 When there is an air emergency, your basic problem is to get down to earth safely. But if you happen to be over hostile territory, you also have another problem, that of evading capture. Apart from the natural desire to get back home, the code of conduct requires you to make every possible effort to avoid capture and return to your unit. The means you will use to evade capture will depend largely on circumstances. But whatever means and actions you employ, you're going to have to rely heavily on camouflage. Camouflage is any measure or action taken to mislead or deceive the enemy and make it possible to evade without being seen. You couldn't do anything to camouflage yourself as you came down. But you should have been thinking about it and looking for the kind of terrain and conditions that can give you the best chance to escape detection. You need to avoid populated areas or those that show signs of habitation. Generally, the more people around, the easier it is to be detected. You should have been looking for a place to hide as close as possible to where you land. Once you're on the ground, your primary concern is to get out of sight as quickly as possible, taking your equipment with you. This means out of sight from the air as well as from the ground. There are two types of observation you must guard against. One is being seen directly, or leaving visible evidence of your presence. The other is being spotted indirectly by animals or by detection devices. What you do once you're out of sight, of course, will depend on the circumstances. But if you have the time, you should begin by carefully selecting the equipment you want to take with you. Your parachute is definitely worth taking if you can because you'll find many uses for it. The items in your survival kit will also be useful. What you can't or don't want to take, you must bury or hide. And here is where the camouflage begins. If you do any digging, the ground should be left the way it was. And any other evidence that you were there should be obliterated. Once you've taken care of these important details, your next job is to camouflage yourself and your equipment. The kind of camouflage you use will depend entirely on the character of your surroundings. But no matter what kind you use, the basic objectives remain the same. You have to blend with your background so that you become a part of it. In order to do this, you've got to work on the three factors that set you apart from everything around you. These are form, color, including both skin and clothing color, and texture, again of both skin and materials worn. If it hasn't already been done before your mission, you should remove any jewelry that could attract attention by shine or reflection. You also sanitize your clothing and equipment, removing patches, insignia, and anything else that would attract attention. Your form, of course, is the distinctive shape that identifies you as a man. And to change that, you simply have to change your body outline. A hood or floppy hat breaks up the familiar and characteristic outline of the head and shoulders. Darken the face, hands, and any other exposed skin to break up the outline and change the color and texture. Thus reducing any skin reflection and shine. Color and texture depends entirely on the surroundings. Woods or jungle areas normally require mottled greens, browns, and blacks. If you have nothing better, you can get this effect with dirt, mud, or even berry juices. You could also use charcoal and ashes and water if they're available. Or even the sea marker dye or shark repellent if you have water. Foldage can be used to break up the body outline. It also provides natural color and texture. In the desert or barren areas, the improvised clothing required for protection from the elements will break up body contours and can furnish the color for camouflage. The same can be said for barren arctic areas where white is the predominant color. Wherever you are, your equipment must be given the same treatment, so that it also blends with the background. The moment you begin to move, you must take additional measures to camouflage yourself. First, plan your movement to use foliage and terrain features for concealment and screening. Whenever possible, avoid open areas. The amount of light and shadow influence visibility, so constantly consider both of these factors during any movement, night or day. Moving without background or against a skyline presents the danger of a silhouette. Movement in shadows is difficult to detect, but you must be aware of your own shadow so that it cannot be seen. Since the background may change, for example from barren arctic to timbered terrain, you must be prepared to change color and texture to match. When a shelter is necessary, it too must be carefully camouflaged and the same principles apply. First, the location must be carefully selected. It should be an area that the enemy would be least likely to search and lends itself to concealment. The shelter should be secluded away from roads or trails. A natural shelter should be used if possible because it lends itself to concealment with a minimum of preparation. Whatever is used to make the shelter must be arranged carefully so that nothing looks disturbed or out of place. Not only must you match the surrounding grass or foliage, but the correct side of the vegetation must be exposed. If grass or foliage is used, it has to be changed when it begins to show signs of wilting. Any evidence of cut foliage or grass should be hidden. Freshly cut stumps and fresh earth also have to be concealed. If you have to build a shelter, be sure to camouflage straight lines and the angularity. In different areas you'll use different materials. In wooded or jungle areas you can use grass, branches, brush or leaves. But in barren areas you'll probably have to rely on the terrain using brush, stones and earth. Your parachute is particularly valuable in the desert where you generally have fewer materials available. The brown or beige section of the parachute may blend well with the surroundings and even other parts of the parachute can be used if covered with sand. In snow covered areas you have to take particular care not to leave tracks that can easily be seen and that would give away the location of your shelter. You'll generally use snow to build or dig a shelter. However the white sections of your parachute can be used. Bad weather can be very helpful in hiding evidence of presence as well as discouraging or reducing search activities. Natural cave-like shelters can also be used wherever they are found but they must be carefully selected. Obvious natural shelters near inhabited areas are dangerous because searchers normally check them first. When natural shelters are used all openings should be carefully hidden to avoid deep shadows which will attract attention. Fires in enemy territory are dangerous and before using one a number of factors must be considered. The proximity or suspected proximity of the enemy, the time of day, the weather, the type of available fuels and finally the purpose or need for the fire. Because they can be seen both directly and by reflection and smelled as well fire should never be used unless there is a vital need. And when they are necessary keep them small and carefully concealed underground if possible. Only dry hardwoods or other materials that produce a minimum of smoke should be burned. When possible trees or overhanging branches should be used to help dissipate any smoke. The best time for a fire is early in the morning at first dawn or in the evening at dusk when ground haze or fog will help conceal any smoke. In an evasion situation you may be alone or with someone else and whether or not you get out is going to depend to a large extent on you and your knowledge of camouflage. On how well you can camouflage yourself and your equipment. On how well you can camouflage a shelter and conceal any evidence of your presence. And this in turn calls for an understanding and constant awareness of the basic principles of form, color and texture and the part they play in camouflage. Learn to understand camouflage for evasion and how to use it because one day your freedom and even your life may depend on it.