Air Force Reserve aircrew from the 943rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., hoist a (simulated) crash "survivor" out of the woods during a combat search and rescue training flight in upstate New York Aug. 2 while Tech. Sgt. Gary Waltz and Staff Sgt. Erik Wieland, two 306th Rescue Squadron SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape) specialists (pictured on the ground) assist the "survivor" in evading the opposing forces role players. As a part of the Guardian Angels, SERE specialists assist with recovery of isolated personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo by Carolyn Herrick)

An Air Force Reserve SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape) specialist assigned to the 306th Rescue Squadron, 943rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. is hoisted from the waters of Lake Champlain, NY, during training Aug. 7. SERE specialists are part of the Guardian Angel weapons system of Air Combat Command along with pararescuemen and combat rescue officers. Specialists not only learn to survive in captivity, they also learn to survive when isolated in any situation, including arctic, desert, jungle, and mountain climates and even on the open ocean. (U.S. Air Force photo by Carolyn Herrick)

Tech. Sgt. Gary Waltz, an Air Force Reserve SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape) specialist, is hoisted from the waters of Lake Champlain, NY, during training Aug. 7. SERE specialists are part of the Guardian Angel weapons system of Air Combat Command along with pararescuemen and combat rescue officers. Waltz is assigned to the 306th Rescue Squadron, 943rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo by Carolyn Herrick)