Escape, evasion no walk in the woods Published May 28, 2008 By Lt. Col. Rich Curry 507th Air Refueling Wing TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma -- 465th Air Refueling Squadron aircrew members tested their survival skills last month during an escape and evasion training course held at the Glenwood training area. This year's course was taught by members of the 465th ARS Life Support section with 137th Air Refueling Wing (Oklahoma Air National Guard) Life Support members observing. The objective of the survival training course is to provide aircrew members the confidence and training needed to demonstrate survival, evasion and rescue skills, using life support equipment in field conditions. The course was taught by Staff Sgt. Dustin Nottnagel who provided training for roughly 20 crew members. The class began with classroom briefings covering survival tactics and recovery procedures. After the briefing, the aircrew were transported to the rugged backwoods of the Glenwood area for hands-on training. "We begin the field training at a simulated crash site," said Master Sgt. Juan Escobar, Life Support Superintendent. "Previous courses included overviews on parachuting into the crash area. However our aircraft are no longer equipped with parachutes so we're focusing more on crash landings rather than bailing out. The crew goes through the actual process of moving to an initial hold-up location, where they conduct an inventory check of their survival equipment and apply camouflage to help avoid detection. Then they use orienteering skills with compass, maps and GPS gear to take their team to a prearranged pick up site." But it's no walk in the woods for aircrew as they not only avoid ticks and other vermin. They also have to avoid being spotted by the Life Support instructors. "If we think they're not focused and serious enough on avoidance, we could take them back to the starting point and have them try again," Escobar said. "This area may have been a housing development years ago in the 70s, but the underbrush is pretty extensive now. Most can complete the course in 45 minutes to 2 hours," instructors said. But instructors stressed that it's important to remember that avoiding capture is more important than covering a lot of ground quickly. Survival School instructors have stated that depending on the situation, it can take two days to cover 500 feet. "It's better to take those two days in the wild to get to your destination undetected, than to spend two years in captivity," Escobar said.