An Cosantóir

survival instructors course | 13 pocket.) From the start of the second week the tempo of the course picked up, with the commencement of practical exercises in addition to ongoing lectures and demonstrations of techniques, such as building a shelter and starting a fire. In a reciprocal arrangement with the Irish recce unit for the upcoming EU battle-group, the students, under supervision of the DS, instructed the recce personnel in basic SERE and conducted a 24-hour exercise for them. The recce troops learned about 'the rule of threes' in relation to approximate survival durations: three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food. They also learned how to filter water, make a fire, build a shelter, and how to skin and prepare a rabbit, something that some of the onlook- ers would not be in a hurry to put into practice judging by the grey faces. In return, recce personnel provided search teams to the MTSS staff for a 48-hour exercise, which tested the instructor course in escape, evasion and conduct-after-capture procedures and skills. "Probably the biggest difference between some- thing like a wilderness survival course and a military survival course," Flt Sgt Curley explained, "is that a ci- vilian can light a big signal fire and wait to be rescued but military courses are taught from the point of view of probably operating behind enemy lines. Therefore we concentrate on teaching DARs (designated ar- eas of rescue). Also, from the military point of view, conduct after capture is an important aspect. All you are required to give is what is laid out in the Geneva Convention: number, rank, name and date of birth." Back in Connemara we watched the teams of three come in, exhausted, drawn and in some cases like zombies. "This is a really tough exercise," Flt Sgt Curley said. "These guys have been on the ground in this weather for four days now, with no rain gear, no tents or sleeping bags. We dropped them off wear- ing combats and boots, with a water bottle, a knife, and their survival tin for company. Our DSs kept an eye on them and monitored their actions. They received a small amount of uncooked food that they had to cook for themselves using the skills they had been taught. They were given a number of DARs that they had to navigate to and lie up in for designated periods of time." Unknown to the teams as they straggled in, there was another 10km hike ahead of them before the ex- ercise ended. "These are a good bunch," Flt Sgt Curley said. "They've got through so far and they'll all finish out alright. This is a very demanding, challenging course, both physically and mentally, but we expect a lot from our students: if they can't hack it physically and mentally, then how can they instruct others on how to do it?" www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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