enemy lines; SERE
training provides techniques that give aircrew the ability
to survive in any environment, evade an enemy's progression
to their location, resist questioning if captured, as well
as escape captivity.”
Martin added these techniques
ensure aircrew can maintain life, maintain honor, and
return.
The real world application of these skills
was put to use by a B-1 crew over 14 years ago.
On
Dec. 12, 2001, around 9:30 p.m., a B-1 bomber en route to
Diego Garcia crashed into the Indian Ocean. The crew was
running out of options from the sheer amount of malfunctions
they were experiencing, ultimately leading to an
unresponsive aircraft.
They glided the jet down to
an altitude of about 15,000 feet before they were driven to
eject into the dangerous waters below.
It was a very
rare occurrence as this was the first B-1 to go down since
the start of the war in 2001 and the first to crash in a
combat mission since 1987.
But, because of their
training, the crew was prepared and ready. They established
themselves on deployable rafts and endured the conditions
for nearly two hours before rescue arrived in the form of
the USS Russell.
Jespersen described the training
this aircrew and others go through, such as swim stroke
techniques and training for the event that the parachute
canopy falls over the member so they can get out unharmed.
Aviators also learn how to establish themselves in a life
raft and prioritize their needs to survive until rescue
forces arrive.
“In the event that it's a high wind
day [on water], we also practice drags,” Jespersen added.
“We go over procedures to keep their faces out of the water
so they're not ingesting any and how to release from the
canopy so they are no longer being dragged.”
But
perhaps the most vital thing aircrews need to remember is to
keep calm.
“Remaining calm can apply to almost every
aspect of survival training and it's going to make it a lot
easier,” Jespersen said. “Especially when you parachute, the
moment you tense up, your body becomes rigid and it's not
conducive to landing safely.”
The vigorous training
these aviators undergo ensures their capability to pull
through the worst.
“We take this training
particularly seriously because it very well could happen to
us some day,” added 1st Lt. Danielle, 34th Bomb Squadron
weapon systems officer. “I definitely feel more prepared.”
By U.S. Air Force Airman Donald Knechtel
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
Comment on this article |
