- 2 hours ago
Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) Specialists are the military’s survival experts trained to endure the harshest conditions on Earth and teach others to do the same. They prepare airmen, pilots, and special operators to survive alone behind enemy lines, resist captivity, and return home safely. Senior Airman Aeryk Dennison unpacks every piece of gear he carries into the wilderness when training military members for long-term survival and evasion in hostile environments.
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00I'm Airman First Class Deniston and this is everything that a SEER specialist would take during a field training exercise.
00:07SEER stands for survival, evasion, resistance, and escape.
00:11My job is to be a survival instructor and teach military members how to survive in any condition anywhere in the world.
00:17Every instructor has a different way of doing things.
00:19I personally have a chest rig for a lot of my easy access equipment.
00:23On the front, I have a quick grab med kit.
00:26Pull that straight out. It has medical equipment inside of that.
00:29I also have a tourniquet directly on the front just in case I need one of those.
00:33Hopefully, never need one.
00:35Inside here, I have things like sharpening utensils for my knives.
00:39Speaking of knives, I have a small pocket knife.
00:43It's a small folding knife that I can utilize this small blade for multiple purposes,
00:48whether it's animals, firewood, taking care of equipment, cutting up line, and I always have that with me.
00:53I also always carry a fixed blade knife right here.
00:56I have it on my back. Other people like to carry it other ways.
01:00This is also good for any large-scale work.
01:02This allows me to help to fire craft.
01:05When I'm cutting down trees, I can break the trees down to smaller pieces and actually get some usable firewood out of that.
01:10I also have a GPS located inside here just in case I need one.
01:14I have a compass, which is going to be my main form of using direction and navigation,
01:19and then a headlamp for when it gets dark and scary.
01:22I also have a mirror, signal mirror, so I can make sure I'm looking good, but also if I need to signal anything, I have that,
01:28and a ferro rod or a ferrocylium rod to be able to strike for fires with the striker on the side.
01:34I also have a drop pouch that I can attach to the bottom.
01:37This is usually filled with my fire items, such as matches and strikers.
01:41I have natural options for tinder, as well as man-made options inside these small canisters here,
01:47like cotton swabs filled with WD-40, so I can use those to also take care of the equipment I have,
01:53keep things oiled and clean, but also use it to start fire, so all of that would be in here.
01:57And then one of the other things I have is a radio pouch.
02:00We have to be in good communication with everyone around us, making sure that the training is going well,
02:05in case there's any issues or anything that needs to be changed, we can communicate,
02:08so I always have that with a radio.
02:09But then moving on to my actual pack itself, I personally have a 75-liter pack right here.
02:14I do also have a 30-liter pack that I use for shorter trips or different times of the year where I don't need as much gear,
02:22but this one does pretty well.
02:23This one's great because it has a brain on the top for easy, quick access things.
02:30Inside my front pouch, I've got a hat because I'm not going to be wearing the beret out there,
02:34so I can protect my eyes and still wear a hat.
02:37And then I have my gloves so I don't hurt myself when I'm using any of my tools or moving trees around,
02:42moving branches, cutting through grass.
02:44To keep my pack protected as well, I have a pack cover.
02:48This is a waterproof protective layer, so if it does get raining, I can actually cover everything up
02:53and ensure that everything stays dry and doesn't get damaged.
02:56I've also got binoculars, just in case I want to look at something far away.
02:58They are small, easily packable, but they have good zoom to them.
03:02I have what's called a pack hanger.
03:04Made this myself.
03:06Still lasts pretty good, it's about two years old, but wrapped this around a tree or a heavy-duty branch
03:11and I can hook my pack up to it so I can keep all my stuff off the ground, out of the dirt, out of the mud,
03:16and actually keep it protected and easily accessible.
03:19This is made out of just standard paracord, 550 cord braided together.
03:25It's a standard braid for the majority of it and then it splits into, for the hooks at least,
03:30and it splits into basically a fish-style braid using the two braids on the side blended together
03:37into the main braid for strength.
03:39I also have multiple lines here, also 550 cord.
03:43I have 10-foot lines and I have 5-foot lines in case you need different lengths to tie things down.
03:49If you're making a shelter, you want it to be tight, you want it to have good pitch so that it can actually protect you from the elements.
03:54And so if I need to reach out far, I have longer lines, I can also connect them together
03:58and use those smaller lines to help tie other portions.
04:00A 550 can also be used to build.
04:02We have benches that we might build in an encampment.
04:05I also have a saw. You never know when you need a saw.
04:07This is just a quick, easy pack saw.
04:09You can use it to take down branches, cutting down small trees that you don't want to get an axe out for.
04:13It makes life a little bit easier than trying to just break through things.
04:16And then, just because I've got to stay connected and keep things charged,
04:19I do have a battery bank that is resistant to water as well as shock, heat, and cold, so I'll keep that with me as well.
04:26Opening up the front of my ruck, I have a small net that I can use.
04:30I can drape this over myself when I'm sleeping or walking around, help keep the bugs off of me.
04:34This one is camouflaged just so it doesn't stick out too much,
04:37but it is a great piece of equipment to have, especially during mosquito season and bee season.
04:43It just makes life a little bit more comfortable out there.
04:47I also have what we call a MUP or multi-use pad, also handmade by me.
04:53It is stitched together using some sort of nylon material with a PVC backing so it's fully waterproof.
04:59I can use this to place equipment on, use it when I'm maybe changing clothes out in the woods,
05:03stand on it so I can keep out of the dirt.
05:05Tons of uses.
05:06That's why it's called a multi-use pad.
05:08I also have gaiters.
05:09These are for my legs.
05:11Keep my legs dry, keep my boots dry.
05:13If I'm walking through tall grasses that are wet, it's raining out, I don't have to worry about getting wet.
05:17And along that line, I also have a Gore-Tex top right here and a Gore-Tex bottom right here.
05:27As you can see, I'm currently laying everything out on a poncho.
05:30I carry two of them.
05:31They're usually in this bottom section right here for quick access.
05:35I have this one here and the one on the base.
05:37These can be used for shelter pieces.
05:39I can place them on the ground to put my equipment on.
05:41I can also use them to just keep things dry and protected and implement weather.
05:45Just a few different uses.
05:47I'm not going to put it on myself because I have my Gore-Tex as well.
05:50On this side, you'll notice there is a handle sticking out.
05:52That is my axe.
05:53I do carry an axe with me to the woods.
05:56This is going to be used in case I have to take down any trees for some firewood or get some of those bigger branches.
06:02If there's any hazards in the way, I can also use this to really chop through them.
06:05Break up some bigger pieces of wood for fires as well.
06:08On the other side, I have my water bottle.
06:14This one is a Grail water bottle.
06:16I like this one out in the woods just because it has a built-in purification filter.
06:21So I don't have to worry about disinfecting it after filtering my water.
06:25Just pull this casing out, fill it up, and press to actually get water into the main canister and it's safe to drink right away.
06:31And then just because there are bears out here, we do have bear spray as well.
06:35It's a good idea to have, easy accessible.
06:37I can just reach over my shoulder, pull it out if I ever need it.
06:39Hopefully I don't.
06:40I carry a slingshot, but you never know when you might find a good tasty grouse or a rabbit.
06:44You can get one of those, get some additional food out there.
06:47How's it going to have a shot out of you with it?
06:49Depends.
06:50Sometimes I'm good, sometimes I'm not.
06:52Depends on what I have as my ammo, whether it's shot, rocks, or what ammo I'm trying to hit, how far away it is.
06:57I've had some pretty good success with a couple grouse.
07:00Grouse is pretty tasty as well, so if you haven't had it, you should try it.
07:04What's it like?
07:05It's all dark meat.
07:06It's an upland bird.
07:08I don't really know how to explain it.
07:10It's just, it's pretty good.
07:11Opening up the main pouch of my ruck, inside at the top, I have what we call an eight gore.
07:17This is a chunk of parachute.
07:19It's large.
07:20On parachutes there's these things called gores, and this is going to be eight of those gores, eight segments in one.
07:26This can be tied up high up to some trees to create some nice shade on hot days, as well as protect from the rain.
07:32If it is raining, I can have a large space that stays dry.
07:35So this is awesome.
07:36And when we're packing our rucks, we want the heaviest stuff towards the top and closest to our back just to make life a little easier when we're carrying it.
07:43So I have that up there just because it is one of the heavier items, even though it is just a parachute.
07:47And then I have another just single gore of a parachute here.
07:50This can be used to wrap up materials.
07:53If I don't have like a trash bag, I can use this to house some of my food for that bear cache.
07:58I can use it as an improvised tourniquet if I need to.
08:00Maybe I've already used one tourniquet.
08:02I have another one available in that sense.
08:04Is there a reason why it's like braided up?
08:06This is braided up.
08:07It's called a daisy chain just to help with storage.
08:11It doesn't get all wadded up into a ball.
08:13And I can just undo one of these lashes right here and actually just pull the whole thing apart just like so.
08:19I also have a dry sack filled with some extra clothes just in case I do get wet and just to stay clean out in the woods.
08:25I will usually care about three or so extra pairs of undergarments, shirts, anything like that.
08:31Socks so I can actually change out, keep myself healthy, keep myself clean.
08:34With being clean, I also have a hygiene kit.
08:36So inside here I have like some micro toothbrushes to keep my teeth clean, some foot powder to keep my feet dry.
08:44I have a pack towel so if I take a bath in the creek or something like that I can dry myself off.
08:51Deodorant so I don't get all stinky.
08:54Then nature calls when you're in the restroom, when you need to use the restroom.
08:58So I have some wipes I can use out in the woods just to keep myself clean.
09:02I also got to eat too.
09:03So I like to bring these rec packs.
09:05They're 700 calories.
09:07They got a lot of protein in them and you just add water.
09:09Those are good to go.
09:10A lot of people use mountain house meals or peak meal.
09:13Also whatever we can catch or collect while we're out in the woods as well.
09:16If I do need to cook something or if I need an additional heat source, I do have a jet boil.
09:20It's an easy pack stove.
09:23I can open this up, strike it up, get a heat source or actually cook with what I have here.
09:28I got a sleep too.
09:30So I have a sleep mat that I can just inflate up, throw that on the ground on top of maybe one of my ponchos.
09:36And then my actual sleep system to go with that.
09:39I have just a standard 32 degree sleeping bag for when it gets hotter or colder.
09:46I have a supplemental insert.
09:48So if it is colder and this won't do it, I can add this insert liner into that to help increase that warming capabilities.
09:55And when it's really hot, I can use just this to actually stay a little cooler at night.
10:00I like to be comfortable as well.
10:01So I have a pack pillow.
10:02It just inflates up, throw that in, sleeps a little more comfortably at night and actually have something to kind of lay my head on instead of just the ground.
10:09And then as my main shelter piece, I do also have a large tarp and I'll string this up above me, give it some good tightness, some good pitch and make basically a mini house that I can sleep in, change, go over anything I need to go over for the next day.
10:22As far as teaching wise and be like I'm at home out in the woods.
10:27Depending on the weather, I don't always want to sleep mat.
10:29So sometimes I will bring a hammock out and that's what this guy is, just an easy small pack, packable hammock.
10:36And just to stay a little bit warmer, I have an under quilt to go with that.
10:40So if I don't want to sleep on the ground or maybe I can't find a good spot or I don't expect to be in areas with good flat spaces for sleeping,
10:46I can throw a hammock up, still stay pretty comfortable, be elevated off the ground away from any bugs or if it is raining right,
10:52that also gets me out of that wet ground as well.
10:55And then very lastly, I do have just a large braided rope.
11:00This can be used for if I need to tie something that needs a lot of tensile strength.
11:04I've used it to create my own makeshift hammock.
11:06So I've used my regular 550 to tie two poles that I cut down to a tree.
11:11And then I strung those together, crosshatching it with this thicker guy to create some sort of springboard.
11:16And then I was able to lie on top of that with my sleeping bag and it was actually pretty comfortable overall.
11:21And I actually took some of that parachute to create like another extra layer inside of it.
11:26I feel like being really fancy and I don't want to have a tarp as my shelter piece or I don't want to have a poncho on the ground.
11:31I do have a very ultra lightweight tent that if I take the poles out and place them inside my ruck,
11:37this actual tent itself can compress all the way down to here.
11:40And I can pack that with me as well, be even more comfortable while I'm out there.
11:44I also have maps because in order to know where I'm going, I need to know where I am.
11:48And so these maps help me figure out what kind of terrain I'm going to be going through,
11:52what to expect while I'm traveling and help me with my navigational abilities.
11:57And that is everything that I would take with me during a field training exercise.
12:07I always have where I realized that I can come up with the ski or the ski or the ski.
12:13I'm going to be ganzen city of even a mini.
12:15I'm ready to go.
12:18What's going on with my rhuck?
12:19Any idea that I can do with my finances or some of the ski?
12:22Every knee, every knee that I can solve the terrain or the ski or the ski or the ski or the ski or the ski or the ski.
12:26Any idea that I'm walking into the ski or the ski or the ski or ski or the ski or ski?
12:29I cannot play or tile.
12:30I keep playing or tile.
12:31I'm really playing.
12:32I'm not really playing in front of the ski.
12:33I'm commissioning just now.
12:34I've been playing the Stan.
Be the first to comment