![]() ![]() Those interested in the ‘hard’ skills should explore the original document in its entirety, where there are very useful tips on building shelters, hunting, fishing, land navigation and all manners of wilderness survival skills. After combing through every page of the 1951 “Introduction to Survival” manual, here are our key takeaways, should you ever be stuck in the wild, “three hundred miles from the nearest habitation with nothing except what is on your back.” Be aware that these key takeaways generally revolve around the ‘soft’ skills of wilderness survival. You may not have the time to peruse this 300-page document, so we’ve done the leg work for you. “It cannot be too strongly impressed on all personnel,” the manual says, “that what they are learning in this course is for their own personal benefit and to provide them with as much knowledge as possible so that if they are ever forced down in uninhabited regions, they will be able to exist until help arrives.” The course acts as a self-described “personal insurance policy” that officers should avail themselves of if only to be prepared should the worst happen. Documents declassified in August of 2000 include a nearly 300-page course manual that guided students through the core principles of wilderness survival, including parachute jumping, ground navigation, hunting and stalking techniques, fire building, personal hygiene, first aid and much, much more. In 1951, CIA instructors developed “Introduction to Survival,” a course meant to prepare Agency officers with the skills needed not only to survive-but thrive-in wilderness conditions. And while the CIA has evolved tremendously over the years, there are certain elements of our mission that are, for lack of a better word, timeless. CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia, was built in 1952, predating the Internet, the personal computer, and yes, even the microwave oven. Sweeping advancements in technology, a new and evolving threat landscape, and the nuances of an increasingly globalized world mean that the CIA of today looks remarkably different from the CIA of yesteryear. ![]() A lot has changed since the CIA was founded in 1947. ![]()
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