Did you 'snuggle up' a little to close to your battle buddy on those cold winter nights?
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Doing research - after action rescue/survival reports
- Thread starter danpass
- Start date
Did you 'snuggle up' a little to close to your battle buddy on those cold winter nights?
danpass
Well-Known Member
I tried the SERE school again and got thru, asked for an instructor, and listened for about 30 mins. Great stuff.
An interesting comment he made (and the kind of stuff I'm looking to hear/find out) is that a strobe can sometimes get lost in a sea state with all the little glints of reflected light from wave action/whitecaps.
.
An interesting comment he made (and the kind of stuff I'm looking to hear/find out) is that a strobe can sometimes get lost in a sea state with all the little glints of reflected light from wave action/whitecaps.
Is there any way to get an appropriate version?
.
Hey sir if you find out anything interesting would you mind sharing it with us here?
I'm assuming that you're collecting this information for a different audience.
I'm assuming that you're collecting this information for a different audience.
Personally, I considered the strobe the most important signaling device in my survival kit, especially for a night SAR effort.
Was wondering if you were able to glean any worthwhile signaling/survival kit info from the narrative I sent you? I think the difficulty I had trying (unsuccessfully), to ignite the smoke device for the SAR Helo approach, would be of interest for your research. Did you receive the e-mail.
BzB
Once the two sticks he had to rub together got wet, it was all downhill from there...!!
danpass
Well-Known Member
Hi, yes sir, absolutely. But I'm just a never-served civilian and student pilot, fan of naval aviation. I'd likely just be repeating stuff lol.
I'm looking to fill a gap in the general aviation side with an on-person survival kit. Since space is a consideration I'd like to whittle it down to what can be counted on.
My initial gear list is based on a YouTube review of an USAF vest and a USN vest. And for the last month I've been going thru books and videos.
Hi, yes sir I did and thank you again. The strobe is on the list as well and will remain on the list. I just thought it an interesting comment.Personally, I considered the strobe the most important signaling device in my survival kit, especially for a night SAR effort.
Was wondering if you were able to glean any worthwhile signaling/survival kit info from the narrative I sent you? I think the difficulty I had trying (unsuccessfully), to ignite the smoke device for the SAR Helo approach, would be of interest for your research. Did you receive the e-mail.
BzB
Just to mention a comparison: we have the MS-2000 strobe; IR cover, blue flash and strobe. The GA side would only need the strobe so the Firefly3 is the specific strobe on the list.
So while a .mil gear list might mention a gyro jet flare pen and meteors I would just put in an Orion pocket rocket kit from Bass Pro. Therefore I still cover the lesson learned that led to putting a flare pen package in a survival kit.
Seriously…. I would if I could have. Froze my ass off!Did you 'snuggle up' a little to close to your battle buddy on those cold winter nights?
But for the exercise, they split my RO and I up. We had to proceed separately to the pick up point. I was met with a ‘partisan’ (instructor) to help me and grade me. (I don’t think... no, I know he was NOT into “snuggling." Besides he had a heavy coat on. Me, a flimsy flight suit, skivvies, and a T-shirt.)
Although it was a mild SoCal time of the year, it got really fricken cold at night but hot in the day. I was dressed in a summer flight suit. The only thing they supplied us that we didn't bring off the boat was a small canteen of water… water that partially froze that night!
I was so cold, I begged to start a fire. But simulated bad guys were after us, so I couldn't. Finally my partisan relented, allowing me to start a fire hidden in a deep crevice between two large boulders where it could not be seen.
So as I tried to sleep (but could not), I fried on one side facing the fire in the crevice and froze on the other. Rolling over just reversed the torture. But all that didn’t last long. The simulated gomers spotted the flame’s reflections in the trees and chased us running off into the night blindly into the chaparral.
I doubt it. That SAREX was long ago, and probably lost. Moreover the final report was classified, and I could not have a copy.
But the report was really eye-opening and helpful, and was passed around to most of the squadrons deploying into harm's way.
Although some mistakes were made and learned from, our Air Wing and our "downed" crew performed quite well. But we were well trained prior, with a long work-up period. Nevertheless, there were still many "lessons learned."
I am sure (at least would hope) more current, similar exercises have been conducted. Unfortunately these valuable reports are to often only seen by some in the chain and filed, but not adequately distributed to the operators who really need this info the most. I hope that has changed.
It should be noted that any metallic item in the survival kit, when operating in a salt water environment, is subject to corrosion. Severe corrosion of the ignition tab "pop top" of my smoke flare, was determined to be the culprit in it's failure. This probably wouldn't be very applicable to GA, which consists mainly of overland flight.
BzB
I was a "downed airman" for an air wing SAR-ex on Vieques while operating out of Rosey Roads long ago. Unlike Catmando, I was only out for a couple of hours during the day and wasn't chased by bad guys. The one thing that those airborne said they could really see was the signal mirror. I couldn't even see the planes initially. They just told me via the PRC-90 which way they were coming from and I started flashing that direction, and they spotted the flashes immediately. Obviously it needs to be daylight and sunny though.
danpass
Well-Known Member
Hi BzB. Yep I caught thatIt should be noted that any metallic item in the survival kit, when operating in a salt water environment, is subject to corrosion. Severe corrosion of the ignition tab "pop top" of my smoke flare, was determined to be the culprit in it's failure. This probably wouldn't be very applicable to GA, which consists mainly of overland flight.
BzB
I was just taking photos of what I sourced recently. In my search for mk124 combo flares I came to the conclusion I wouldn't be able to get some BUT in the process I found, based on net info and msds, an equivalent, slightly improved version. It has screw caps with an inner, flat solid rubber o-ring.
danpass
Well-Known Member
Was it a 2x3? 3x5? glass or acrylic?
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
We use signaling mirrors to teach the JFOs here at EWTGLANT. I've seen it from the air, and a 2x3 is fine. I'd go with acrylic (the ones we have for the studs are acrylic) to prevent breakage, and probably save some money. I've seen both from the air and can't tell the difference between the two. It's MUCH more noticeable than a strobe FWIW.
Better yet...no batteries to inevitably be dead.