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Service members participate in SERE training

Capt. Mike Adams, center, and other aircrew from the 106th Air Refueling Squadron participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Jonathan Russell)

Capt. Mike Adams, center, and other aircrew from the 106th Air Refueling Squadron participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Jonathan Russell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

Alabama Air National Guard members from the 117th Air Refueling Wing arrive in a remote area to participate in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) exercise. The purpose of the training is for pilots, boom operators and crew chiefs to know what to do if their aircraft goes down behind enemy lines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. David Maxwell)

SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. -- Approximately 30 aircrew from the 106th Air Refueling Squadron and crew chiefs from the 117th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron participated in survival, evasion, resistance and escape refresher training here on Saturday.

During the training, the service members practiced techniques they would use if their aircraft was shot down behind enemy lines. The training included land navigation, evasion techniques and procedures for being rescued by a helicopter.

"The hardest part of the training is always navigating across rough terrain, and doing that in a way that is not going to reveal your location to the bad guys," said Capt. Mike Adams.

Adams, a KC-135R pilot, went through initial SERE training nine years ago in Washington state. The aircrew retrain every two years to practice with the equipment and to learn how to use new equipment.

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the Alabama Army National Guard was called in by the aircrew and crew chiefs to perform the rescue and complete their training.