How it Developed

How the Program Developed

Reference: AF Manual 64-4, dated Oct 1954

Before 1943, the United States Air Force had little need for a specialized survival training and personal equipment program. After 1943, however, personal, survival, and emergency equipment, as well as aircraft themselves, became so diversified that regulations were issued to implement an overall supervision program.
To effect this, the Air Force commands in the European Theater found it necessary to assign to each Air Force echelon one or more non-flying officers whose specific duty it was to monitor the handling of flying equipment. These officers assumed responsibility for the custody, maintenance, servicing, and issuing of all items of personal equipment. They were also responsible for instructing aircrews and maintaining aircrew discipline in the use and care of personal equipment.
Several years after the war, primarily due to a MOS reduction, the air supply officer was assigned survival training and personal equipment responsibilities as a secondary duty.
However, because of the continuing development of new, complex equipment and more advanced emergency procedures, the survival training and personal equipment program was revived as a principal duty in 1951. Individual commands were made responsible for forming and administering formal training courses for prospective survival training and personal equipment officers.
Meanwhile, USAF Headquarters approved an airman’s career field, implemented by AFR 35-492. This field consists of two ladders: para-rescue and survival training and personal equipment.
Thus, the continuing development of the program now has its airmen-technicians on the one hand and officers in charge on the other. The program itself is increasing in importance, especially as support for well-established flying safety programs.
Probably the biggest factor in the program’s continuation is the need for proper training and discipline among aircrews and ground maintenance personnel in handling personal equipment. Naturally, shortcomings have existed in organizations which have had no positive program. During such times, injuries and fatalities resulting from aircraft crashes and ditching have pointed directly to an uncontrolled survival training and personal equipment program. Incidents have been reported in cases where life rafts were found overdue for periodic inspection and where life vests had incorrectly weighed CO2 cylinders. Survival equipment aboard aircraft had also been insufficiently checked. Crew training in survival and emergency procedures, such as ditching and crash landing, was found generally inadequate and directly responsible for fatalities and serious injuries.
Such fatalities prove that the survival training and personal equipment program is of the highest importance and requires specialized formal training for personnel. Equally important is properly screening personnel being considered for on-the-job or formal training. Previous training and experience gained through active participation in the Boy Scout outdoor training indicate interest in survival-type activities. People entering the program should have above-average mechanical ability, most importantly, physical fitness, and an interest in this type of activity.