The world keeps showing us how swiftly comfort can give way to crisis. Reports of violent criminals slipping through lax borders and settling into everyday neighborhoods are no longer distant headlines. Attacks on young women on once-secure streets and the spread of gangs — like the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua — staking out apartment complexes remind us that danger can evolve faster than we’d prefer. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Yet the truth is that there are ways to prepare, mentally and physically, for scenarios that once seemed exclusive to war zones or distant trouble spots. The principles of SERE — Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape — no longer belong solely to those in specialized fields. They can enrich the lives of anyone determined not to give predators the upper hand.
Within these pages, you’ll find voices that have forged their methods under exacting conditions. Air Force SERE instructors Michael Caughran and Peter Magnin bring insights to strengthen your judgment long before a crisis tests it. Their hard-earned perspectives blend seamlessly with other approaches sprinkled throughout this issue. You’ll encounter strategies that address challenges lurking behind school doors, guidance on looking after your own body if trained help isn’t coming, and ways to keep your personal security toolkit versatile, ranging from entry methods that challenge old assumptions of “locked” spaces, to awareness exercises that sharpen focus and reduce complacency.
To add some levity to these serious topics, we’re introducing Offgrid Adventures, a new column aimed at inspiring you to seek out landscapes and experiences that remind you the world holds more than gloomy headlines suggest. We’ve also refreshed our Gear Up section, not to sell you fancy trinkets, but to offer a tangible bridge from theory to practice. These additions mirror our core belief that preparation is a combination of both mindset and action. By gaining familiarity with the right skills, exploring environments that challenge your everyday assumptions, and understanding the tools that best fit your circumstances, you build something durable within yourself.
This issue encourages a different kind of vigilance — one grounded in knowledge and flexibility rather than fear. The lessons here are meant to strengthen your footing, wherever you might stand. As you turn the pages, consider how these approaches, insights, and explorations might shape your habits, refine your outlook, or give you the confidence to navigate this shifting world with steady resolve.
Read More From Issue 66
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The post Editors Letter: SERE Skills for a Shifting World appeared first on RECOIL OFFGRID.