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Elite U.S. Forces Train in SERE to Survive Enemy Lines

Source: wsj.com

TL;DR

WSJ article details SERE training for U.S. elite aviators and special forces trapped behind enemy lines.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)[[2]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdXBezjoGkL2saWLD9FXzvxwRQ3wrF1JesCSCGFtUSWVQbOqkPm6ITC&gaa_sig=TgHjm2-pMuaN9r08onkARI-CRzC-ly2roh3XvdRov3_J7CephH6IplfU1uOtrgcu2bBq24Z7YwD2gGlvZMUf4A%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa4)
Air Force crews learn to eat bugs, treat wounds, evade capture at Fairchild Air Force Base.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)[[3]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfUA2WphSNsy0PTnYH5R5t89h0bPViym8u0ZiDLoG0BzcWYKYyXB2QM&gaa_sig=TnZ_OKGTbYLVj1jG-RL8Yg0sOaNcwOa8HdPb3xaR3eCFbNvooT5vOJ_RjpiEPrWTgvGLaXjf_pXcG3HyvQJDUA%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa9)
Training enables return with honor, as in recent F-15 crew rescue from Iran.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)[[4]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqehV_HEi4rAGsHqPcGbWEoR1KRrLbKe74sIDmdEsfcDeDfUEo6wkKKV&gaa_sig=XT6ckq0elgZnlB4fpNwWnQmBm4TPlXSCYhX03LdCfsGmlXYCjlxApzpMJuLQ61K8XIIQsBr08W5amppqGslGNg%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa9)

The story at a glance

The article examines SERE (survival, evasion, resistance and escape) training for elite U.S. military aviators and special forces, conducted at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington. Reporter James T. Areddy highlights skills like eating bugs, treating wounds and evading capture, tying it to a recent F-15 crew rescue in Iran. It is being reported now amid ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict where aircrews have been downed behind enemy lines.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)[[2]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdXBezjoGkL2saWLD9FXzvxwRQ3wrF1JesCSCGFtUSWVQbOqkPm6ITC&gaa_sig=TgHjm2-pMuaN9r08onkARI-CRzC-ly2roh3XvdRov3_J7CephH6IplfU1uOtrgcu2bBq24Z7YwD2gGlvZMUf4A%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa4)[[4]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqehV_HEi4rAGsHqPcGbWEoR1KRrLbKe74sIDmdEsfcDeDfUEo6wkKKV&gaa_sig=XT6ckq0elgZnlB4fpNwWnQmBm4TPlXSCYhX03LdCfsGmlXYCjlxApzpMJuLQ61K8XIIQsBr08W5amppqGslGNg%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa9)

Key points

Elite U.S. aviators and special forces train for isolation behind enemy lines, as with an F-15 crew member recently rescued in Iran.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)
SERE stands for survival, evasion, resistance and escape; the goal is to return with honor, per an Air Force recruitment video.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)
Training at Fairchild Air Force Base teaches practical skills: eating bugs for sustenance, treating wounds in the field, using flares and radios to evade enemies.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)[[5]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqeO8CgDdg9gPdttcd3QBETJzAXQRuGX8lGOPAOWEP8EaUmbEz220sJ4&gaa_sig=z8HYU5ijMFdgbT4tKPyVC8gf-Ju9Gqqgp5GB4Z4ZCMqrd1NoeMW6G6kTGYYfe3ChJ0LI8TM9xDjLVGlEPUz7Fg%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa4)
Aircrews undergo this before their first mission to handle crashes or ejections in hostile areas.[[3]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfUA2WphSNsy0PTnYH5R5t89h0bPViym8u0ZiDLoG0BzcWYKYyXB2QM&gaa_sig=TnZ_OKGTbYLVj1jG-RL8Yg0sOaNcwOa8HdPb3xaR3eCFbNvooT5vOJ_RjpiEPrWTgvGLaXjf_pXcG3HyvQJDUA%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa9)
Photo shows airmen training at Fairchild, credited to Staff Sgt. Tiffany Del Oso/U.S. Air Force.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)

Details and context

SERE training prepares high-risk personnel like pilots and special operators for real-world scenarios, such as the recent Iran incident where an F-15 was downed and crews used evasion tactics before rescue. Classroom sessions lead to field exercises in forests north of Fairchild, simulating capture and escape over several days.[[6]](https://www.fairchild.af.mil/Information/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/238992/us-air-force-survival-school)[[7]](https://www.businessinsider.com/the-survival-training-that-kicks-in-after-pilot-is-down-2026-3)

The program dates back decades but remains vital in peer conflicts; about 14,500 students train yearly across Air Force sites. It covers all environments, from wilderness survival to resisting interrogation, ensuring personnel can signal rescuers while avoiding detection.[[6]](https://www.fairchild.af.mil/Information/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/238992/us-air-force-survival-school)

Related WSJ coverage notes rescue teams and combat ejections are rare but highlight SERE's role in recoveries.[[8]](https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-news-2026/card/how-rescuers-respond-when-a-u-s-airman-goes-down-behind-enemy-lines-DLsKMC53oNOVW8KShK4K?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqds6KQIaf7wopVy0DlX1taCal4mLyVEswowkL_vISea3Kgo-wRIIPzJ&gaa_sig=pLzWxvCNxSZk_C__DM9SQ9GA__wRTbj0QA1UgDFYMKQIDenLXwmyTytxvQwGA4aIPtmIGS0u6LKmFmsJMtUsnw%3D%3D&gaa_ts=69d2daa4)

Key quotes

“The survivor’s mission is to return, with honor.” – Air Force recruitment video.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/world/how-elite-american-forces-are-trained-to-survive-behind-enemy-lines-1c12c841?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_3)

Why it matters

SERE training sustains U.S. airpower by enabling crews to survive losses in contested areas like Iran, preserving combat edge. For service members, it means better odds of rescue; for the military, fewer POWs or tech captures. Watch for more details on Iran operations, though outcomes depend on conflict escalation.