by David Rowland
The WHACK came across my face hitting me with an open palm finding its resting place on my right cheek bone between my eye and ear. As I reared in the unexpected blow I’m pretty sure I had finally come to understand what it meant when someone said they “saw stars” when they were hit. By the time that blow landed on my face I had been up for at least 36 hours straight in the cold rain while the temperatures hovered in the mid to upper 30s degrees Fahrenheit. I hadn’t slept during the night hours because my feet felt like needles were in them after suffering frost nip as a young lieutenant in Korea. So I just stayed up and pulled security for my small evasion team instead. Who would have thought that this grueling experience would ultimately help me become a better leader.
Glutton for Punishment
What the heck was I doing at the Army’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) School at the ripe old age of 42 (and a half)? Am I just a glutton for punishment? SERE school was normally for young Special Forces captains (or any potential Special Forces soldier), promising helicopter lieutenants, or determined warrant officers. Usually they are in their early to later 20s.
From Left to Right: Anthony Gore, Dave Rowland (author), and Tim Ferguson take a photo before starting SERE School
My SERE adventure starts like any person who gets in trouble…”so what happen was…” My friends Anthony Gore, Tim Ferguson and I were at Fort Benning, Georgia going through the Army’s Combat Advisor Training Course as new battalion commanders in 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB). We talked with our friend Brian Ducote, who stood up the 1stSFAB, and asked him what training or schools we should attend as SFAB battalion commanders. He told us SERE School. Sitting at his kitchen table our faces dropped and we responded “seriously?” We all knew SERE school involved a lot of physical pain and suffering.
Brian explained that we needed to understand the requirements of detailed potential evasion planning and gain credibility with some of our young SFAB NCOs. After Brian laid it out for the three of us we knew that if we wanted to become better leaders we had to attend the school.
A Lesson in Leadership: do something uncomfortable and hard
I was the first of 1st Battalion, 5th SFAB to attend SERÉ school. Brian’s wise advice was spot on and so, after I returned home, more sergeants and staff sergeants started attending as well. Attending SERE school was a lesson in leadership in multiple ways. First, Anthony, Tim and I set the example for the rest of our nascent organization to do something uncomfortable and hard. Second, all three of us were placed in leadership positions and had to lead our fellow “evaders” and “prisoners” under stressful conditions. Leading in those situations challenged those of us who had attended the Army’s Ranger School. Finally, we learned to lead our fellow students. These young officers and mostly warrant officers needed basic Army leadership in enforcing discipline and standards. Many were inexperienced and everyone wants to be led. Tim, Anthony and I were able to provide that leadership and mentorship.
Actually a lot of fun! I recommend it
Unfortunately I can’t divulge the details of the day-to-day schedule of SERE School because it would ruin it for those who will attend in the future. I can tell you it was challenging, exhausting, insightful, and actually a lot of fun. I recommend SERE School to experienced NCOs and officers who have a few years of service in the Army who would likely appreciate the lessons learned there.
If someone as old as I was could literally survive Survival School, so can you. It’s well worth the humbling experience and you will certainly develop skills that will help you become a better leader and a more resilient one as well. And in the end, you learn to take a hit – be it with an open hand, the instructors know how to make it hurt – and understand how you personally can handle stressful situations!