Seal Survival Guide

by Cade Courtley

  CONFRONTING A SUICIDE BOMBER

  The opinions are mixed on how to disable a suicide bomber, if, in fact, you have the opportunity to know for certain that a person is vested with explosives. Given that many suicide bombers need their hands to detonate a device, many police departments train officers to shoot the suspect in the head—literally between the eyes—so as to immediately halt all motor skills.

  For the civilian without a weapon, the best method might be to get behind the bomber and grab him or her by the shins and lift them off the ground. They will fall face-first and instinctively use their hands to stop the fall. If you are standing face-to-face with the bomber, use violence of action and strike forcefully at his face, then grab his hands. Call out to bystanders to stay clear, to take cover, and to call police for assistance.

  If detonation is imminent, one idea is to sacrifice yourself and embrace the bomber to prevent those around you from receiving the full force of the blast. In most circumstances, this would be an extremely hard choice, but if it came down to you dying or your children who were standing next to you, the appropriate action is clear—pull the trigger! Remember, action makes a hero, and as we say in the SEALs, “the greater good for the greater number.”

  SEAL Michael Monsoor was acting for the greater good of his teammates on September 29, 2006, while part of a sniper overwatch security position in Iraq with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi Army soldiers. On that day, an insurgent threw a fragmentation grenade at their position. It struck Monsoor in the chest before falling to the ground. Although he was right next to an exit, Monsoor shouted to others to take cover, and then, without hesitation, he spread his body over the explosive, saving his fellow SEALs. He passed away approximately thirty minutes later from his injuries. Michael Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

  If a Bomb Detonates

  If you are in the vicinity when a bomb goes off, it happens so fast and unexpectedly that there are limited survival tools that will help. The best response is to hit the ground and lie flat, covering your head with your fingers laced. Keep your legs crossed and your mouth opened. If your mouth is closed, the concussion or shock waves from the explosion can burst your lungs and your eardrums. The scenarios depicted in movies with the character leaping away, spread-eagle, will only increase your chance of sustaining more injuries.

  I can’t tell you how happy it made me every time I heard that a suicide bomber attack had occurred and the result was only one dead: the bomber. I knew things were getting desperate in Iraq when they started sending women and kids with explosive vests to do their dirty work. Not only did they run out of virgins, they ran out of anyone with a sense of courage. Shit bags!

  BRIDGE COLLAPSE

  In the last fifty years, more than a hundred bridges gave way unexpectedly and collapsed. Whether from wind, flood, overload, or an engineering flaw, any of the nearly six hundred thousand bridges in the U.S. that have spans of more than twenty feet could fail without warning. In 2007, for example, the I-35W bridge that spanned the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed during the height of evening rush hour. It was built in 1967 and carried 140,000 cars across its 1,900-foot span daily. Despite inspections, the bridge failed, ultimately causing 13 deaths and injuring nearly 150. As America’s infrastructure continues to decay, it is wise to be alert when driving across any elevated roadway.

  When a bridge collapses, there will usually be no warning. When the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed in 1940, its span wobbled and twisted well before it finally gave way, which allowed vehicles to clear off, causing no casualties. Typically, a bridge will simply collapse, similar to how destruction is caused during an earthquake. If you are in your car and see the vehicles ahead of you disappearing below, and realize that your turn is inevitably next, keep your seat belt on and brace for impact. A one-hundred-foot plunge from a bridge into the water would be similar to a collision at 60 mph. If the car drops more than twenty feet, the front end, where the engine is located, which is the heaviest part, will usually cause the vehicle to nose-dive. Air bags will be deployed upon your impact with the water. (Refer back to “Auto Accident,” page 77.)

  Several years ago, I had an opportunity to go through the Naval Aviation Survival Training Program. The highlight (or worst part of the training, depending on whom you ask) included a ride in “the Dunker.” It’s a device you strap into that is meant to simulate a plane or helicopter crashing into the ocean. It strikes the pool water and flips upside down. Once the movement stops, all you have to do is get out of your safety harness and swim to the surface. If you ever watched An Officer and a Gentleman, you’ll know what I’m talking about. (In the movie, David Caruso freaked out in it, before he became ultracool in CSI: Miami.) I enjoyed the hell out of my try in the Dunker. But the thought of impacting the ocean at night, at four times the speed, and crammed in with twenty other guys wearing a ton of gear and with only a couple of escape routes, is something else. That would not be fun. Yep, I still hate helicopters.

  Bracing for Impact

  If you are about to plunge into the water:

  1. Place your hands on the steering wheel at four o’clock and eight o’clock to allow the air bag to deploy without striking your arms or hands.

  2. Scrunch your shoulders up so your neck is between them. Even though air bags will still be deployed, the danger will be in getting thrown against the roof of the car and breaking your neck. (Of course, you are wearing your seat belt, no?)

  3. Fully extend your legs so that your feet are flat on the floor, off the pedals. The more spread the better.

  4. Keep your head all the way back against the headrest.

  5. Keep your lungs full of air.

  How to Escape a Submerged Vehicle

  Finding yourself in a car submerged in water is far more likely to occur due to human error than to roadway or bridge failure. In the U.S., more than ten thousand vehicles annually end up in an accident classified as an “auto immersion incident.” Numerous roads border canals, rivers, and lakes, and it is usually some sort of driver distraction that results in a car ending up in the drink. Whatever caused you to wind up there, once the car is in water, the next phase of survival must be implemented immediately.

  Once a vehicle enters the water, you have less than two minutes before the vehicle completely sinks below the surface. If you panic, you lose valuable seconds. Remember, the brain is the strongest muscle in the body. Now is the time to remain calm and yet act with purpose. You will be mentally prepared. After rehearsing the following steps, in addition to making a mental movie of the proper response, you will survive.

  GET OFF THE X

  Once you hit the water, you need to get free of all restraints so you can exit the vehicle. Your only goal is to get out of the vehicle. If the air bag deployed, the unit will automatically begin to deflate, designed as air bags are to prevent the risk of suffocation during any accident. If this does not occur, or the process is keeping you compressed against the seat for too long, then lift out of your seat and away from the air bag.

  Do not waste time trying to open the car doors. Once a car is in water, the outside pressure will make it impossible to swing the door open. Only when the car has sunk completely and the interior of the car is entirely filled with water will the forces of pressure equalize and allow the door to open. That’s not a good situation to be in.

  The best way to exit the vehicle is through the windows. If your car has manually operated windows, you will put all effort into opening the window fully. You do not want to get snagged up on anything during your escape. If you act quickly, even power windows will retain enough charge to operate. A vehicle’s electronic system should continue to operate for about one to two minutes, even if the battery is wet. While you’re taking off your seat belt, use your other hand to press the window-open button. Do this upon impact. If you are very prepared, even try to have the windows down while you are in midflight, powering them open during the fall.

/>   MUSCLE MEMORY

  Remember, it takes many repetitions for any action to become “memorized” by the muscles. Here’s an exercise you can practice in your driveway: Time yourself as you try to get your seat belt off while pressing the window button or cranking your window open, until it becomes a sort of reflex reaction.

  BREAK THE WINDOW

  Many people who drown in such instances do so because they believe incorrectly that if all the windows are closed, their car will stay watertight, like a mini-submarine. Water will enter through the undercarriage and through the firewall of the engine and dashboard very quickly. You must break the glass if the windows did not open or opened only halfway. Your best escape route is the side windows, as the windshield is much thicker, made of “unbreakable” safety glass, and secured more firmly.

  • Use the heaviest object you have at hand as a battering ram to break a side window. Good choices include a camera, a laptop, or a hammer that you keep under the front seat. Even better, if you have one of the glass-breaking devices I list in the “Gear” section (page 295), use it now with maximum force. You can even use your keys, if you are strong enough. No matter what you use, strike at the very center of the window.

  • Foot method: Even if you are not in top shape, your legs are far stronger than your arms. Position yourself sideways in the seat and jam your feet at the center of the side window. Keep doing this until the glass breaks.

  WHEN YOU HAVE TO USE THE DOOR

  If you are unable to break open the window, you must remain very calm and regather your strength. Take even breaths and be sure you are free of obstacles. Remain calm and continue breathing the air closest to the roof of your car. You will still have an opportunity to escape when the interior of the vehicle has almost completely filled with water. It will understandably be an unnerving experience to wait in the car as it floods, but use combat breathing techniques to remain patient yet ready to act. When there are only a few inches of air remaining, take a deep breath, and then open the door. Ensure it is unlocked first! With the pressure equalized, it should be fairly easy to open. Then exit the vehicle and proceed with your escape.

  Escape

  Again, remain calm and climb through the window or door. Push off the car and swim to the surface. Your greatest danger is getting caught up or tangled on something while attempting escape, so make sure to take a moment to check that no part of your clothing can create a snag. You may become disoriented, or your vehicle may be upside down. Look for light and head toward it, or follow the bubbles—they always go to the surface. If there is a child in the car, attempt to give them something buoyant to hold on to and send them out the window first.

  On the Surface

  Swim away from the vehicle. Do so in a direction opposite from where you entered the water, especially if this accident was a result of a collapsed bridge. Now that you’ve made it out and survived, you don’t want to get struck by another vehicle or falling debris.

  Immediately gather and do a head count to find out if anyone is missing. If there’s another person still down there, then, of course, make the attempt to reach them if you see that no other rescuers are in sight. But this should be performed only by the strongest swimmer, and only if there is a reasonable chance that you won’t also become a victim.

  SEALs say: “Slow is smooth—smooth is fast.”

  Life before property: Don’t even think of trying to swim back down to the car to retrieve something.

  BURGLARY AND ROBBERY

  People have been taking things that don’t belong to them since the beginning of time. It used to be called outright stealing, but now there are distinctions in types of thefts, especially when it involves unlawful breaking and entering into a house or apartment, convenience store, or bank. For the purposes of survival, it is important to note the differences in the various scenarios so that you know how to respond accordingly. Burglary, by definition, involves breaking in with the intent to steal, without the use of force, while robbery is when goods are stolen with force or the threat of it. A third category, called home invasion, is robbery with the intent to assault; we’ll address that in a later section (see “Home Invasion,” page 186).

  Remember: The motivation or rationale for theft, no matter how it is classified, is to take something of value in the easiest and most expedient way possible—so keep this in mind as I list the ways to deal with these situations. By following a preparedness checklist, you can defend yourself against all types of theft, from the opportunist, petty theft to highly planned robberies. Here are the steps you need to take to prevent being victimized, and the best way to respond if your castle is ever breached.

  Prevention

  You can prevent burglary and the likelihood of professional criminals choosing your house as a target by making your dwelling appear as one that seems too risky. First, install alarms, or at least use security signs and decals that are prominently displayed on all windows and doors. Security bars on windows, strong locks and doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors are also keys items that will frequently deter burglars and even the more violent home invaders. Remember, burglars want to get in and out easily, and more importantly, criminals don’t want to be seen.

  POINT OF ENTRY

  While in the field, there were many times our ops required days or even weeks to complete, so we had to set up defensive positions. The first rule of defense is to limit vulnerabilities. If we were holed up in a cave or had our backs against a mountain, we chose locations that would force any would-be attackers to come at us from a limited number of directions. This applies when securing your home, so that the opportunity to violate it is limited. Remote garage doors are easily activated with a master opener, and thieves can drive up and down a block to see which doors open with their device. Side or back doors often have fewer locks than the front door, and many sliding glass doors can be simply lifted off their tracks.

  Of course, while we were in the field, we always had at least one of us on security watch, focusing on the place from which the threat was most likely to come. For the home, lighting and motion detectors can be used as sentries. Exterior defense, such as outdoor lighting that makes a clearly lit perimeter of one hundred feet, forces the home invaders to attempt only the front door. A security door or grate that remains closed while the main front door is open is the best way not to be tricked by the fake-deliveryman scheme. In lieu of that, there are now several inexpensive camera kits that allow you to view a live feed from a camera on your laptop anywhere with an Internet connection. These sentries are easy to install, come in stylish options, and let you know who is knocking on your door even if you are away on vacation. Even a dummy camera, not actually wired, makes home invaders think twice.

  BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

  Once you establish that a neighbor can be a trusted ally, they can be one of the very best deterrents to potential crime at your residence.

  How to form a neighborhood watch:

  • Get to know all your adjacent neighbors: Make friends, or at least form a common bond for the good of neighborhood protection, with the occupants of the house on each side of your home and the three directly across the street.

  • Invite them into your home and establish trust.

  • Agree to watch out for one another’s homes.

  • Allow a neighbor to have a key. (This solves the problem of hiding a key outside the door, where most experienced criminals will find it.)

  • Do small tasks for one another to improve territoriality.

  • Offer to pick up newspapers and mail while they are on vacation.

  • If they are away, occasionally park your car in their driveway to make it seem that someone is home.

  • Return favors and communicate often.

  EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  The proper outdoor lighting is definitely a deterrent to criminals, since they know it makes them more easily noticed and identifiable.

  • Attempt to light the entire perimeter of your home or ap
artment.

  • Make it bright enough for you to see within a hundred-foot radius. Illuminate the area strongly enough to identify colors.

  • Use good lighting along the pathway and at your door.

  • Use light timers or photo cells to turn lights on or off automatically.

  • Use infrared motion-sensor lights on the rear of a single-family home.

  • Do not leave the garage or porch light turned on all day; that is a dead giveaway that you are out of town.

  DOORS AND LOCKS

  As mentioned, most forced entries are made via the front, back, or garage door. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest point of entry, followed by the back door.

  • Use a solid-core or metal door for all entrance points.

  • Use a quality, heavy-duty deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt.

  • Use high-quality Grade 1 or Grade 2 locks on exterior doors to resist twisting, prying, and lock-picking attempts.