Special Forces: Lessons for Everyone

I thought this was a great video to watch about our military special forces. At one point, they are reviewing the SERE program and one of the instructors talks about how history has informed them on the appropriate methods to evade capture. He says that one of the biggest mistakes that the Vietnam era downed pilots would make was to pass over sources of water because they didn't think they needed it right that moment. A day or so later, they were low on water, dehydrated and would make the mistake of circling back to the source of water they passed over previously. This mistake often led to their capture.

At another point in the program, history was also reviewed with these participants to re-enforce the common sense that their worst day during evasion and escape was better than their best day as a POW or hostage.

Finally, a piece of the program focused on Special Forces Medal of Honor recipients. Most of the recipients said that they didn't deserve a medal for doing what they were trained to do or that there were many who deserved such a medal, but their were no witnesses. Thomas Norris said that they were just common everyday people that were put in a place and time where they could use their training successfully. The last recipient interviewed, Mike Thornton, said that he wears the medal in honor of the 1, 850,000 men and women who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. He said that Medal of Honor recipients were not owners of the medal, but custodians for all those who have served, are serving and will serve in the future.

Watch this great video about Special Forces: