BEHIND ENEMY LINES: SERE SURVIVAL

“The world keeps showing us how swiftly comfort can give way to crisis.”

Reports of violent criminals slipping through lax borders and settling into everyday neighborhoods are no longer distant headlines. Attacks on young women on once-safe streets and the spread of gangs—like the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua—staking out apartment complexes remind us that threat can evolve faster than we’d prefer. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Yet the truth is that there are ways to prepare, mentally and physically, for scenarios that once seemed exclusive to war zones or distant trouble spots.

The principles of SERE—Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape—no longer belong solely to those in specialized fields. They can enrich the lives of anyone determined not to give predators the upper hand.

In this post, you’ll find techniques that have forged their way into experts repertoire that  brings insight to strengthen your judgment long before a crisis tests it. Their hard earned perspectives blend seamlessly with other approaches sprinkled throughout this article. You’ll encounter strategies that address challenges (hiding behind school doors, guidance on looking after your own body if trained help isn’t coming), and ways to keep your personal security toolkit versatile: ranging from entry methods that challenge old assumptions of “locked” spaces, to awareness exercises that sharpen focus and reduce complacency.

We believe that preparation is a combination of both mindset and action. By gaining familiarity with the right skills, exploring environments that challenge your everyday assumptions, and understanding the tools that best fit your circumstances, you build something durable and long lasting within yourself.

There are many reasons why people have had to run through the wilderness and evade much larger forces in a desperate pursuit of their freedom or life. Ranging from world wars, ideological or ethnic genocide, or widespread chaos and a failure of civility. Regardless of the reason, when it’s required, the skill becomes much like a parachute to a man falling from the sky, extremely helpful!

Initiating the first phase of evasion should occur as soon as it becomes clear that avoiding a dangerous situation is necessary. Again, it could be an undercover operative getting discovered and needing to break contact. Or a downed helicopter pilot, Or perhaps it’s a small family trying to get to their bug-out location safely during a natural disaster. Whatever the circumstances, the first phase is immediate actions, and it’s the “oh sh*t” moment when you realize you have to run!

Phase 1: Immediate Actions

If you still have communication capabilities, calling for help should be a top priority. If aid from emergency services is unavailable, you can notifying a trusted contact, perhaps by sending a text or email to let them know you’re enacting your plan and will be on the move. Tools like a Garmin InReach or other satellite communication devices are excellent options for staying off the grid while sending out a call for assistance.

If you’re carrying sensitive information, it’s critical to eliminate anything you won’t be taking with you. This means destroying anything that could give away your plans or location. For military personnel, this is referred to as “dash-one” procedures — making classified equipment and data completely unusable. For civilians, it’s about ensuring there’s no trace of where you’re headed or how you plan to get there. Even something seemingly harmless, like a map folded to highlight a specific area or smudged with oil from your hands, could tip off a pursuer. Notes written in shorthand or unencrypted coordinates can be gold mines for anyone tracking you.

These small details are exactly what enemy intelligence teams look for. Don’t give them that advantage. If you have to keep certain sensitive items, always have a plan to destroy them if capture becomes imminent.

 At this stage, it’s crucial to gather all necessary and available resources. Consider everything you might need to accomplish quickly and efficiently. Focus on items that aid your travel, minimize your visibility, and won’t weigh you down. Whether it’s grabbing your go-bag or backing up your Jeep Wrangler, this is often the first time you put all those “just in case” items that come to mind. Now is the time to put all that planning into action.

 

Phase 2: Initial Movement

This phase is all about “getting off the X,” which means moving as quickly as possible to escape immediate danger and avoid being a stationary target. In general, rapid movement toward unexpected routes is best to ensure you’re not where the threat expects you to be. The only exception to this rule is if you can immediately create a false trail to mislead less-skilled trackers, buying yourself more time and distance.

Which direction should you go? That depends... Do you know where you are? Having a general sense of your location is critical for making accurate decisions, which underscores the importance of studying terrain and maps beforehand, especially in unfamiliar areas. You need to know both your intended destination and where you might encounter dangers along the way.

For civilians, this falls under the category of worst-case scenario planning. Ideally, before engaging in high-risk activities, you’ve already thought about your MDCOA (most dangerous course of action) and MLCOA (most likely course of action). In simpler terms, this means preparing for the worst possible situation while also anticipating the most probable challenges you’ll face. Planning ahead is the foundation of successful evasion.

• Speed is your best security. How fast can you move? If you don’t have electronic devices that can be tracked, any pursuit will begin at your last known location. Your priority is to create as much distance as possible from that starting point as quickly as you can.
• Focus on time, distance, and terrain. Your goal is to delay and mislead your pursuers at every opportunity. Use tactics like creating false leads, setting misleading trails, and carefully masking your direction of travel. Small, quick actions can make a big difference: sweep away tracks, restore disturbed foliage to its original position, and stick to hard surfaces to avoid leaving prints in loose or wet soil. Every second you gain and every sign you erase increases your chances of staying ahead.
• Distance is critical. You need to put as much space as possible between yourself and your pursuers, ideally in a direction they won’t anticipate. Successful evasion hinges on being unpredictable to the enemy while remaining predictable to recovery forces or allies.
• Outpacing your pursuers is essential. If it means upgrading to a bicycle, commandeering a boat, or finding another unconventional mode of transportation, so be it. Creativity in your travel methods and routes is key to maximizing separation from your last known location and staying one step ahead.
• Terrain is your ally. Think harsh, rugged, unforgiving terrain that slows your enemy down and disrupts their pursuit. Use the landscape to your advantage with terrain masking to stay out of sight and seek dense overhead cover to evade aerial threats like drones, FLIR, or thermal imaging. Remember, the hardest paths for you to navigate will be just as challenging for your pursuers. If you’re evading tracking dogs, focus on outsmarting the handlers. After all, the dogs can only move as fast as their human counterparts. Instead of striving for an impossible goal of leaving no scent or trail, focus on strategies to outmaneuver and outlast the team chasing you. Use their limitations to your advantage.

 

Phase 3: Hide Site 

No one can keep running indefinitely, so when you’ve reached your limit, it’s time to find a concealed spot to rest, regroup, and address your security needs. Use this pause to strategize and take care of any injuries that weren’t immediately life-threatening but still need attention before they worsen through blood loss or infection. If your med kit isn’t up to the task, it’s time to get resourceful. Channel your inner MacGyver and improvise to maintain your health. Look at what you have on hand. Could it serve as a splint, sling, or pressure bandage? Creativity and quick thinking here can make the difference between staying in the fight and being forced out of it.

 

Communication is absolutely critical in a situation like this. Make every effort to reach out to your recovery team or anyone providing assistance to share your condition and location, as well as to receive updated intelligence. If there’s a closer quick reaction force available or if enemy positions have shifted, you’ll be grateful you took the time to establish contact. Flexibility is key, and your plans will need to adapt to changing circumstances.

 

Maintaining effective communication can be tricky when you’re in hiding, since the best concealment spots often have poor signal. Strive to find a location that balances concealment with connectivity, ensuring your device—whether it’s HF radio, SAT comms, or even a covert ground-to-air signal—can function effectively.

 

Staying in touch with recovery forces or allies is crucial to getting out safely.

 

Ration your food and water carefully to maintain your energy. While rest is essential, security takes priority. If you’re with a small group, establish a rotating watch schedule to ensure someone is always on guard. If you’re alone, set up early warning systems to alert you to approaching threats.

 

Conceal yourself and your equipment to minimize your signature. Consider the adversary’s capabilities. Use visual, auditory, and thermal camouflage as needed. Continuously improve and maintain your concealment by reducing shine, noise, and any unnatural colors or shapes. If necessary, incorporate natural materials like foliage, ash, or mud to blend in with the environment. Effective camouflage is a skill that can always be refined.

 

When it’s time to move, leave no trace of your presence. If complete erasure isn’t practical, eliminate as much evidence as possible. Your safety—and that of those coming to help—may depend on how well you cover your tracks.

 

Phase 4: Evasion Movement

You’ve recovered. You’ve rested. You’ve concealed your presence. Now it’s time to move again. Whether the goal is a linkup site, a recovery zone, or simply a better position, evading enemy detection is now your top priority.

 

Know your enemy. Before moving, analyze how the adversary may attempt to detect you. Consider their aerial assets (drones, aircraft), ground patrols, electronic surveillance capabilities, and tracking techniques. Plan your route and movement techniques accordingly, avoiding open terrain and high-traffic areas where you’re likely to be spotted or ambushed.

 

Terrain is your best friend—or your worst enemy. Use it wisely. Move through areas that offer natural concealment such as forests, gullies, or rocky terrain. Avoid ridgelines or open ground where your silhouette could be easily seen. Time your movement for periods of reduced visibility, such as dusk, dawn, or inclement weather.

 

Speed is not always security. Rushing through terrain increases the chance of making noise, leaving a trail, or missing enemy signs. Move with purpose but stay deliberate. Use short movements from cover to cover and always have a rally point or fallback plan if compromised.

 

Leave no trace. Be aware of your footprint—both literally and digitally. Avoid creating clear paths, broken branches, or disturbed ground. Minimize noise and shine, keep electronics shielded or off when not in use, and mask odors that could be picked up by dogs or sensors. Discipline here could be the difference between evasion and capture.

 

Plan for contact. Even during evasion, there’s always a chance you’ll be detected or intercepted. Establish emergency break contact plans. If with others, rehearse hand signals and silent movement coordination. Know where to move if forced to scatter, and where to regroup once the danger passes.

 

Navigation is critical. Use terrain association and landmarks to stay oriented. GPS may not be reliable or secure, so be proficient with a map and compass. Stay aware of your direction, elevation, and potential hazards along your route.

 

Hydrate, refuel, and pace yourself. While your goal is to escape and survive, exhaustion leads to mistakes. Set short movement goals with built-in rest intervals. Stay ahead of dehydration and fatigue.

 

Constantly reassess. As you move, update your mental map. Are enemy patterns changing? Have you seen signs of pursuit? Are you close to potential threats or helpful resources? Use every piece of information to adapt and survive.

 

This is where preparation, training, and mindset come together. The more disciplined and informed your evasion movement, the greater your chance of making it to recovery.

…Stop, look, listen, and smell (SLLS)—make this a regular habit. These moments of heightened awareness can be the difference between detecting the enemy first or being discovered. Can you catch the scent of smoke, diesel, or cooking? In dense foliage (where you should ideally be), your senses of hearing and smell are often more reliable than sight. Stay sharp—your survival depends on it.

 

If you do get discovered, you’ll want to try to break contact, but remember you’re back to Phase 2 and now they have an updated last known. This is doubly bad because this also means they know which direction you’re traveling, if they didn’t before. So, stay hidden and fade into the background. Caution is the better part of valor here. Let your primal instincts for survival heighten your alertness, and you may be surprised at what you feel.

 

Trust your gut. If something feels off, it likely is. Pay attention to pre-event indicators, such as things that seem out of place for the time of day or location. Equally important are the subtle absences—situations where you expect something to be present, but it’s not. Maintaining strong situational awareness is a constant effort and one of your most valuable tools for staying ahead of potential threats.

 

When crossing linear danger areas, like roads, powerlines, or firebreaks, it’s essential to conceal your direction of travel. Avoid crossing in a straight line that aligns with your overall movement; this makes it easier for trackers to follow your trail. Always move from one point of concealment to another, and whenever possible, cross at a sharp bend or curve rather than along a long, straight section. Steer clear of open terrain and populated areas, as these increase the risk of being spotted or compromised. Instead, navigate around these obstacles, using natural cover to remain hidden and maintain your security. Prioritize stealth and unpredictability in every move.

 

 

Phase 5: Recovery

Your journey finally concludes when you’re either discovered or reunited with friendly forces. This could mean arriving at your bug-out location alongside trusted allies, reaching a forward operating base, or linking up with a local asset in a designated area for recovery. Whatever the destination, you may have been driving toward for hours—or even days—and it’s as welcome as an ice cream truck in the middle of the Sahara.

 

Remember, you may be linking up at a designated time and place, or you might need to flag down someone aligned with your cause. In either case, getting noticed could require prearranged signals or on-the-spot improvisation. If you have electronic communication with your recovery team, that’s ideal. If not, be ready to get creative. A bit of reflective material, a flare, or even a whistle can grab attention when needed. Contrasting fabric or an object you can wave in the air could also do the trick. If you’re equipped, tools like tracers or IR lasers can be effective as well. Whatever your method, have it prepared in advance to deploy quickly in case of an unexpected need.

 

Be careful though. Surprising your allies in enemy-controlled territory is a quick way to learn that friendly fire is anything but. Always ensure your actions are non-threatening—think of the classic hands-up gesture, like a French salute. More importantly, be ready to authenticate your identity to avoid any confusion. Even if a team of pararescuemen is fast-roping out of an HH-60 Blackhawk and kicking down your captor’s front door, they’ll need to confirm it’s actually you before loading your battered self into a stretcher and getting you out.

 

Help your rescuers by making authentication simple—they’re risking life and limb to bring you home. Once you’ve confirmed your identity and linked up with them, you’ll finally be in safe hands. From there, you can recover and start planning how to secure a decisive victory against the adversaries who had you on the run in the first place.

“Amat victoria curam” – preparation creates victory.