SERE NCOs keep McConnell Airmen trained

by Airman 1st Class Victor J. Caputo
22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

10/18/2013 - MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.  -- In order to achieve Global Reach, the aircrew of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing and 931st Air Refueling Group must not only accomplish the mission, but to also be prepared for the worst case scenario.

They must be able to survive, evade, resist and escape, and two SERE NCOs here aim to keep McConnell Airmen ready for anything.

"We provide code of conduct continuation for all the aircrew at McConnell," said Staff Sgt. John Michels, 22nd Operations Support Squadron SERE specialist.

All Air Force aircrew go through an initial SERE training course at Fairchild AFB, Wash., during initial training, but they are required to remain up-to-date on the training throughout their careers.

"When they get here, they have to maintain their currency and maintain the skills they already have," said Tech. Sgt. Justin Watters, 22nd OSS SERE NCO in charge. "We tailor those skills to their specific mission sets, aircraft and equipment."

"One thing we try to focus on here, because of the mission, is a lot of urban evasion," said Michels.

The unique mission of the KC-135 means crash landing and long-term evasion are not top concerns for McConnell aircrew. Instead, possible detention on a runway and frequent questioning with possible anti-American sentiment is what a lot of training covers, he said.

In addition to ground and water survival training, Watters and Michels also teach a week-long Army combatives course and offer personnel recovery operation support training and environmental threat analysis for different units on base.

"Ultimately, what we're looking to see is that they've retained some of those skills," said Watters. "We're trying to make sure they can execute what they already have and that they're building upon those skills."

While much of the training offered by SERE is aircrew-centric, Michels emphasized that it's not just for pilots and other "flyers," and Airmen desiring additional pre-deployment training are more than welcome to contact the SERE office.

"I hope anyone who comes through here walks away with the skills required to survive, evade, resist exploitation and escape if the situation dictates," said Michels.