Talon64 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 What is sere training like? Is it stupid difficult? What are some tips to prepare for that phase?And dunker as well? I'm not exactly excited about this day. Water and I don't get along.what are the pass requirements and automatic fails on this DOT. Quote
I3uller Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Doubt you'll get many answers on SERE besides that it sucks. It's a confidential course. Dunker I have heard is pretty simple, I'm actually really looking forward to it. Sounds fun. Quote
WaterRooster Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 SERE.... Best course I never want to do again. Dunker... Give into the fact that you are going to fill up your sinuses with water. Once you get past that, its really simple and actually fun Quote
Joe_P148 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 No one will tell you about sere on the internet, you can google that information. To prepare? Mentally tell yourself that you need to pass it in order to be a pilot. You can google shallow water egress trainer or dunker. There are videos on youtube that cover this. If you don't pass the initial swim test you will be removed from the training and given remedial swim training until you can pass the course. Dunker is fun, easy and VERY IMPORTANT! Quote
SemperGumby Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 SERE. Not that hard, experience may vary.DUNKER. You're in a mock cockpit, they sink it in a pool, you unbuckle, get out, swim to the side of the pool. Do some water treading, breathing out of bottles. 2 Quote
darkstarx87 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 https://m.facebook.com/usarmydunker?id=275322585914870&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fusarmydunker Has a some videos from previous classes ... I enjoyed myself but not everyone did Quote
Rob1237051 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Don't research SERE. It will ruin the training for you. I'm one of those people who hated dunker. If you can pass the swim test and don't give up on anything they won't fail you. Trust me...If anyone should have been failed it's me. Quote
Chitty777 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Dunker training sucked for me but that's because I have a fear of drowning. It's not as bad as everyone lets on to. They will build you up and train you well for the egress. Just remember not to let go of your reference point. you'll be fine. Quote
Ardo09203 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I've done the civilian version of dunker called HUET (Helicopter Underwater Egress Training) and it wasn't that bad at all. My sinus did fill with water, and I did end up with a slight earache, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Quote
nightmare515 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Like others said SERE is a pretty hush mouth course. You won't find much info on it because its classified. Now Dunker....here's a little advice. When I got to Rucker I didn't know how to swim....AT ALL. Me dipping my feet in the water is about the closest you would ever get me to getting in a pool. Even when walking by a pool and seeing the deep end I would start to hyperventilate and freak out and honestly almost lose control of my bladder functions. I was simply terrified of the water my entire life. Now put a blindfold on me, strap me into a cockpit, roll it upside down, and dunk me in a 12 foot pool. Just try to imagine how you think I felt. I woke up that morning and told myself..."Well I said I would be a pilot one day or I would die trying, so if I drown to death today then I guess I am a man of my word". I would literally rather go through SERE 10x rather than ever feeling the way I felt that morning again. I passed it on the first try. I tell everybody the same thing about dunker. This is one of those things that I can literally say "If I did it then I know YOU can". I honestly doubt you will find anybody at Rucker who was more terrified than I was. Trust me, you will be fine. Quote
Talon64 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 Haha right on nightmare! I might be feeling your fear. Perhaps not as bad. Thabks for sharing. I checked out some of the videos on the fb page. You get oxygen through the entire process??? Maybe it won't be as bad as I thought. For SERE, I know it can be pretty tough physically. And I'm not exactly old, 28, but I def don't feel I'm my prime anymore. Quote
nightmare515 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Haha right on nightmare! I might be feeling your fear. Perhaps not as bad. Thabks for sharing. I checked out some of the videos on the fb page. You get oxygen through the entire process??? Maybe it won't be as bad as I thought. For SERE, I know it can be pretty tough physically. And I'm not exactly old, 28, but I def don't feel I'm my prime anymore. You get oxygen through half of the iterations. The first few you are holding your breath. I think the mini oxygen bottle is supposed to give you like 5 minutes of air or something but if you are ghostly terrified like I was you will inhale the hell out of that thing and end up using all of your oxygen in about 15 seconds then have to hold your breath anyway lol. You'll be fine in SERE physically. If you can pass an Army PT test with the minimum scores you have more than enough physical ability to complete SERE. Quote
brackac Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I hope some of you never have to fly over water for extended periods. 1 Quote
nightmare515 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I hope some of you never have to fly over water for extended periods.I hope that I never have to fly over water for extended periods too lol Quote
nskojo Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 My dunker class seemed if you were a competant swimmer you did worse in the dunk tank (especially me), nothing that would fail anybody though. Quote
Talon64 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 I hope some of you never have to fly over water for extended periods.Why do you say that Quote
smalltownguy Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I know SERE is supposed to suck, but I'm really looking forward to it. Everyone tells me I'm nuts because I really want to do it. Dunker seems fun as well, I have a hard time believing competent swimmers would be worse at it but I'll just have to see. Flying over water for long periods of time isn't something to look forward to, the ocean is a big place that you can easily vanish in... I'm assuming something along these lines is why brackac said what he said. Quote
nskojo Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I know SERE is supposed to suck, but I'm really looking forward to it. Everyone tells me I'm nuts because I really want to do it. Dunker seems fun as well, I have a hard time believing competent swimmers would be worse at it but I'll just have to see. Flying over water for long periods of time isn't something to look forward to, the ocean is a big place that you can easily vanish in... I'm assuming something along these lines is why brackac said what he said. Competant swimmers know they can swim, being forced underwater and having to wait to try and do cross cabin or w/e is a mind screw. Flying overwater for extended periods of time @ night with no visual references other then hopefully two visable quandrants can be taxing, it looks like glass depending on the swell conditions. Add in the fact 5 feet looks the same as 200 and you can see the issue. 1 Quote
smalltownguy Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Even being close to a large body of water can really trip you out, giving you a false horizon. Let's just say, flying while well rested is even more important anytime there is a large body of water around. Quote
skyreaper Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 ^ (work computer won't let me quote ppl, idk) All of which is why you rely on your instruments! This is the same thing as flying in IMC. Water shouldn't make a difference on your safety of flight or SA. Quote
I3uller Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Precisely why it blows my mind that Lindbergh was able to accurately get across the Atlantic in the prehistoric age of aviation. Quote
skyreaper Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 ^Truly the dawn of the golden age of aviation. Quote
I3uller Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Until I actually saw the airplane in person I didn't realize that there was no windscreen at all, just instruments on a wooden panel. Because seeing where you're going is for bitches. Quote
skyreaper Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 ^Haha, it certainly is when you need/want to make a flight. i.e. a circa 1927 $25,000 world record. Just don't fly within 20NM of a thunderstorm, meet the approach mins and your good. Quote
SBuzzkill Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I'm one of the few that enjoyed SERE and would do it again if given the chance. Both courses are very ARMY in that if you pay attention and put forth effort to learn you will do fine. 2 Quote
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