Morning I'm Captain Arthur
and during this period of instruction we're going to be discussing some of the
principles that are involved in survival evasion resistance and escape
and I know we all hope that we will never be found in these types of situations
but more so what we're going to do is look at the code of conduct the code of
conduct is something that is a by order of the president
that was published in one thousand nine hundred fifty five after the Korean
conflict came to an end
and you might ask yourself why after almost two hundred years of having a military
service. Do all of a sudden we need something in writing
that shows what an American serviceman is responsibilities are.
Well a couple things came out during the Korean conflict.
That showed
that the American soldier for the most part was unfamiliar with his responsibilities
in a wartime situation through the things that came about war.
We had approximately one million six hundred thousand men committed to the Korean
conflict
and that's a lot of people seventy two hundred of those became prisoners of war one
out of every two hundred twenty.
Came out that after the Korean conflict was over
and these were men returned the United States
that five hundred sixty five investigations were started into the actions of some
of these men that they had committed something wrong against their comrades
or against the United States.
Only fourteen of these five hundred sixty five actually went to court martial
and of those eleven were convicted so it's a small percentage is an eleven out of
five hundred sixty five.
But you add on to
that twenty one people who decided to stay with the North Koreans
and not be repatriated because they had been.
Thoroughly brainwashed in this is a communist term this brainwashing the
psychological indoctrination that had taken place was so successful
that we had twenty one people decide not to be repatriated.
So we had thirty two people who according to the standards of what is expected of
an American serviceman did not measure up.
You couple that also the fact that in the Korean conflict we had the first time
when there were no successful P.O.W. Escape attempts.
There were a few before people were incarcerated.
But the Hogans Heroes concept if you and I'm sure you've all seen
that of a prisoner of war camp is at an end.
It's not the World War two type situation anymore.
In North Korea the psychological indoctrination
that took place was very effective for a number of reasons.
And unfortunately we don't have time today to go into that.
And thirdly something happened in North Korea
that had not happened to American P.O.W.
Before and that was
that there was a large number of persons forty percent as a matter of fact who did
not make it back alive to the United States almost forty percent of our P.O.W.'s
died in the P.O.W.
Camps and it wasn't because of malnutrition even though we realize that in P.O.W.
Camp the food is not all that great.
It was not because of injuries or illnesses even though that played a small part.
For the most part.
The men did not make it back because they had simply lost the will to survive.
They gave up because situations they gave up hope in themselves in their comrades
and in their country they refused to eat.
They refused to leave their bunk and they eventually died of starvation.
They had forgotten the three basic things
that they have been taught throughout their military career.
Bold extra Arnel and internal self discipline following the leadership
that was appointed over them and also taking the leadership.
And lastly organizing themselves into a unit so they could help one another.
These three things were not followed
and consequently forty percent of the people who went in the P.O.W.
Camps did not come out. Mainly because of their loss of will to survive.
So this bothered President Eisenhower.
At that time enough that he said we need a written code of conduct.
So that the American soldier sailor airman whatever can look at this
and know what is expected of him.
And so this morning that is what the main thrust of our discussion will be.
Now the code of conduct is only two hundred forty seven words.
So it says a lot in just six short articles in your handout So you have the
six articles are written out there
and space for notes we're going to discuss just briefly the articles
and some of the.
Evasion techniques that you can use please don't think
that in the few minutes we've got
that we're going to make an expert out of you in evasion techniques
and things like that because there are schools that involve many weeks of training.
The do this type of thing. Our interest is more in the code of conduct excel.
And you notice on their one of the objectives number four has to do with exceptions
to the code of conduct that we in the Army Medical Department have
that makes our responsibilities just a little bit different in a given situation.
Articles one and six are general articles that applied during both peacetime
and wartime so we'll look at those just briefly article number one states
that I am an American fighting man I served in the forces which guard my country.
And our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
How does this strike you as a physician or a dentist.
I don't know if we have any veterinary officers in hearing on.
How does this strike you. This article. I'm an American fighting man.
You consider yourself an American fighting man.
OK Yes Or why is
that a very good.
This is a team effort. Is it not.
We're part of a team and if we try to remove ourselves from the responsibility
that the total armed forces has of being a fighting team.
You know this is not good. Is it so we are part of this team.
Jever Notice I asked this question a lot to classes how many of you
when you raise your hands for the first time ever seriously give thought to the
fact that you might be called upon to give your life in defense of your country.
And usually get about ten percent.
You know usually this is the type of thing you know it is a job to do
and we come in and we do our job for X. Number of years.
However long we have
but many times we don't even consider this until we get put in a situation where
might become a reality.
And this is something to think about and then Article six is more
or less a reiteration of the first article.
I will never forget that I am an American fighting man responsible for my actions.
And dedicated to the principles which made my country free.
Both the first and last articles.
And then I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.
There are many things as you read books by both North Vietnamese.
P.O.W.'s and Korean P.O.W.'s bring up the fact that there.
Are some things that really keep a person going in a P.O.W. Situation.
And if any of you have read commander Booker's book and also what I'm ready now.
By A. Lieutenant Colonel who was a Vietnamese P.O.W.
For seven and a half years the strong religious faith
that they have had during their lifetime is something that really kept them going.
During that period.
Any questions or comments on articles one and six before we move on.
It's Are there any atheists in foxholes
and from my understanding you know people will do a lot of things were in there in
an endangered life situation but it's been found
and psychological studies were done returning P.O.W.'s from Korea that found
that those people
that made it through with the least psychological damage were those not who had
supposedly had a foxhole religious type experience
but those who had internalized with them then these religious
concepts and beliefs for many many years and their religious faith kept them going.
But the situation.
Well I think that would have to be a personal type thing.
Myself I have had a lot of religious background and training.
So I would handle that in a certain way
and might be different from somebody else but.
As far as personal experience goes and the readings
that I have done by people who have been placed in the situation
and who have testified to the fact that it is something
that they have had belief from a.
Any years and this was the thing that kept them going.
Their belief in their god that really made the difference there.
Without that hope that it could have been entirely different situation
but life. People would handle it differently probably.
The other questions or comments. As we move along to Article two.
Now we're going to be looking at articles two three four and five
and each one has an exception that applies to Army Medical Department personnel.
It is going to be very important article two states
that I will never surrender of my own free will.
If I command I will never surrender my men will they still have the means to resist
Now of course this means to resist is always a subjective type of thing isn't it.
And so that person who has responsibility for Command will have to make that.
But put yourself in a situation you are in charge.
Of a field medical facility and that tactical commander says.
I have to pull out because of the situation.
And you've got a net non transportable patients
and your facility they can't be moved. What are you going to have to do with them.
You just take off and leave them there.
They're done horrible obviously they're OK
but there's a good.
So what are you going to do then if you have nontransferable patients who cannot
take care of themselves. OK Very good.
Anytime that tactical commander says we have to move from this area
and you've got patients or that can be moved.
You're going to have to leave some qualified men.
Make a person there to take care of them or many number of people you have.
So you are in effect if you are a medic you are in effect surrendering
yourself
and in a different article here we'll get into the fact of why you can do this.
And not really be considered a P.O.W.. And the course that medical commander there.
You've got a clearing company or a battalion aid station or something
that doctor has a responsibility of leaving somebody behind.
And it's the old volunteer get volunteer type thing.
Yes
or leave a qualified person in might be a ninety one Bravo who is just out of school
here in might be a ninety one. Charlie.
But whoever can take care of him has to be left behind.
So that is the exception there.
You have to leave a qualified medical person with any non transportable patients.
And he questions on that point.
And as I mentioned we will get to one in just a minute where we can do this
and be considered P.O.W.'s you know we have of course.
Let's leave ourselves some alternatives right.
You know if you don't want to surrender. What do you do. OK.
Just consider we do not have any patients.
We have moved our patients and we don't want to surrender.
We still have the means to resist
and you're in charge of a medical facility here in the field.
What are you going to do. One of the things we can do is defend in place.
Now granted for the most part we do not have
that many organic weapons do we forty five caliber pistols an M.
Sixteen rifles to effect a defense in place where normally if the tactical
commander is smart he will locate your facility in some kind of a location where at
least he can either defend it easily or get replacements to you.
If he is not and you cannot stay there and.
Effectively defend your treatment facility.
The next thing you would have to do is to effect a break out here we get into off
ants of operations only.
These are things that get totally away from the A MAD concept of things
and get into office of operations and that is.
Mustering your forces to move from that location to someplace
that is not in enemy contact.
And once you do this you will lose certain protections under the Geneva Conventions
and one hundred forty nine that will discuss in just a minute.
Number three is something that we in the a med don't think too much about and
that is deeper penetration to conduct real activities.
Now it's always a temptation to think you know
that we could do something like this
but unless somebody is especially trained in Ranger tactics something like this.
This is just best left well enough alone so we'll pass over
that without too much comment. This is not something that we're trained for.
Fourthly to separate and infiltrate.
And we do this for a couple of reasons a larger force is obviously easier to be
detected right. So break down into smaller groups of three to five individuals
that really minimizes your chances of being detected
but at the same time gives you a large enough grouped group to be able to defend
yourself if you have Silly have to.
And we do have an evasion type course here that we use with other classes
and possibly some of you have been through something like this.
I'm not sure they are a very good teaching tool.
And last I think obviously is any combination of the above actions can be used if
you have to not necessarily. In those particular orders.
And the combination of those.
Family questions on those five points here.
OK if we are if we find ourselves in an evasion situation I say the beginning.
Obviously we don't have the time.
Or anything here to make experts do all things involving.
Survival Evasion and escape.
It's not possible that there are some very obvious points
that we will look at the principles of the they ssion obvious points
that we'll look at that.
Will show us if we were in a situation like this how to survive. Number one.
Is. Travel in night.
Or you can expand that to say travel during times of limited visibility. Obviously.
Unless the enemy has a quick meant
that aids their night vision like we do with the Starlight scopes and various aids.
Your chances of being detected by traveling in night.
Will be much greater.
Secondly a selection of concealment now.
The infantry soldier the combat arms are trained in this they go through extensive
training in camouflage techniques and concealment things like this.
And what it boils down to for right now is that.
We don't obviously travel across open fields during broad daylight type thing.
Chant usually wherever you are there will be enough concealment.
That if used wisely your detection chances will be lessened a great deal of
selection of concealment. Avoid urban areas.
Void urban areas there are. Full of reasons for this.
Can anybody tell me what one reason might be why we would avoid urban areas.
A good populace might be right and chances are if you are behind enemy lines.
The populace would be very unfriendly when they could point. Anything else.
And therefore fallen right on that if they were run friendly.
And you were walking around your chances of detection would probably be quite a big
greater right now even though we.
For the most part here are Anglo Saxon if we were in Southeast Asia we just
wouldn't fit in. Would we. You might look like a populace in Europe for example.
We might fit in as far as looks so the people but.
Language fluency would come in mannerisms would come in things like this
that could really hamper our escape efforts we just wouldn't fit in.
Regardless of how much we looked like or thought we acted like the population.
There is another reason and perhaps some of you have seen something like this
or similar to it. Does anybody know what this is.
It's partly right it's exactly right. It's part of an escape kit.
It's called a blood chit blood chit C. H. I T..
And this is issued to personnel who are more likely to come in than any contact
and what this does is got the American flag at the top as you can see
and it explains that you are an American fighting man in need of help
and it offers a reward to anyone in the indigenous population there who will help
you all they have to do is turn it in to the authorities
and they will get a reward as comes with the goal.
Bullion for trading it was issued in Vietnam and.
With barter things like watches gold bullion etc. And this is from Southeast Asia.
It's got about twenty languages on there. Indigenous to that area.
And it is a serial number item so it is a constable.
And you would give this then to anyone who would help you know why do we say avoid
urban areas well chances are if anybody is going to help you.
It would be in the rural areas where they cannot be detected either.
Because the people who are going to help you are going to be few and far between.
Aren't they there might be some kind of underground movement that will
but more likely find these people in the rural areas where they will not be
detected as well. So those are the the two
or three reasons are for avoiding urban areas. Next.
And we'll look at these two simultaneously conserve food and conserve strength.
Now obviously again if you're traveling innovation situation.
If you're going to go against some of the other principles like travel at night
and selecting concealment.
If you had to go long distances over open areas you would not choose to do that.
Even though it was the shortest means of getting back to friendly territory.
So you would probably spend several days in this type of situation
and if you did you would have to conserve your food because you might not have
that much to go along with you don't need everything at once you don't drink
everything at once. Because you get into three days we had several.
Many soldiers in Korea in Vietnam who did just
that they consumed all of their food at one time.
And then three days later they were so malnutrition then had not conserve their
strength because of it that they were captured they cannot go any farther.
Conserve food and conserve strength.
And lastly and possibly one of the most important.
Has to do with not stealing any critical items.
Don't steal any critical items. For example. That's a good point.
What do we mean by a critical item vehicle a good point. Vehicles.
Announces your presence and what you bring up is very important because.
In an evasion situation. What is one thing you don't want to give the enemy.
Let them know you're there.
Obviously you want to stay as far away from people as you possibly can.
And so you start stealing things like vehicles. Communication equipment.
You know we're in the military we have to sign for a lot of stuff don't we.
And you can believe if you're going to steal something from.
You know some private or equivalent. And he's responsible for.
You know he's going to start raising a fuss about it so vehicles
communications equipment about weapons.
I suppose you find yourself in a situation where you don't have any weapons
and you have the you have a chance to get one. What you do about that.
I see a shaking head up here going this way posing you you
say no. Why would you not want to seal them with that help you with Thank you.
Limited amount of this isn't already but that the door is approach to your back
and you know maybe you know probably
some reaction because you're going to bring all sorts of fired rooms.
OK you made a comment as to the shooting in there
that you're the first thing you get a gun and what was your motivation to do.
They use it and so even in the Ranger School
and Foreman in Georgia
and in the Air Force SERE survival evasion resistance
and escape classes
that the Air Force has a navy has a prime thing as unless it is absolutely
necessary. Try not to steal a weapon because you will be motivated to use it
and give your position away get closer to people because you feel you can defend
yourself. And it might sound kind of funny at first
but what can mangle Scott mention up here is very important.
That he gives your position away you will use it
and you want to stay as far away from people as possible.
Any further questions or comments on on the six principles of evasion here.