Military Survival and Evasion

The first 24 hours of a survival and evasion scenario are the most critical. Discover 40 tips to stay alive on movement techniques, stealth navigation, principles of patrolling, hide sites, security, danger areas, and more.

Get off the X – while it may make sense to run as fast and as far as you can, you need to pick up a pace that is sustainable and leaves as minimal of sign as possible. A quick stop to orient yourself and determine a route to get to an initial hide site.

With every stop, you need to work through SLLS – Stop, Look, Listen, and Smell.

Security is a constant, and you need to get out of range of small arms fire, and be aware of the capabilities of anyone who may be pursuing you.

And you MUST assume that you are being tracked at all times.

Limit any use of a danger area, whether they are open or linear. when crossing open ones, skirt the perimeter using terrain and vegetation to conceal your movement – when crossing linear; clear the near and far side and smartly move away in case of an observation post.  

When you’re considering cover and concealment, consider how you can use terrain, vegetation, and weather to your advantage – and don’t forget to look up. The use of unmanned aerial systems is becoming more and more economical for use. While you should maximize the use of traveling at night, you should also take the time prior to any mission to look at your equipment through as many spectrums of light as possible – with an emphasis on infrared

You’re planning a route, and you know where you want to go. The lazy approach would be to move in a straight line – but what you want to do is move in an indirect manner. 

Your initial hide site is ideally uphill, because it’s more difficult to look up than down. It should have multiple avenues of egress and provide you security so you can inspect yourself and your gear and consume water. Minimize all unnecessary movement, and this isn’t the time or place to eat.

If you’re comfortable at your hide site, you’re probably wrong.

Your hide and hold up sites should blend in, be irregular in shape, small in size and in a secluded location. Use minimal effort to camouflage it, but make sure you look at it from all directions to determine what the probability of detection is. 

When it’s time to eat, move away from where you’re hide site is so as to minimize your scent. Consider the calories you need to intake as well as water, and have a plan to resupply. Slow down your mind, take a break and consider your next course of action. 

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