We were lucky to catch up with Jessie Krebs recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Over the course of your career, have you seen or experienced your field completely flip-flop or change course on something?
Like many of my generation I grew up in a time of pretty blatant sexism. Grizzly Adams, Ernest Shackleton, Swiss Family Robinson, and Jacques Cousteau were the big outdoor folk in the media when I was a kid, and female adventurers were pretty non-existent in popular culture. It’s been awesome to see that start to shift and watch more women finding their way into this heavily male-dominated field. There are still a lot of hurdles for women which is a large part of why I’ve opened a school that focuses on teaching wilderness survival skills specifically to women and other marginalized demographics.
I’ve over and over seen men step in and “manspeak” to the women around them, or try to teach them a skill the way THEY learned it rather than letting the women figure it out on their own or letting them try doing it the way I’ve taught it. I believe this is usually unintentional and actually meant to be an act of chivalry and kindness. Instead it is very disempowering and demeaning, the implication being that the woman cannot do it without the man’s help.
We are entering a time when gender is not as clear-cut however and the “traditional” gender roles are not as separate as they once were. Because of this I’ve started to use different terminology. I don’t like using “men” and “women” as I did above, though I am a cis female. In so many areas of our modern society gender is becoming irrelevant to the task at hand. So, rather than using male/non-binary/female language as things relate to survival, I like to use Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. Though mostly used to refer to human men and wolves, they work for any creature. It’s more about fitting personality and attitude to a particular situation than gender identity. For example, often Betas end up in bad situations by following Alphas, who seem confident in where they are going and tend to push the group even when it may not be safe. If a person knows they are more of a Beta in a particular situation (like outdoor skills), I tell them to pay more attention to their gut/feelings. Beta’s have saved themselves and/or other members of a group by checking in and then refusing to continue to follow an Alpha into a worsening situation. There was a time when I was a Beta when it came to survival skills and life in general. Now I tend to be an Alpha or Omega in most situations, which is good for me to be aware of due to the inherent dangers of each mode of action! What are your thoughts on that terminology? I switched because so many survival analyses are based on male/female, and as gender roles get fuzzy they are less and less applicable. Studies are often divided male/female because some find that to be the logical way to divide us, and boys tend to be raised more as Alphas and Omegas in our culture and girls/non binaries as Betas. The times they are a-changin though and our terminology needs to reflect that.
I want folks to have space to learn in their own way and reach their full potential, and often natural Betas are not given the opportunity. Those are the people I most want to empower in the wilderness (gender/color/sexual preference/religious beliefs/etc are largely irrelevant in that context). Though because of my history and my personal experience of being born and raised female, the logical and largest group of “trained” Betas for me to focus on, are other women. So many folks other than women have been shoved into the Beta mindset though, and I want to acknowledge and welcome them all. However “Beta” doesn’t start with a “W” and I really love owls! ;-). The name of my school is O.W.L.S. Skills (Outdoorsy Women Learning Survival Skills). Additionally, for now at least, most folks wouldn’t understand what I mean without a lengthy explanation. My purpose isn’t to exclude men or Alphas/Omegas, but to create a free and supportive space primarily for Betas, and I strongly feel the two are often mutually exclusive. Such a sticky widget! What are your thoughts?
I also think everyone can benefit from learning to be comfortable in the other roles based on the situation. So I hope there are places out there helping Alphas learn that it’s okay to be an Omega or Beta sometimes and vice versa. Let’s change the world shall we? :-)
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Like many folk’s lives, mine has had some trauma in it, specifically infant and childhood sexual abuse. A natural introvert and pretty shy (Beta), I didn’t reach out for solace from humans. I was confused by social norms littered with hidden meanings and secrets I didn’t understand. The woods were a wonderful distraction at first and then through a love of books and fairy tales that transformed a patch of woods into a magical place, I began to prefer being there over just about anyplace else. I could be me without all the confusing human drama and judgement. I really felt more animal than human and preferred it that way. Playing outside is where I felt most alive and free.
On the cusp of adulthood I joined the Air Force, hoping for some adventure, and to help pay for college. I feel lucky that I came in as they were recruiting for SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) Specialists and made it through the year of training. After four years as a global survival instructor I was honorably discharged, went on to receive a BA in Ed. Psyc, spent over a decade working in wilderness therapy, made a MasterClass on basic survival skills, and have had some epic adventures on various TV shows. Most recently Season 9 of “ALONE” on the History Channel. Through these various experiences I’ve realized that I’m most passionate about reaching folks that are like me. The natural introverts and those that want or need healing in some form. Through my own experiences of wild places and watching others be transformed and healed by spending time outdoors, I’ve become a firm advocate for creating safe spaces for women and marginalized demographics (Betas) to get to experience this too.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I’m grateful to the Air Force, specifically the training I received, because discipline was not my strong suit going in! Being a bit of a perfectionist and very much a goodie two-shoes (where does that saying come from BTW?), I tried very hard to do what my trainers told me to, and get my act together. I think the professionalism the military instilled has served me very well in my work in addition to the stellar training I received in global survival skills.
Working in wilderness therapy helped round out that professionalism with some humanity. I was a very robotic instructor in the military. As a wilderness therapy field guide I did a lot of healing and nurtured an authentic interest in hearing other’s stories and being more open and honest about my own. I care about my clients and want them to feel empowered by coming to my courses and more confident in life. I’m running a business, so money is important, but it’s not my top priority. Getting the message out and saving lives is.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I run my own school now, and that’s due in large part to my friend Dan Baird who owns SERE Training School where I was the head instructor for about 5 years. I met Dan on a reality show (Mygrations) through National Geographic where we did a hike across the Serengeti with minimal gear and (at least initially) with 18 other folks from many walks of life. Those I shared that journey with, I consider family now. We spent 35 days walking, surviving, and starving in one of the most beautiful and primitive places on the planet. Walking with zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions, wildebeest, and so many other beautiful species was something I’ll always treasure. Due to my trust issues, I really don’t think I would have started down this path of running and now owning a survival school without Dan’s support. I am Blessed with so many supportive and wonderful friends willing to be vulnerable and show their heart. What a gift!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.owlsskills.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owls.skills/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owls.skills
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-krebs-77a7588b/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jkrebs_survival
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVF10fU-1uK81GIvE9xSdKg
Image Credits
Pamela Ramirez, Gray Stevens