Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET)

Non Ducor Duco

I am not led, I lead
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This summer HQ is sending a number of AFROTC AS300s to the Air Force Academy for Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET). As I understand it, this is something all Academy cadets go through so I figured someone on this board would be able to answer some questions I have about it. What will we be learning and what is the environment like? Is it a training environment or is it going to be like Field Training all over again? I have a slot so I'm just wondering what to expect.
 
This summer HQ is sending a number of AFROTC AS300s to the Air Force Academy for Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET). As I understand it, this is something all Academy cadets go through so I figured someone on this board would be able to answer some questions I have about it. What will we be learning and what is the environment like? Is it a training environment or is it going to be like Field Training all over again? I have a slot so I'm just wondering what to expect.

Can't speak from personal experience but I did locate the following info which might be helpful:
(from here: http://www.academyadmissions.com/the-experience/military/officer-development/)

Going through Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET) as a third-class cadet, you will find out what it takes to operate in austere environments supporting the Air Force mission. From contingency experienced officers and enlisted personnel, you will acquire expeditionary and battlefield Airman skills such as modular tent setup, contingency utilities, passive defense, force protection, security force individual and team movement, survival skills, how to evade the enemy and much more. We’ll explain concepts and you will receive personal experience as part of an Air Expeditionary Force deployment, employment and redeployment. Some of the most exciting experiences of the third-class summer involve flying, as you will read later in the aviation part of military education.

Google knows all!
 
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My C3C went through ESET last summer. Rained the whole time she was in the field. Wasn't fun.. I would describe it as surviving "hide and go seek on steroids" and how to cook a bunny rabbit. Seriously, you should learn survival skills I hope you never have to use.
 
I believe all USAFA cadets go through this between C4C and C3C summers. DS has it the first three week session, followed by 3 weeks leave and then 3 weeks glider soaring training. Other cadets will have jump or something else(Cyber?) instead of soaring. Have heard the same rabbit story as well from others...
 
This summer HQ is sending a number of AFROTC AS300s to the Air Force Academy for Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET). As I understand it, this is something all Academy cadets go through so I figured someone on this board would be able to answer some questions I have about it. What will we be learning and what is the environment like? Is it a training environment or is it going to be like Field Training all over again? I have a slot so I'm just wondering what to expect.
That's really cool, and I never heard anything about it! Hmmm I wonder if just some of the detachments got slots or something. I'm also studying abroad at the moment so maybe I'm just out of the loop...
 
This summer HQ is sending a number of AFROTC AS300s to the Air Force Academy for Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET). As I understand it, this is something all Academy cadets go through so I figured someone on this board would be able to answer some questions I have about it. What will we be learning and what is the environment like? Is it a training environment or is it going to be like Field Training all over again? I have a slot so I'm just wondering what to expect.
I went through it last year, and while it changes from year to year, the gist is the same... You learn a lot of small unit type tactical skills: land nav, mout, patrolling, ambushing, evasion, etc. There's a little bit of classroom time, but the majority of the program is out in Jack's. You get to qualify on M9s, go through the MOUT village, run around the woods with blanks, crawl around and hope no one sees you, etc. And the it ends with an evasion exercise that lasts a couple days. It's a very relaxed training environment, taught almost entirely by cadets. No yelling or anything like that. A lot of hurry up and wait and a lot of MREs.
 
That's really cool, and I never heard anything about it! Hmmm I wonder if just some of the detachments got slots or something. I'm also studying abroad at the moment so maybe I'm just out of the loop...
Each detachment gets 1 slot, if a Det doesn't use the slot it goes unused. Only 300s could apply. This only came down a month ago and the suspense was for March 30. I hope it's a good sign that ROTC cadets may get to do more summer training. I'd love to do the Jump school if they open that back up to us.

Afrotc16,

I feel like we might have met this summer. I was Max 5, Squadron 8, female.
 
I heard a rumor that during this training, they give you a little bunny rabbit and you have to hold it and then calm it down and then kill it and eat it. Is that true??
 
I heard a rumor that during this training, they give you a little bunny rabbit and you have to hold it and then calm it down and then kill it and eat it. Is that true??
Yes, you learn how to kill, dress, and cook rabbits and chickens.
 
Yes, you learn how to kill, dress, and cook rabbits and chickens.
Yah, there's a tradition that goes with that bunny story, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone. :p

When my husband went through, they had to kill the bunny, but he told me another group got a cow. So, you never know what's going to happen.
 
Yah, there's a tradition that goes with that bunny story, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone. :p

When my husband went through, they had to kill the bunny, but he told me another group got a cow. So, you never know what's going to happen.
I really wouldn't mind killing an animal, I've always wanted to go hunting, but the rumor I heard was that you had to strangle the rabbit (my apologies for being so morbid). That would be hard to do :(
 
I really wouldn't mind killing an animal, I've always wanted to go hunting, but the rumor I heard was that you had to strangle the rabbit (my apologies for being so morbid). That would be hard to do :(
I think my husband said he hit it on the head with a rock. Knocked it out quickly.
The chicken would be easier to wring. My grandmother grew up on a farm and that was just something you did if you wanted to eat. Don't look at it like a warm fuzzy animal -- its food. :) You'll be hungry enough by that time that it won't be so hard to do.
 
My son was cadre for CST or Combat Survival Training (what this training was called at the time). He was actually one of the guys who taught the part about dispatching the rabbit. The main thing that he said they taught was how to do it quickly and quietly. Remember in the situation that you are training for there are probably bad guys looking for you and you don't want a squealing bunny drawing attention to your location.

Stealth_81
 
Bullet was in charge of the bunny. He still smiles about that poor little thing :yikes:

Just glad we didn't have bunnies for pets when the kids were little otherwise I am not sure how long the bunny would have survived if I didn't have what Bullet wanted for dinner! ;)
 
Normally you hold it upside down and club it in the back of the head...but the SERE Specialist also taught us how to break it's neck with a karate chop.
I guess I'm getting old. No more SERE? No longer supposed to resist?
 
This sounds like good training. Does everyone get to do it or is it like soaring where some do it and others do something else?
 
People who's duties place them at risk for capture (aircrew, special operations, etc) go through the full SERE course at Fairchild. Not every cadet needs it. But everyone does get the privilege of going through ESET (graduation requirement), with the exception of the international cadets.
 
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