1-19. The survival pattern is a tool that enables isolated personnel to mitigate the effects of being an in an isolation situation. The survival pattern includes the manipulation of applicable sustenance, protection, navigation and survival medicine skills placed in order of priority. For example, in a cold environment, fire would be the first priority to get warm; followed by a shelter to protect from the cold, wind, and rain or snow; access to or the ability to procure potable water; traps or snares to get food; and survival medicine to maintain health. In all isolation situations, survival medicine has top priority.
1-20. In figure 1-1, the word SURVIVAL is a useful memory tool to aid isolated personnel in making sound decisions on what has to happen to meet their needs and appropriate actions.
1-21. Building and maintaining situational understanding is essential for isolated personnel to understand their isolation situation, develop effective plans, make quality decisions and execute their ISG or EPA.
1-22. The typical isolation scenario includes the occurrence of an isolating event and the typical movement of personnel to their designated rally point. Once at the rally point, they assess their situation in relation to the mission and the isolation criteria specified in their ISG/EPA. The isolation criteria prescribes the set of circumstances under which a Soldier/isolated person may execute their ISG/EPA. The assessment of the isolation criteria includes the operational political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time (PMESII-PT) and mission variables mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations (METT-TC) and comprehension of the factors of isolation, individual capability (i.e. physical and psychological condition, proficiency of training, equipment), effects posed by an operational environment and the potential duration of the isolation situation. If the isolated person determines that they have met the isolation criteria stated in their ISG/EPA, they will report their isolation and begin appropriate movements and techniques detailed in their ISG/EPA.
1-23. Isolated personnel continue to adjust their plan to meet survival medicine, protection, sustenance, and navigation needs in order of priority and update their situational understanding as key tactical factors change while making appropriate adjustment decisions.
Next Page : Chapter 2 – Survival Medicine