Re the Air Force guy and his son: I presume that you saw the reconstruction on one of the Ray Mears programs? The thing's that struck me most strongly about that little debacle where:
1) His total lack of preparation.
2) A properly employed Ritter PSK would have gotten him and his son rescued.

I was sorry to read about James, but after that lenth of time I would also be thinking along the lines of do I go for help, or do I sit there and watch my wife and kids perish?

I think that he was an ordinary, decent family man who was about out of options and it was try, succeed or die trying time.

Nuff said.