Updated April 2018

AIR FORCE DEP BATTLEFIELD AIRMEN PIPELINE

TRAINING REFERENCE

This resource was developed with assistance and input from current and former SERE
specialists, TACP members, Pararescuemen, Combat Controllers and Special Operations
Weathermen, as well as current candidates and support personnel from the pipelines
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page #
Battlefield Airman Prep 3

Training between Courses 4

SERE 7

TACP 12

PJ 16

SOWT 21

CCT 24

Hydration 28

Nutrition 32

Water Skills 38

Physical training 50

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BATTLEFIELD AIRMAN PREP
Currently this course is in the process of being
instituted, and as such is subject to change from
the time this reference is created. Purportedly, the
projected end state is intended for recruits to be
contracted for an open “battlefield airman slot”;
after completing Basic Military Training, students
will enter Battlefield Airman Prep Course on JBSA
main-side Lackland Air Force Base before
beginning their pipelines on JBSA Medina Annex.
This course is an 8-week long selection process
run by a mixture of T3i contractors and
operational battlefield airmen designed to
strengthen students’ fitness and prepare them for
the battlefield airman pipelines. At the end of the
course, based on performance reviews by the
instructors, the students will be given a list of
pipelines that they are qualified for. They will
decide which pipeline to enter. The course will
incorporate a variety of events from all pipelines,
and will include introductions to rucking and
water confidence training. Weightlifting and
3
running coaches will assist throughout the
training.
Although status in the battlefield airmen
pipelines is voluntary and can be revoked at any
time by a self-initiated elimination, the battlefield
prep course is intended to be informative and
preparative, and self-initiated eliminations are not
authorized. At present, only candidates who
graduate basic training on a date that aligns with
the beginning of a BA Prep course will be required
to complete it.

TRAINING BETWEEN COURSES

Pararescue and SERE instructors run programs
for students who get recycled due to
unsatisfactory performance or injuries during
their courses of initial entry (i.e. Pararescue Indoc
course and SERE Training Orientation Course).
TACP, CCT and SOWT students washed back from
their courses of initial entry, as well as those
waiting to being their secondary courses (TACP
prep graduates and CCT/SOWT selection
graduates) train at Battle Gym (note, this applies
4
to prior service and non-prior service students;
CCT/SOWT cross-trainees return to their units
between courses and STO candidates train at the
Special Tactics Training Squadrons under the RAS
[recruiting and selection office]). Battle Gym is a
program for maintaining and building fitness
before students return to course. Run by T3i
contractors, with one cadre member (battlefield
airman instructor) for logistics and liaison, Battle
Gym focuses on bodyweight exercises and
calisthenics circuits. The program is roughly 8
hours a day of cardio, cross-training, lifting and
recovery.
The remainder of the TACP pipeline is on
Medina Annex. After the completion of Indoc,
Pararescue candidates go to USAF Combat Dive
School in Panama City, Florida. Upon completion
of USAF Combat Dive School, students PCS to
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, and continue training
from there. After the completion of SERE Training
Orientation Course (STOC), SERE candidates PCS
to Fairchild AFB, Washington State to wait for one
of the two yearly apprenticeship courses to begin.
5
They train there under SERE Cadre in a
standalone program known as SERE Specialist
Training (SST).
CCT and SOWT candidates, upon graduation of
selection, travel to Keesler AFB, Mississippi to
begin their operator courses. For SOWT
candidates, this is a Permanent Change of Station
(PCS), and after completing weather school, they
stay in Mississippi, training with the instructors
and traveling to Washington State for SERE’s
S-V80-A Basic Survival Course and Georgia for
Army Airborne before going to SOWT
apprenticeship course in North Carolina. CCT
students are on Temporary Duty (TDY) to
Mississippi, and upon completion of air traffic
control school, they return to Medina Annex in
Texas. Instead of returning to the Battle Gym
program, they train under a single enlisted
instructor and a civilian strength coach. ATC
graduates have minimal interaction with T3i
instructors, only practicing water confidence
training under them, but T3i is currently

6
transitioning towards a more prominent role at
Medina.

SERE
SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape)
Specialists are experts on survival skills in all
environments and run courses to train any airmen
who are at risk of experiencing an isolating event
(aircrew, airborne linguists, pilots, battlefield
airmen, etc.) how to survive various scenarios and
resist divulging information to foreign forces. It is
important to note that this training pipeline is
intended to be recursive; students are training to
become instructors, or even SERE instructor
instructors. Though this pipeline’s fitness
requirements are not as stringent as some of the
others’, that does not mean it is easier. Harsh
environments, long periods of sleep deprivation,
nutritional and caloric deficits, and exhausting
detail-oriented tasks make up much of the
training.
The pipeline begins on Medina Annex, JBSA
Lackland with a 3-week orientation course. Unlike
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combat control’s selection course, at the end of the
three weeks, instructors finish their evaluation of
the students and give recommendations on which
candidates will continue; there are often students
who complete the course who do not receive
recommendations to continue.
Training involves physical events such as
cardio and calisthenics, with rucking being the
most difficult aspect. Additionally, skills such as
sharpening edged tools, basic sewing stitches, and
instructional/teaching abilities are evaluated;
many of the items that SERE candidates sew
during STOC will be used later on during their
pipeline at SERE Specialist Training (SST) on
Fairchild AFB, and even throughout their careers.
During STOC, students will be task-saturated with
assignments designed to demonstrate the
individuals’ ability to utilize successful
time-management techniques. It is common that
candidates may suffer forms of sleep-deprivation
during this phase.

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 The first two weeks are designed to develop
basic skills required for success in the SERE
pipeline. Skills include physical fitness training,
sharpening edged tools, stitching, and teaching
techniques. Candidates will be able to return to
their dormitories each night during the first two
weeks. The third week is a culmination field phase
designed to evaluate all skills taught in a practical
and operational environment. Students do not
return to their dormitories until completion (or
SIE) from the third week of STOC.
Upon receiving recommendation from
instructors to continue training, candidates PCS to
Fairchild AFB in Washington State. After PCSing,
students await the arrival of the remainder of
their team in Washington. Candidates will
in-process to the squadron and complete all
courses that occupational SERE Specialists teach,
including S-V80-A Basic Survival Course, S-V80-B
emergency parachute training, and S-V84-A
“helicopter dunker”. They will also maintain
physical fitness and hone skills learned during

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STOC while they wait for the remainder of their
team to arrive.
Ten STOC classes are conducted each year,
separated into two iterations of five teams. Teams
are labeled sequentially “Alpha” through “Echo”,
and applied a number that corresponds to their
chronological half of the fiscal year- either “1” or
“2” (i.e. the first team of the year is 1-A, the fifth
team is 1-E, and the tenth team is 2-E). Each
iteration of five teams (A-E) will become a team at
SST. SST is six months long; two classes are
conducted each year non-concurrently. Teams are
labeled with their fiscal year and iteration number
(i.e. 2017-01)
These 6 months are designed to give the
candidates survival, evasion, resistance, and
escape experience/exposure within all major
biomes. There are 11 phases of SST upon
completion of Indoctrination (a refresher of basic
skills before beginning the rigorous SST pipeline).
Phases include Medical (self-aid/buddy-care),
Core Survival Skills, Navigation Techniques,

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Desert, Coast/Tropics/Open Ocean (3 individual
phases that are completed within one
all-encompassing field training exercise.),
Personnel Recovery (detailing the Guardian Angel
Weapon System, and evasion/resistance/escape
techniques), Search and Evacuation, Instructional
Techniques, and Modern Army Combatives
Program.
Once this six-month course is completed,
students earn their sage green berets. Upon
graduation, students will be slotted for Army
Airborne before returning to Fairchild AFB; this
base will be every student’s first assignment as
they begin their initial coded commitment as
S-V80-A instructors.
Operationally, SERE Specialists typically
continue instructing survival, evasion, resistance,
and escape refresher courses at other squadrons.
There are also opportunities for SERE Specialists
to operate as liaisons to other branches and
countries by providing SERE refreshers, aiding in

11
personnel recovery, and conducting reintegration
for isolated persons.
For additional or more in-depth information on
blocks of instruction or follow-on courses, refer to
SERE Specialist (AFSC 1T0X1) CFETP- Career
Field Education and Training Plan; .pdf files can be
found online at www.e-Publishing.af.mil

TACP
TACP (Tactical Air Control Party) members
align with conventional army infantry units to
advise, assist and control the use of close air
support assets. The TACP role is two-fold:
ROMAD (Radio Operator, Maintainer And Driver)
and JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller).
ROMADs are apprentices under a fully-qualified
JTAC (a TACP qualified to call in air strikes) and
lug radios and other gear. Although the career
field is trying to move away from the ROMAD role
and have all of its members become
JTAC-qualified, not every TACP is skilled enough
to be a JTAC. Additionally, JTACQC (the JTAC

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qualification course) is not guaranteed for all
TACP.
The TACP pipeline begins with a five-day
preparatory course on JBSA-Lackland’s Medina
Annex. After completing a Physical Ability and
Stamina Test (PAST) the previous Friday, students
begin TACP Prep on a Monday. This course briefly
covers the role of a TACP and prepares and tests
the students’ physical and mental fortitude for the
three-month apprenticeship course to follow,
teaching them the OEX (order of exercises)- a
series of calisthenics they will be expected to
perform in unison each day, rucking, performance
nutrition, hydration, and recovery, basic
familiarization with equipment and tools, and
more.
Following graduation from TACP Prep, students
will be assigned to Battle Gym until a new TACP
apprenticeship course flight begins. The
apprenticeship course is three months long,
broken into three one-month blocks. There are
four flights- Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, and Raptor; each

13
flight has a different reputation, but all four teach
the same material. Usually, unless a student is
recycled for injury, performance, or academic
deficiency, they will remain with the same flight
through all 84 days of instruction.
During the apprenticeship course, TACP
students will do physical training in the morning
and then report to the schoolhouse for academic
training; TACP instructors run both halves of the
instruction. Academic training covers radio skills,
antenna theory, land navigation, combat water
survival, small unit tactics, tactical vehicle
operations, combatives, tactical rifle and handgun
qualification, CAS/MEDEVAC procedures, and
more. Each block of instruction including tests and
practical assessments. The three blocks
incorporate garrison time followed by field
iterations, where students will perform skills such
as land navigation. Although students’ individual
performance is evaluated, teamwork and team
performance are also under scrutiny. Especially
important during block 3, students’ ability to
perform tasks as a team correlates to ability to
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perform operationally with an army unit. After the
three-month apprenticeship course, students earn
their black berets and are assigned to their ASOS
(Air Support Operations Squadron).
The top two graduates of each class of TACP are
slotted for Army Airborne to become airborne
qualified; however,this does not necessarily mean
that those individuals will be sent to an airborne
unit. SERE’s S-V80-A course (required for all
TACP) and Army Airborne (if applicable) are
completed en route to the graduate’s unit. Since
TACP are aligned with army units, they often have
the opportunity to go to Army schools including
Ranger, Air Assault, and Pathfinder. Additionally,
after being in the career field for several years and
completing deployments, TACP can apply for SOF
(special operations forces) TACP Selection. This
course involves fitness and skills evaluations as
well as interviews. Once selected, SOF TACP
receive specialized upgrade training and are
assigned to various Special Tactics squadrons

15
(including the exclusively TACP 17th STS) and
perform a JTAC role for SOF teams.
For additional or more in-depth information on
blocks of instruction or follow-on courses, refer to
TACP (AFSC 1C4X1) CFETP- Career Field
Education and Training Plan; .pdf files can be
found online at www.e-Publishing.af.mil

PJ
“PJ”- Pararescuemen belong to the most
well-known of the Battlefield Airmen career fields.
They perform many duties, ranging from rescuing
stranded mountaineers to being the medics on
SOF teams.
The PJ pipeline begins at the Medina Annex with
a Physical Ability and Stamina Test (PAST).
Candidates who fail the PAST meet with the
commandant, and are rarely recommended for
recycle. After passing the PAST, students begin a
2-week development course. PJ DEV is not
designed to weed out students, but to introduce
them to the skills they will need to perform and
the expectations of the cadre for the upcoming
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nine-week Pararescue Indoctrination Course (PJ
Indoc).
Indoc satisfies a pre-scuba requirement (upon
graduating Indoc, students travel straight to
Panama City to begin Dive School), so every day
involves pool training. Additionally, rucking,
running and calisthenics are incorporated.
Attention to detail is critical in Indoc. In their free
time, students are usually replacing dirty
tape-labels on pool gear, practicing knot-tying,
hydrating and doing recovery work. Students
must always be in unison, meeting timelines, and
performing perfectly to avoid being punished.
Punishments range from a “drop” set of pushups
or flutter-kicks, to ten-ups (see water skills for
further explanation) or even carrying logs of
various sizes to and from the schoolhouse every
day. An average week’s activities are detailed
below:
Monday – Weekly physical fitness and water
confidence evaluations

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 Tuesday – functional fitness workouts, finning
workouts, water confidence training
Wednesday – lake day. Typically includes a long
distance run, finning in a lake to expose trainees to
realistic water environments, and water
confidence training
Thursday “Black Thursday” – include rucks,
“grass and guerillas” which includes functional
tactical movements under high stress situations,
and alternate water con. (alternates include water
confidence training exercises with a jock-up of
ABU’s and other bulky equipment) This is to test
the trainees’ ability to overcome mental/physical
obstacles while under high-intensity stress.
Friday – mock evaluation and preparation for
the upcoming Monday’s evaluation

During Indoc, instructors want to see students

that are physically and mentally strong, but they
are also looking at personality. Indoc and Dive are
arguably the most stressful and difficult courses in
the Pararescue pipeline, so instructors often view
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themselves as “gatekeepers” for the career field.
Having a good attitude, being coachable, and being
a good follower and leader are all traits the cadre
are looking for. They are training not only their
replacements, but their future coworkers; if they
feel a student would be very difficult to spend 6
months with on team in a deployed environment
or stateside, they may be more likely to look for
reasons to remove that student from training.
The Pararescue pipeline is long and arduous.
Deployments can be lengthy and stressful. Having
full support from family or spouses can relieve
some of that burden instead of add to it. As a
corollary, family members that don’t understand
the degree of commitment required or nagging
spouses can compound stress exponentially. Many
students remove themselves from the pipeline
due to familial pressures.
After graduating Indoc, students PCS to Kirtland
AFB, New Mexico, by way of Dive School in
Panama City, Florida. This course teaches open-
and closed-circuit SCUBA and Dräger unit training.

19
From Kirtland they travel to each subsequent
course, including SERE’s S-V80-A basic survival
and S-V84-A “helicopter dunker” underwater
egress training, Army Airborne, Military Freefall
(“HALO” school), EMT Basic and Paramedic
courses (as well as performing clinicals) before
attending “PJ U” Pararescue Apprenticeship
Course. PJ U is a 22 week, 3-day course designed
to prepare students to become operational
Pararescuemen. Upon completion, students earn
their maroon berets and are assigned to either
rescue squadrons or special tactics squadrons.
Student’s requests are taken into consideration
but no guaranteed. PJ’s assigned to special tactics
squadrons, “ST PJ’s”, must receive additional
training at the special tactics training squadron in
Hurlburt Field, Florida.
Operationally, there are benefits to both active
duty and guard/reserve. However, guard/reserve
units tend to be more flexible regarding injuries or
failed color vision/hearing tests. Regarding
deployments, Pararescuemen can experience a
whole spectrum, ranging from being assigned as
20
the sole PJ on a team, to working with a
homogenous Pararescue team where duties are
divided and mission planning is collaborative.
For additional or more in-depth information on
blocks of instruction or follow-on courses, refer to
Pararescue (AFSC 1T2XX) CFETP- Career Field
Education and Training Plan; .pdf files can be
found online at www.e-Publishing.af.mil

SOWT
Special Operations Weather Technicians belong
to one of the newest and smallest career fields in
the entire Air Force. Created in 2008, SOWT has
fewer than 100 members and fewer than 50
pipeline graduates (the remainder being Combat
Weathermen that were given upgrade training to
become special operators and grandfathered into
the newly-established career field). Special
Operations Weathermen perform weather
observations and give battlefield conditions prior
to missions as well as give recommendations
based on weather and terrain analysis for various
aspects of the mission even including mission
21
cancel criteria. Their mission set is expanding and
changing; currently they are forecast to take on
more reconnaissance missions.
The SOWT pipeline mirrors that of combat
control, with few differences; it begins on Medina
Annex, JBSA Lackland. After passing an initial
Physical Ability and Stamina Test (PAST), SOWT
candidates go through a two-week selection
course with their combat control counterparts.
Beyond the slower swim time of the entry PAST,
no physical requirements differ from combat
control for the remainder of the pipeline​. After
selection, SOWT students PCS to Keesler AFB,
Mississippi and begin weather training,
completing the same 8-month course as regular
weather student. In addition, they remain on
“team” with the combat control students for three
months, doing physical training in the mornings
before class and on “Down Fridays” (Keesler AFB
has a modified week schedule, where the length of
work days is extended, but every other Friday is
taken off. Battlefield students have extended
physical training on these alternating Fridays
22
before being released for the weekend) before
“graduating” from team and doing separate
physical training while completing their academic
blocks. They go TDY to Washington for S-V80-A
basic survival and S-V84-A helicopter dunker
training, and Ft. Benning, Georgia for Army
Airborne before travelling to Pope Field, North
Carolina for Combat Control School’s SOWAC
(Special Operations Weather Apprenticeship
Course) that is run concurrently with CCT’s
Combat Control School. Graduates of this 13-week
course earn their 3-skill level as SOWT’s and their
gray berets.
SOWAC graduates PCS to Hurlburt Field,
Florida to begin training at the Special Tactics
Training Squadron. They will not continue with
their graduating class- their combat control
counterparts will begin pre-scuba and dive
schools. Advanced skills training at the STTS lasts
approximately 1-1.5 years before students
graduate as 5-level Special Operations

23
Weathermen and are assigned to a Special Tactics
Squadron.
For additional or more in-depth information on
blocks of instruction or follow-on courses, refer to
SOWT (AFSC 1W0XX) CFETP- Career Field
Education and Training Plan; .pdf files can be
found online at www.e-Publishing.af.mil

CCT
Combat Controllers are special operators who
attach to the SOF teams of other branches to
perform three main mission sets: airfield survey,
airfield seizures and special operations JTAC (Joint
Terminal Attack Controller- calling in air and
artillery assets for a SOF team).
The Combat Control pipeline begins on Medina
Annex, JBSA Lackland. After completion of a
Monday-morning Physical Ability and Stamina
Test (PAST), students begin a two-week selection
course. At Combat Control Selection Course
students alternate between endurance events
involving rucking, running, calisthenics and
functional exercises (such as buddy carries/drags,
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bear crawls, low/high crawls, etc.), pool training
and classes about performance nutrition and
hydration and the roles and history of combat
control.
Graduates of this course will train at Battle Gym
until slotted for Combat Control Operator Course
(ATC) at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. Currently,
combat control students must graduate ATC
before going to Army Airborne and SERE’s
S-V80-A Basic Survival course, but there is a push
for these courses to become prerequisites for ATC.
ATC is a 90-day course; students do intense
physical training for two hours each morning
(with the exception of “Down Fridays” [Keesler
AFB has a modified week schedule, where the
length of work days is extended, but every other
Friday is taken off. Battlefield Students have
extended physical training on these alternating
Fridays before being released for the weekend])
and the remainder of the day is spent at the Air
Force’s Air Traffic Control School, where students
will be taught basic knowledge and skills expected
of air traffic controllers; they will take written
25
tests as well as practical assessments performed
on RADAR and Tower simulators.
ATC graduates return to Medina; having
completed an “AFSC-granting course” they receive
more privileges in their free time and train in a
specialized program designed to prepare them for
Combat Control School. They travel to Ft. Benning,
Georgia for the Army’s three-week basic static line
airborne school and to Fairchild AFB in
Washington State for SERE’s S-V80-A basic
survival school. Upon completion, they are ready
for Combat Control School (CCS)’s Combat Control
Apprentice Course.
CCS is a 13-week course at Pope Army Airfield,
North Carolina designed to prepare students to be
3-skill level combat controllers. Students begin the
course with Stress Inoculation Training- a 72+
hour long non-stop endurance event
incorporating team-building exercises, rucking,
running, calisthenics and more. Later weeks teach
basic radio skills, land navigation, demolitions,
tactical ATC, small unit tactics, shooting, and

26
infil/exfil platforms before a culminating field
exercise. Graduates of this course are awarded
their 3-level AFSC and earn the right to wear the
red beret.
Combat Control School is a PCS-en route;
students will not return to Medina Annex (with
the exception of prior service students) before
moving permanently to Hurlburt Field, Florida to
begin Advanced Skills Training at the Special
Tactics Training Squadron. This 1-1.5 year-long
training grants combat controllers their 5-level
AFSC. It involves pre-scuba at the STTS, dive
school in Panama City, Florida, Military Freefall
(MFF/ HALO) school in Yuma, Arizona, and then
additional upgrade training at the STTS before
graduation with a 5-level and assignment to an
STS. Depending on the deployment cycle state of
the receiving unit, combat controllers may be
immediately recommended for SOTACC (special
operations terminal attack controller course [JTAC
school]) in order to become JTAC-qualified.

27
 Incentive pay amounts: $150/month for
airborne qualification as long as quarterly renewal
is maintained; increases to $225/month after
HALO/MFF qualification. $150/month for
demolition qualification. $150/month for dive
qualification. $375/month for special duty pay;
increases to $450/month after one year.
For additional or more in-depth information on
blocks of instruction or follow-on courses, refer to
CCT (AFSC 1C2X1) CFETP- Career Field Education
and Training Plan; .pdf files can be found online at
www.e-Publishing.af.mil

HYDRATION FOR PERFORMANCE

Arguably the largest preventable obstacle
encountered by pipeline students is dehydration
and heat casualty due to improper hydration.
Hydrating and replenishing electrolytes prior to
and during events improves performance and
stamina, and ensures students can continue
training without interruption.

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Timing Fluid Needs Electrolyte Carbohydrate
Needs Needs
1-3 days Drink to Lightly salt ~10g/Kg/day
prior to prevent dry food and
endurance mouth consume
events sodium
containing
foods
throughout
the day
2+ hours 16-24oz fluid Consume a
before event meal that
incorporates
all macros
with a focus
on
carbohydrates
30 min before 5-10oz fluid 30g
event
DURING EVENT
<30min 5-10oz every
events 15 min
30-75min 5-10oz every Replenish
events 15 min intermittently;
Sports drinks
and hard
candies
recommended,
but most

29
 forms
tolerated
1-2 hour 5-10oz every 400-800mg Up to
events 15 min sodium/L 30g/hour
fluid/hour
2-3 hour 5-10oz every 400-800mg 30-60g/hour.
events 15 min sodium/L Focus on
fluid/hour simple sugars
(glucose,
fructose, etc.)
as they are
most rapidly
digested
3+ hour 5-10oz every 800mg 60-90g/hour.
events 15 min sodium/L Rapidly
fluid/hour digestible
carbs.

IMMEDIATELY POST EVENT

Within 60 During the ~400mg Consume
min. 2-4 hours sodium/L 1g/Kg.
post-activity fluid or salt Particularly
replace 24oz recovery important
fluid per foods to when recovery
pound body optimize period <8
weight lost retention of hours
during event fluids and to (prevalent
remain during
isotonic pipelines).

30
 Chocolate milk is recommended between
workouts or post-workout for recovery. In
addition to hydration, it has carbohydrates to
replenish energy expended during workout, fats,
and proteins to promote muscle recovery.
Additionally, it contains fewer artificial substances
than protein shakes and thusly is easier for the
body to digest and is less disruptive.
Fluid choices prior to and post workout are
personal preference, but drinking solely water
during longer endurance events will result in the
body being hypotonic even if proper volume of
fluid is consumed. Gatorade, Oral Rehydration Salt
packets (ORS, Cerasport, etc.) and Pedialyte are all
good options prior to, during, and post-event.
Caffeinate can improve performance in small
quantities during events, but can act as a diuretic
if used improperly. During the pipelines, workouts
are often undisclosed prior to their occurrences,
and gambling with pre-workout, energy drinks, or
other caffeinated supplements, especially during

31
summer months, can end poorly for the user.
Additionally, in large quantities, protein is a
diuretic and can strain the kidneys if insufficient
water is consumed. During most pipeline courses,
pre-workout and energy drinks are prohibited,
and only 100% whey/casein protein is permitted.

NUTRITION
Proper nutrition, in hand with proper training
and hydration is the key to success. During all-day
endurance events like Pararescue’s Extended
Training Day and Combat Control’s Stress
Inoculation Training students can burn in excess
of 5,000 calories each day. Having a proper
macronutrient breakdown in meals prior to
events and maintaining proper calorie intake
during extended events can ensure students meet
standards hours and even days into extended
training.

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Nutrient At Light to High- High-
Rest moderate intensity intensity
intensity endurance sprint- type
exercise exercise exercise

Protein 2-5% 2-5% 5-8% 2%

Carbohydrate 35% 40% 70% 95%

Fat 60% 55% 15% 3%

The preceding chart outlines how the three

main macronutrients are utilized during exercise
of different intensity levels (In addition to the
three macronutrients, maintaining proper intake
of water [see ‘Hydration’], vitamins and minerals
is also necessary. Consider a multivitamin or
eating more fruits and vegetables). Protein,
though important for muscular recovery
post-workout, is not a major component of the
body’s fuel during exercise. Fats become
decreasingly important as the length and intensity
of workouts increase- balance carbohydrates and
fats based on expectations regarding your
workouts.

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 RECOMMENDED MACRO BREAKDOWN

WEEKENDS/ RECOVERY DAYS

Timing Carbohydrates Proteins Fats

Everyday 3-8g/Kg daily 1.5-2g/Kg 0.7-1g/Kg

Preparation and daily daily
recovery

PRE EVENT

Day before 10g/Kg daily 1.5-2g/Kg ~20-30%

endurance events daily total daily
exceeding 90min. calories

34
 Sample Menus
5,000 calorie sample menus
Menu 1:
Breakfast
1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
1 cup granola
1 cup blueberries
1 banana
Snack
Protein bar (not low-carb)
2 boxes dried cranberries
Lunch
2 single serve hummus cups
vegetable sticks
4oz (1/2 cup) trail mix
16oz fruit smoothie with protein
Snack
3oz beef jerky
1 apple (sliced)
1 single serve peanut butter cup
Dinner
3oz chicken
2cups rice/quinoa
1 cup frozen broccoli w/cheese sauce
1 can pineapple in juice
Snack
High calorie shake
-2 bananas, frozen
-2tbsp peanut butter
-2cups low fat chocolate milk
5107 calories; 217g protein (17% of total), 705g carbohydrates (55% of total)

35
 Menu 2:
Breakfast
2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
16oz low fat milk
Snack
1cup low fat cottage cheese
1 20oz can pineapple in juice
Lunch
Bagel sandwich
-1 whole wheat bagel
-4 slices deli meat
-1 slice cheese
-2tbsp mayonnaise
-lettuce, etc. as desired
Single serve pretzel and hummus cup
Snack
1/2cup roasted almonds
3 boxes raisins
Dinner
Tacos
-4 flour tortillas
-1/2 cup chopped chicken
-1/2 cup black beans
-1/4 cup guacamole
-1/2 cup mango salsa
-lettuce, tomato, cheese as desired
Snack
High calorie shake
-1cup strawberries, frozen
-4tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread
-1cup low fat frozen yogurt
-1 cup low fat milk
5143 calories; 200g protein (16% of total), 546g carbohydrates (50% of total)

36
 Menu 3:
Breakfast
1cup oatmeal
2tbsp nut seed and dried fruit mix
1 banana
8oz orange juice
Snack
1/2cup granola
5.3oz low-fat Greek yogurt
String cheese
Lunch
2cups fresh fruit salad
Chicken Caesar Pita:
-2 whole wheat pita
-6oz chicken breast
-3oz spinach, 1 oz tomato, 1oz onion. If you want, I guess.
-2tbsp Caesar Dressing
1/2cup trail mix
2cups electrolyte beverage
Snack
2tbsp peanut butter
Whole wheat bagel
1tbsp honey
Dinner
Spaghetti
-6oz lean ground beef
-2cups whole wheat pasta
-3/4cup pasta sauce
-1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
-1 slice wheat bread
-1/4cup parmesan cheese
1cup low fat milk
Snack
Smoothie
-8oz chocolate milk
-2tbsp peanut butter
-8oz low fat Greek yogurt
-banana
5061 calories; 266g protein (21% of total), 700g carbohydrates (55% of total)

37
WATER SKILLS
Water skills are an integral portion of the
Pararescue, Combat Control, and SOWT pipelines.
Do not practice water confidence skills without a
lifeguard or partner, personnel trained in CPR, or
other safety precautions.
Pararescue Indoc course satisfies a pre-scuba
requirement, so the water intensity is extremely
high. Being prepared to fin (swim lead-arm/
trail-arm with rocket fins) over 6000m and very
confident with all water skills is key to success.
SOWT (after the initial PAST test) is held to the
same standards as Combat Control, and their
pipelines parallel; they are not required to go to
dive school, but the career field does have a 20%
qualification requirement. Additionally, the
pipelines train well over graduation standards, so
SOWT candidates can expect high-intensity water
confidence training.
The Combat Control pipeline is more of a
progression than Pararescue, but Combat
Controllers eventually go through pre-scuba and
38
combat dive schools. It is recommended that
students enter the pipeline able to complete
graduation requirements in order to minimize the
difficulty of an already high-tempo and difficult
pipeline.
TACP do minimal water skills- limited to 3
events. Ditch equipment- With uniform, boots,
Kevlar (helmet), rucksack, and plate carrier on,
they are expected to jump into the water, remove
all gear except clothing items, and surface safely.
Travel- Students will inflate two waterproof bags
and place them inside the rucksack; this will make
it relatively buoyant. They then swim 100m with
the rucksack. Tread- Students wearing all
equipment except rucksack will tread water ~1-2
minutes. However, if TACP wish to become special
operators (SOF TACP) later on in their career, they
may be expected to go through combat dive school
as well.
SERE is expected to be able to complete a 200m
swim; while there are no water confidence events
in the SERE training, being comfortable in the

39
water is helpful. SERE candidates are required to
go through helicopter dunker training, where a
mockup of a helicopter is plunged upside-down
into a pool and the candidate is expected to
escape.
BREAKDOWN OF WATER CON EVENTS
The uniform for water confidence training for
Pararescue, Combat Control, and SOWT is:
sand-colored T-shirt, SOFFE shorts, UDT khaki
shorts. Additionally, ABU/Multicam pants and top,
dive booties, combat boots and socks,
Underwaters-
Equipment: mask
swimming underwater using any stroke (most
use a keyhole stroke with a flutter kick or a frog
kick) on an interval. Most underwaters on an
interval are 25m, though a 50m underwater is a
pre-scuba graduation requirement. Practice
giant’s stride entry (left hand in waistband
[simulated weight belt], right hand on face
[covering mask and simulated regulator], stand on
gunwale of pool, step into water with left foot.
40
Without surfacing or pushing off of the wall, snap
legs together to stop descent and begin swimming
towards far side of pool), swimming about 6
inches above the bottom of the pool (touching the
surface with any portion of the body is a failure),
touch the bottom corner at the far side of the pool,
safely surface. To surface, NEVER push off the
bottom of the pool. Push off of the far wall at a 45°
angle, put right hand on simulated air on chest,
and left arm extended above the head, hand in a
fist. Once the surface is broken, swim freestyle
back across pool. The time from entry into pool to
end of freestyle swim (and any available rest) is
the interval. Subsequent underwaters will be done
standing on the “T” of the painted lane marker
without pushing off of the starting wall or jumping
forward. Begin training at a comfortable interval,
increase number, decrease rest, add variations.
~10 underwaters on 1:30 is recommended. For
variations, expect to be “sharked” (grabbed by
instructors and forward progress halted for
several seconds), do underwaters with dive
booties, flooded masks, masks around neck,
41
reverse underwaters (swim across, underwater
back), etc. Advanced skills include underwaters
with dive booties on, uniform with boots on, or
buoyancy compensator.
Bobbing (drown-proofing)-
Equipment: 2 2ft lengths of 1/2inch foot braided
rope. (mask- advanced)
Tie a square knot in one length of rope, with a
large loop. Tuck into waist band. Move to gunwale.
Tie a square knot in the other length of rope,
looping around ankles tightly. Remove rope from
waistband, put hands behind back, twist through
loop (hands should be secure, but able to be
removed easily if necessary). Hop into water
(10-12ft deep), face wall. Begin bobbing from
surface to floor of pool. Push aggressively at
bottom; once surface is breached, take a large
breath. Depending on personal buoyancy, most of
the air may need to be expended before
descending. Continue for 5min. On command of
“float”, ascend, still restrained, and float face
down. Increase surface area of back and keep

42
maximum volume of air in lungs to promote
floating. A slow rhythmic kick may be necessary
for denser students. On command of “travel”, face
the opposite end of the pool, and without kicking
off of the wall, begin moving towards the far end
(dolphin kicking is the recommended technique).
At the far end, turn around, without kicking off the
wall, and travel back. Continue for 100m (2 laps in
a 25m pool) Begin bobbing again. Within 5 bobs,
descend to the bottom of the pool and do a front
flip, then ascend. Continue bobbing; within 5 bobs
descend to the bottom of the pool, do a backflip.
Ascend, continue bobbing. As students become
more advanced and comfortable, stage mask on
bottom of the pool. After backflip, continue
bobbing. Descend, picking up mask in teeth
(recommended at junction between strap and
faceplate) and bob 5 times.
Mask and Snorkel Recovery/ Ditch and dons
Equipment: Mask, Snorkel
Twist snorkel through mask strap, place on the
floor of the pool ~15m away. Work up to 30m.

43
Stand on “T” of lane, go subsurface, without
pushing off the wall, swim underwater to the
mask and snorkel. Kneel on the bottom of the pool
(bottoms of feet may not touch floor), separate
snorkel from mask, place snorkel between knees.
Put mask on face, removing twists from straps,
centering on back of head above ears. Look
upwards towards the surface and clear mask
(breathe slowly through nose or hum) until all
water is out of mask. Reseal mask, place snorkel in
mouth with right hand. Extend left fist above head,
without pushing off of bottom of pool, begin
ascending towards surface, moving slower than
your slowest air bubble. Break surface, exhale
forcefully to clear snorkel (whip snorkel upright
on surfacing to minimize remaining water), keep
snorkel-mouth seal with hand on snorkel, signal
“OK” with left hand to Dive Supervisor, say
“Hoo-yah Dive Sup, I feel fine” through snorkel.
Advanced skills include the addition of fins,
booties and weight belt, and instead of the gear
being pre-staged, the student will go subsurface

44
and stage gear before recovering it on a second
breath.
Buddy Breathing
Equipment: Partner, 1 snorkel, 2 masks
Face partner and float face down, locking
gripping left forearms. One partner will hold the
straight part of snorkel to maintain control, the
other will reverse grip the “J” of the snorkel to
allow both students to breathe. The snorkel is the
only authorized air source. Alternate breathing on
the snorkel, clearing the snorkel before breathing
in. If either partner is not very buoyant, use the
left-hand grip to apply upward pressure when it is
their turn to breathe to “see-saw” them to the
surface. Instructor will harass the partners to
simulate squalls by capping the snorkel, splashing,
rolling the partners, dragging them to the bottom,
removing/flooding their masks, attempting to
break the forearm or snorkel grips, bending or
yanking on the snorkel, etc. Officially, no more
than 2 breaths will be intentionally prevented

45
(Capping, bending, gator rolling, etc.) before a
breath apiece is given to the pair.
Treading
Equipment: weight belt (14 lbs.), scuba tanks
(do not use without USAF Dive Sup/deck
instructor)
Maintain rank and file in pool, tread water using
eggbeater method (recommended) or frog/flutter
kick. Keep ears and wrists above water. Work up
to 10-15min. Advanced skills include treading
holding jet fins full of water, tips out of water,
treading in close proximity to a partner, treading
with booties on, treading with uniform and boots
on. Students will be expected to tread 2 mins with
a 14-lb. weight belt, and eventually with the
addition of 87-lb. scuba tanks (slightly negative
buoyant in water). Students will tread 1 min with
hands out of the water and head in the water
(surfacing for breaths, but keeping hands dry),
followed by 1 min hands in, head out (sculling the
water with hands, keeping the ears dry). Once the
two minutes elapses, students will be expected to

46
inflate their BC’s manually while continuing to
tread.

Knot series
Equipment: 2ft lengths of 1/2in braided rope.
Stretch rope across width of pool about 1ft
above floor (use weights or installed eyelets).
Tread water above rope with lengths tucked into
waistband. Go subsurface, swim to rope. Tie a
bowline with the tail inside the loop with the first
length, with the second length tie a girth hitch
with an extra turn (running end on the side of the
bowline), and use the running ends of both to tie a
square knot. Tighten all knots, tail lengths should
be between two and four finger-widths. Safely
ascend.

Ten-ups
Equipment: none
In front leaning rest (push-up position) on side
of pool (pool width should be 6-8 lanes wide for

47
 safety ~20m), do 1 push-up. Immediately, stand
up, use giant’s stride entry to enter the water, do
an underwater to the far side of the pool. Touch
the wall before surfacing. Exit the pool into the
front leaning rest. Do 2 pushups. Immediately,
stand up, use giant’s stride entry to enter the
water, do an underwater to the far side of the
pool. Touch the wall before surfacing. Continue
until the underwater after the 10th pushup is
completed. Advanced skills include doing
ten-ups with dive booties on, uniform and boots,
or buoyancy compensator.

Visual References for Knots

Bowline

48
Girth hitch with an extra turn

Square knot

49
PHYSICAL TRAINING
In the pipelines, effort is rewarded, but results
are the only aspect of performance assessed.
Properly preparing prior to beginning the
pipelines eases the strain on both body and mind.
Training only to entry standards will require rapid
growth in a harsh environment in order to
graduate.
Pararescue Indoc Graduation:
6 mile run (non-stop): 45:00 (7:30 pace)
Calisthenics (exercise to time limit or muscle
failure)
Pull-ups: 13 in one minute
Sit-ups: 75 in two minutes
Push-ups: 70 in two minutes
3000 meter fin swim: 60 minutes or less
Combat Control School Graduation (Includes
SOWT):
Pull-ups: 12 in two minutes
Sit-ups: 75 in two minutes

50
Push-ups: 64 in two minutes
5 mile run: 36:32 (7:18/mile pace)
1500m Swim: 32:00
15 mile ruck: 300min (20:00/mile pace with
75lb rucksack)
TACP Apprenticeship Course Graduation:
Pull-ups: 8 in one minute
Sit-ups: 50 in one minute
Push-ups: 45 in one minute
1.5 mile run: 11:08 (7:25 pace)
12 mile ruck: 240min (20:00/mile pace with 45
lb rucksack)
SERE Instructor Course Graduation:
Push-ups: 48 in two minutes
Sit-ups: 53 in two minutes
Pull-ups: 8 in two minutes
2 mile run: 15:54 (7:57 pace)
4 mile ruck: 60min (15:00/mile pace with 65lb
rucksack)

51
 Developing a workout plan
Cardio is an integral part of all the battlefield
airman training pipelines. Alternating high- and
low-impact cardio will ensure students’ bodies
hold up to rigorous training.
Pararescue: running and swimming are
paramount; consider alternating running and
swimming (M/W and T/TH) with a ruck on Friday
(between weeks alternate light weight intervals
[3x2 mile intervals with 45lbs] and high weight
long distance [7+ miles 65+lbs].
Combat Control/SOWT: running and rucking are
paramount; swimming is necessary to improve
cardio with low impact. Consider alternating
run/swim days (M/W and T/TH). Monday run is
hard interval training; Wednesday run is long
slow distance. Wednesday and Friday are rucks.
Wednesday ruck is light weight intervals [3x2 mile
intervals with 45lbs] and Friday is high weight
long distance [7+ miles 65+lbs].
TACP/SERE: alternate running and low-impact
cardio (M/W and T/TH). Consider swimming,
52
rowing machines, stationary bikes, Versa Climbers
and Jacob’s ladders; all are used in battlefield
airmen training pipelines. Ruck on Friday
(between weeks cycle between light weight
intervals [3x2 mile intervals with 45lbs] and high
weight long distance [7+ miles 65+lbs].
Calisthenics and circuit workouts are
additionally important. Split workout days into
“upper body” and “lower body” circuit workouts.
On upper body circuit days, do abdominal
calisthenics (4 min max sit-ups and 150x4-count
flutter kicks), and on lower body circuit days, do
upper body calisthenics (4x10 good form pullups
[you can take breaks] in 4 minutes and EITHER 3x
burnout pushups OR 5x20 pushups on 1:00
intervals). Sample partner circuit workouts follow.

53
 Upper body circuits:
Circuit 1 Circuit 2
3x12 box jumps 3x8 KB hang clean
3x12 medicine ball partner 3x10 squat jump
chest pass Active rest: 3x10 frog
:30 rest between sets, push-ups while partner
simultaneous work works
4x8 BB Incline Bench 4x10 BB Push Press
4x12 per side Windmill 3x25 tuck-ups
medicine ball slams (15lbs) 3x15 wide-grip pull-ups
4x8 2 arm DB upright row :15 3x5 active rest Deadlift
Rest while partner works isometric holding 5lb weights
or with stretched bands while
partner works
2x20 per side 1 arm DB bench 3xAMRAP push-up
2x:45s per side side bridge 3x:60 elbow plank
2xAMRAP chin-ups 3x10 1-arm DB upright row
Active rest: shoulder Rest while partner works
stretches while partner
works
3x5 each way TRX bands Alternate with partner:
I-Y-T (Youtube) 2x5 per direction
3x15 Bungee/band pull-apart Forwards/backwards arm
3x25 4-count bicycle crunch rotations (side, up, down,
:45 rest, then front-leaning front, back [1-arm at a time])
rest until partner finishes shoulder stretches with 2.5lb
or 5lb weights.

54
 Lower Body Circuits
Circuit 1
3x6 per side 1 arm KB snatch
with forward lunge
3x8 burpees
Active Rest: 3 position RDL
stretch (Superman/
Instagram/ hamstring) while
partner works
4x8 per side weighted
reverse lunge
4x12 15lb medicine ball slam
4x8 DB RDL
Active rest: 3x5 Sumo squat
knee drop while partner
works
3x15 DB goblet squat
3x:60 elbow plank
3x15 band pull-through (girth 2x10 per side straight leg hip
hitch band to squat rack, RDL left, foot elevated on bench
position, pull through legs)
Active Rest: :10 3x5 isometric
sumo squat with bands below
knees
2x12 per side side lunge
2x45 sit-up
2x12 superman arm/leg
raises
1:15 rest then front-leaning
rest until partner finishes
55
Circuit 2
3x15 chest-level 2-arm KB
swing
3x12 Iron mikes with hands
on hips (jumping lunges)
Active rest :15 3x5 Deadlift
isometric hold with 5lb
weights or bands
4x10 Hex bar deadlift
3x35 sit-up
3x15 band RDL (under feet,
over shoulders)
Active rest: 3 position RDL
stretch (Superman/
Instagram/ hamstring) while
partner works
2x10 per side pistol squat
2x :60 elbow plank
(Simultaneous work)
Alternate with partner
2x10 per side leg swings
(front and side)
2x10 4-count hip stretches:
-Dirty dog
-Back jack
-Leg raise
Recovery
Recovery is the cornerstone of longevity in a
career as a battlefield airman, and even in the
pipelines, recovery helps mitigate the chance of
overuse and other sports injuries and can even
improve performance. Cold/heat bath immersion
(3:00 alternating), ice tub soaks (<12:00),
foam/stick rolling, stretching (yoga/ Pilates/
ROMWOD/ Mobility WOD etc.), electronic
stimulus (TENS units) are all important tools.
Incorporating recovery into a daily routine
promotes flexibility, range of motion, and helps
decrease the effects of a rigorous training
schedule. Kelley Starrett’s “Becoming a Supple
Leopard” is an unofficially recommended resource
for stretching, pain mitigation, injury recovery,
and foam rolling.

56
 Special Thanks
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this document in order to improve
the caliber of student coming into the Battlefield Airman pipelines. Thank you
to all former and Active Duty Battlefield Airmen that upheld these standards.
Thank you to anyone reading this that is putting in the work to become one
of our brothers. No matter what you’re put through in the pipeline, the only
action that you can’t recover from is quitting.
Contributions by:
SERE:
Active duty SERE instructor: SrA
Active duty SERE instructor: SrA
Active duty SERE students: AB-A1C
TACP:
Active duty TACP: SrA
Active duty TACP instructor: SSgt
PJ:
Active duty PJ: SSgt
Retired PJ
Active Duty PJ Students: A1C-SrA
SOWT:
Active duty SOWT: SSgt
Active duty SOWT instructor: TSgt
Active duty SOWT students: A1C-SrA
CCT:
Active duty CCT/STO: A1C-CAPT
Active duty CCT students: A1C
And many Human Performance support staff members

57