In films and books, there is a lot of mention of the fact that CIA operatives and special forces soldiers are trained to endure torture. How exactly is this done and what does it consist of?
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Its just simulated experiences. Limited by its very nature. They aren’t actually pulling off finger nails or breaking knee caps. But they will go through some of the psychological and not permanent-injury causing activities.
You also get briefed on common tactics like humanizing yourself and passive resistance.
In reality, there aren’t many ways to prepare for actual torture. A captive is most likely going to tell you anything eventually to get you to stop electrocuting their genitals. In the end it really just comes down to the individual, regardless of training.
Well, Russia, we feed them grilled cheese sandwiches, which they hate, and make them spend a lot of time outside alone, they haaate that, and then…
But in all seriousness, it’s a combination of things. I took a SERE course in my time in the Navy. Some of the training involved being able to stay in survival thinking mode. Like knowing there is someone on your side that is coming for you and making sure all your actions are in line with that thinking.
I took another course that was specifically focused on how to get out of a helicopter that crash landed in water. That training also focused on how to be, basically, unsinkable. So how to get to the surface even with your hands and feet tied.
There’s a couple different things that work together. There are parts of the training I did I’m not sure I can talk about for OPSEC reasons too. I’m sure there’s more that I never did and other people will talk about but what I wrote is part of it.
The training you’re thinking of, and that can be seen in several movies and TV shows, is called SERE: Survival, Evasion Resistance and Escape.
All US military branches train eligible personnel in SERE, as does the CIA. Several different levels of SERE exist, depending on the requirement and are of the world where the person will be operating.
In any even, the part you’re thinking of is the ‘R’ for ‘Resistance’. This is the opart where they train soldiers and operators to resists psychological and physical torture. Most of it is done by subjecting the subjects to various methods of both types of torture so as to get them somewaht ‘used to’ them.
Obviously, the law doesn’t let instructors take it too far, and it wouldn’t matter anyways, becasue in the end, everyone talks.
The purpose of SERE is to prepare people to deal with these situations and help them refrain from ‘talking’ for as long as they can. This is designed to allow US forces, covert or otherwise, to either get their guy back, or make sure he doesn’t talk if no rescue option is viable.
There are good examples of xhat happens in SERE training, both from a military perspective in ‘SEAL Team’ (season 1) and how they do it in the CIA in ‘Lioness’.
Neither form of training is for the faint of heart, and the higher level you are (the more exposed to classified info you are), the tougher the training.
Sere school. Basically, you go through a series of survival and evasion training culminating in a midterm exam of “Go hide in the woods until you’re caught or we end the test”
This is in the frozen north (everyone I have heard go to this school said it was during winter) or somewhere on the west coast
Then, when that’s over, they put you in a simulated POW camp with actual real life torture. They have rules, and they aren’t typically allowed to talk about specific forms of torture, but from what I have found researching the topic they will beat you with open hands, toss you against walls, confine you to too small cages for sleeping, solitary confinement, constant loud and piercing noise so you can’t sleep, and other more advanced methods like sweet talking and promising relief if you just tell them what they want to know
US Navy it is called SERE school. About a week long, some classroom followed by time in the field, the last day or so in a prison camp. Some mild beatings, discomfort positions, occasional water boarding (I didn’t) Doug Hegdahl was one of my Instructors (Google him, he still knew the names).
Possibly my favorite part was this, on repeat: https://youtu.be/Glcg95L4JK4
Just to add to the other answers, there is a really interesting interview with an SAS interrogator who explains his experiences in great detail.
I have been attached to a particular special forces unit and was standing guard outside of this exact scenario.
It was not pretty and those guys went through hell.
If you’re kidnapped, you hold out for a set time, say 2 days. Then you reveal things in small amounts.
If you reveal nothing, they’ll kill you and move on.
If you reveal everything, they’ll kill you.
If you slowly reveal information, that isn’t completely relevant anymore but still seems useful you have the longest chance at staying alive.
“Oh a week ago, we used that temporary safe house” (your friends know you are taken, if they’re still there that’s idiotic of them)
I believe this is talked about on shows involving the SAS and celebrities but I cba to find the source. (Spoiler: all the celebrities fail!)
Go give Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test a watch. They do a very basic torture session as one of the challenges, and some of the activities would qualify too if the participants couldn’t quit at will.
What is the down side of just lying about everything if captured? If ‘everyone talks eventually’ why not confuse the truth with a mountain of lies? This causes the torturer to waste time deciphering the info. What am I missing with this strategy?
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