Sailor Pulse

A weekly podcast featuring analysis of issues critical to Sailors with experts currently serving in and retired from the U.S. Navy.

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Preparing for the Unthinkable: Dissecting the Military’s Survival Training

Sailor Pulse
Fletcher Vynne, Jay Dietrich, and Steve Walsh
April 30, 2026

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Episode Notes:

Steve sits down with co-host Jay Dietrich and fellow former F/A-18 weapons systems officer Fletcher "Clips" Vynne to discuss the military's survival, evasion, resistance, and escape program (SERE). Sparked by a recent jet shoot-down over Iran, the three veterans reflect on the psychology behind the training, what it demands of you in the moment, and why those lessons stay with you long after the worst moments have passed.

Image: Airman Bre Lewis via DVIDS