Aircrew school - Doing the 'cracks'

[Monello]

Anyone that went to NACCS in Pensacola remember doing the cracks?

For the less informed, doing the cracks was a series of exercises we did on the sidewalk. If all 45 of us did it successfully then we moved forward 1 crack until we reached the steps of the office then we were released. We were 3 people to a crack and 15 cracks deep.

In true Naval training diabolicalness we were always told to do an unusual number of exercises and counted out loud. It never failed that while doing the jumping jacks and being required to stop at 8, someone would bring their hands up for a 9th repetition. So we didn't get to move ahead and the count would go up to 12 or 13. Before you knew it we were doing 80+ jumping jacks and we never moved forward. There were always a few students per each class that could not pay enough attention. The rest of the class paid dearly for their inattention. I remember how people would get pissed off at the knuckleheads that struggled to get with the program.

In true human nature fashion, someone figured out that if you make the number other than something divisible by 5 then someone is going to screw it up. To that person I tip my cap.

 

[Vince]

I didn't get to go. Qualified Aircrew before they thought of ACCS. But I did get to go to SERE school when it was really SERE school.

 

[glhs837]

Hmmm, musta been before or after my time there in 1984. Sere was not as tough as my Dads time in the 60s, but still not easy. I don't know how it's changed since then. Buddy of mine was an instructor in the early 90s, seemed like he was teaching it like I got it in 84.

 

[Vince]

Hmmm, musta been before or after my time there in 1984. Sere was not as tough as my Dads time in the 60s, but still not easy. I don't know how it's changed since then. Buddy of mine was an instructor in the early 90s, seemed like he was teaching it like I got it in 84.

Yep, before 84. But they were still waterboarding in 84.

 

[glhs837]

Yep, before 84. But they were still waterboarding in 84.

Oh hell yeah, still might, I kow they were in the 90s. From what I know they didn't in Rangley for the winter months. Used some horrible smoke device.

 

[CrashTest]

Following orders and physical training? Isn't that taught in boot camp?

 

[glhs837]

Following orders and physical training? Isn't that taught in boot camp?

It is, but eight week Navy boot camp only goes so far. Aircrew candidates need a slightly higher level of physical fitness.And the teamwork headgames gets upped a bit too.

 

[RPMDAD]

I didn't get to go. Qualified Aircrew before they thought of ACCS. But I did get to go to SERE school when it was really SERE school.

Had a buddy who was a SERE instructor in the 70's. It didn't sound like Day Care.

 

[DoWhat]

SERE school.

The Provost.

 

[osprey10]

I was an Aircrew Instructor from 86 to 89 best duty station I ever had. Never wanted to leave.

 

[NTNG]

Went to NACCS in '79. 2nd student class to attend. Had to sit thru hours of GSE classes. When I took out my yellow licenses and unfolded them, accordion style, the PO1 got pissed and tore them up! Got worse when I told him that we would have to sit t6hru the classes at our new command anyway, so why sit here and listen to them? Did a tour as a SERE instructor at FASO BNAS, from 85-early 89. More fun than should be allowed!

 

[glhs837]

Went to NACCS in '79. 2nd student class to attend. Had to sit thru hours of GSE classes. When I took out my yellow licenses and unfolded them, accordion style, the PO1 got pissed and tore them up! Got worse when I told him that we would have to sit t6hru the classes at our new command anyway, so why sit here and listen to them? Did a tour as a SERE instructor at FASO BNAS, from 85-early 89. More fun than should be allowed!

No GSE in 84 so that didn't last.

 

[kickstand]

I was an Aircrew Instructor from 86 to 89 best duty station I ever had. Never wanted to leave.

I went to NACCS in Oct/Nov 89.

 

[cheezgrits]

Man, I had forgot about the cracks. Went to Aircrew school in 91.

 

[edinsomd]

I was in Rescue Swimmer school in JAX when the first NACCS class convened, and didn't go. Did SERE in Brunswick in March- People's Pond was frozen to the bottom, so we got the smoke treatment instead.
Good times! (when it was over)

 

[NTNG]

One of the "traditions" at SERE was when ever you had an event worth celebrating, like a promotion, 1st class/last class as a full up instructor, birth of a child, etc. your fellow instructors would help you into the "Peoples Pond" regardless of the weather. My last class was the 1st week in December. As hard as I tried to evade, I was ambushed, and brought to the pond. Ice was broken, and I was tossed in. The blanket, fire, and peoples "wodka" helped warm me back up...

Good times!

 

[glhs837]

Attended Advanced Evasion there, must have been summer of 1992, after finishing, we were taken to the instructors lodge since there were only four of us, man what a setup...........
especially after four days of constant moving evasion. Best breakfast EVER

 

[edinsomd]

Attended Advanced Evasion there, must have been summer of 1992, after finishing, we were taken to the instructors lodge since there were only four of us, man what a setup...........
especially after four days of constant moving evasion. Best breakfast EVER

Must'a stuck pretty well, Bill. You were evading all kinds of BS in VP-23, and VX-1.

I do remember the tray of corn bread the instructors brought out at the end of SERE, freezing in my raggedy cloths. Best thing I ever ate! Everyone crapped out on the bus back to BNAS, and we went straight to the chow hall, where my eyes were much bigger than my stomach. Long hot shower felt like heaven, and then hit the rack for 12 solid hours.
Then the debrief follies the next day, where we were shown how well we were played by the instructors.
That wasn't a log-in sheet you signed before the Hard Sell interrogation.

 

[glhs837]

I did regular SERE in Warner Springs, Advanced was a great school, Rangley much nicer in August than winter from what I hear Of course, the covert river crossing was still pretty damn cold as we had to spend some time in there to maximize the dogs reaquisition time. You can't beat them, only hope to slow them enough that they wear out before you do.

 

[NTNG]

Must'a stuck pretty well, Bill. You were evading all kinds of BS in VP-23, and VX-1.

I do remember the tray of corn bread the instructors brought out at the end of SERE, freezing in my raggedy cloths. Best thing I ever ate! Everyone crapped out on the bus back to BNAS, and we went straight to the chow hall, where my eyes were much bigger than my stomach. Long hot shower felt like heaven, and then hit the rack for 12 solid hours.
Then the debrief follies the next day, where we were shown how well we were played by the instructors.
That wasn't a log-in sheet you signed before the Hard Sell interrogation.

We did chicken soup during the colder months. I actually had one guy ask me if it was made with chicken meat, because he was a vegetarian! In role, I acted insulted, slapped the cup out of his hand. Shortly after that some "locals" found him, and turned him in for... wait for it...
A rubber chicken we had in the instructors building! He only got to see it from 20-30 feet away, but for all he knew, his insulting the partisan contact bit him in the arse.