What does real survival training actually teach you?

In this episode of After the Fall, I sit down with Stuart Buchanan—former Australian Army infantryman, SERE instructor, and author of Dragon Rising—to explore what survival really looks like when systems begin to break down.

We discuss the mental and physical realities of survival, the biggest mistakes people make in the early stages of a crisis, and why preparedness is about far more than just gear.

Stuart shares insights from his military and survival training background, including the importance of mindset, decision-making under pressure, and how quickly normal life can begin to unravel.

We also explore how post-apocalyptic fiction connects to real-world risk—and what these stories reveal about human behavior when everything changes.

🎯 In this episode:

• What SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape) training involves
• Why survival is primarily a mental challenge
• The most common early mistakes in a crisis
• What preparedness actually looks like in practice
• How fiction reflects real human behavior under pressure

🔗 Links & Resources

📩 Newsletter: https://johnmichaellayne.com

📖 Dragon Rising by Stuart Buchanan: Link Here

🎙️ About the Show

After the Fall explores post-apocalyptic fiction, science, and survival—looking at how the world ends, and what might come after.