Secrets of SERE School, the Military's POW Training

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mike "Nasty" Manazir returns to the channel to detail his time at SERE School, the military's intense and secretive POW training.

And as an audiobook here:

[captmic]

I went through Warner Springs in the fall of ‘68….I KNEW I was going to Vietnam soon and we were taught that if captured we’d be tortured. Months later every time I rode the escalator from our ready room below the hanger deck to the flight deck I’d pray I’d be safe or killed and not captured as I didn’t know if I’d be tough enough to resist. I was finally shot down on 206th mission, but rescued….answered prayers.

[georgeturner]

One of my bosses related a story about his niece who was a B-1B pilot. In SERE she had dug her snow shelter and every few hours a sargeant would come by to check on everyone. He had her take her boots off, then started hollering for an evac on the radio. She started protesting and they got in a wrestling match, which she of course lost. He threw her on the chopper saying she was hypothermic and delusional. The hospital later noted that blue toenail polish was not a sign of frostbite.

[RandomeXits]

I attended SERE IN 1983. My son went to the same school 30 years later. Yeah. You never forget that experience.

[flyme]

An ex UDT friend of mine was a "bad" guy in the Maine SERE School. He was a big guy that you wouldn't want to mess with. He really played the part but in the end had great respect for all the airmen that went through the program. He left us too soon but I'll remember him for ever.

[JTLaser]

My beloved brother was a Force Recon Marine, who spent a year in Vietnam, three months at Oak Knoll, and another year in Nam. He taught my young ass Survival and Evade when I was young. He toughened me up. When I was a 22YO USAF E-5 I had cancer that left me with intractable chronic pain. I truly believe that I have survived 44 years with it because I was mentally prepared. And I just received a small percentage of what our soldiers are taught in SERE School.
Sorry, I just had to honor my brother Mike. Simper Fi Jarhead!

[michaelcarrier]

I went through Air Force SERE training 23 years ago at Fairchild AFB in Spokane. The last day was absolutely a tear jerker. What a sense of pride that was.

[carolecarr]

Admiral, Sir, as an ex Air Force Nurse during the Viet Nam era I've had the honor of taking care of our men. When you chocked up at the end of video you brought me to tears also. I believed our wonderful military men had better have Officers of the highest caliber leading them. You just proved my hypothesis correct. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and washed out eyes.

[karlswope]

As a former yellow shirt on the flight deck of CVN-65 my Division Officer had been a prisoner of war and he attributed his survival to SERE school. Thank you for providing a look into what you and all our aviators go through to serve our country. Too bad our politicians don't have to go through SEREs before they can serve our country...maybe things would be different.

[poncho]

As a civilian, the most profound realization of watching this is that you guys voluntarily put yourselves through that deep emotional and physical experience for me. Thank you all.

[artjorgie]

I am proud to have been a SERE instructor at Brunswick from 1965 to 1970. The 9505 NEC means a lot to me. One of the best duties in my 30 year career.

[jkobie]

My Cousin was a Naval RIO in F4 Phantoms who flew several deployments over Vietnam. He said SERE School was worse than flying combat missions over Vietnam. And you could tell by the way he talked about it how it affected him. RIP Gary.

[Steve]

Awesome video!!! I went through SERE at Warner Springs as an O-3 in Jan or Feb 1968 before being shipped to Vietnam as an advisor on a Vietnamese Navy gunboat. Two memories of that stand out. 1) After three days with no food the instructor lectured us on how to trap, dress, and eat small game. In front of us he killed and dressed a rabbit and told us that every part of the rabbit was edible including the eyes. I, being a bit of a wise guy, said "Would you eat one?" He said, "I will if you will." Whereupon he plucked both eyes out, put one in his mouth, and handed me the other. I will never forget the texture and taste - not recommended. 2) The commandant of the prison camp made a speech pointing out the weaknesses, hypocrisy, and corruption of the U.S. government and democracy in general and how much better the communist system was. He was an excellent and convincing speaker. It made us think. Remember this was 1968.

[grassblade]

My dad, a USAF Navigator on EC 121's and the F-89, went through SERE in the 60's. It's part of what made him the bad-ass he was. As kids, camping trips with our dad was always an adventure, and a lesson in survival. I think SERE had quite a bit to do with that.

[davidsmith]

Gives you a whole new respect for what actual POWs had to go through. Pretty hard not to respects those men and women who had to live through being one. Thanks for sharing the training stories!

[kennymcwilliams]

Admiral ~ thanks for being REAL and for showing the exact emotions that I felt 46 years ago - it's special and can only be understood by those who were there.

[paulliuzzo]

I went through SERE in 1980. I will never forget my "war criminal" number, 3. also did DWEST then. I was training to be aircrew on P3 Orion's. You are absolutely right, it's something you will never forget. Also proves to you that you can do a lot of things you never thought you could. It started out as an adventure, it got real Really fast. I remember that I "stole" a pencil from the soft interrogation room and then went to the "wrong" air raid bunker to turn over my prize to an officer, I was E-3 at the time. The waterboarding is kind of intense to be honest. In my class the enemy was the PDR, Peoples Democratic Republic. I will never forget the breakfast gruel complete with pieces of twigs and leaves in it on the last morning, nor will ever forget the feeling of comradery in those last few hours or the feeling of absolute pride when the National anthem started to play. And yes that playing of the anthem always comes to mind each time I hear it to this day. Thanks for bringing some great memories back.

[EricAndonian]

I tear up every time I participate or witness our beautiful flag being raised or lowered. Thanks Ward, thanks Nasty--this is a beautiful interview. SGT Andonian, US Army 1992-2001

[scottnj]

I attended Navy SERE at San Diego/Warner Springs in 1979 as a new Aircrewmen having completed Aircrew Candidate School at NAS Pensacola. My father USAF SERE at Fairchild AFB in 1968 prior to a tour in Vietnam. Those who have never been cold, wet, tired and hungry for several days. Then "handled" like a POW for a couple more, have no idea of what this school does and means to all that attend. One learns a great deal about him/herself, like few other expereinces in life, short of being an actual POW.

[mikebridges]

Mooch, thanks so much for this interview with Admiral Manazir. I never served, but instead spent 32 years as a software engineer at a defense contractor. Had great respect for all the service members I worked with, and have great respect today for all who serve. Today I'm humbled even more; truly, thank you for that.

And thanks to all who commented; I appreciate your service to our country.

[cew]

Very powerful interview. I was not in the military but when you started talking about the national anthem I started tearing up.