Combat Medics, Military and Contracted.

[akflightmedic]

how many fathers and brothers and husbands could I send home alive?

Sexist much???

[Rastus]

Sexist much???

D=

Forgive my preclusion. Also sisters, mothers, aunts, nieces, wives, and in-laws!

[island emt]

Well young fellow: Where to begin?

First : lose the attitude It will not serve you well in the adult world.

Second: While you may feel your exposure to real military members due to your exposure to them through the civil air patrol make you wise beyond your years, Think again.

third: Many of the folks here you have dissed in this thread, have hemorrhoids older than you.

fourth: as a 17 year old you are a minor child in most states, your attitudes proves the theory & reason behind this.

Fifth: Finish high school first , then start to worry about which way to go forward in your life.

sixth: If you expect to be treated as an adult and a professional, try acting like one.

Seventh: Being an officer in CAP will give you about as much advantage in the real military as being a boy scout.

Trust an old Navy man on that. It will not make a bit of difference in real life, except maybe make your life in boot camp harder for you.

[Chief1C]

That's the biggest turn off of the Armed Forces. Drill Instructors. Much respect for anyone in any branch of the Armed Forces, but if I had some huge dude, screaming at me... I'd probably curl up in a ball, and cry.

[Bieber]

I'm not going to go over all of your posts thus far, but I will say that I agree with the others that you did not present yourself in the best of light, and you're going to want to change that. I get that you're a young man, but if you want to be taken professionally, and treated with the same respect as an adult, you're going to have to work a little bit harder to act like an adult.

That aside, welcome to the forum! I'm glad you're interested in the medical field, we need as many people as we can get. That said, I think you very strongly need to step back and take a hard look at yourself and think about what you want to do, and the reasons why you want to do it. There's a lot of things you've said that make me wonder about your motives, and make me concerned that you perhaps haven't fully worked out your reasons for wanting to get into medicine and the military.

Medicine, and the military, have very unique cultures as I'm sure you know, and neither of them are really for everyone. Despite what you've said, it DOES still sound like you've got a romanticized notion of what medicine and the military is. And that's concerning, because neither job is really like what we think it is in our minds. Little did any of us know before we hit the streets that we wouldn't be running critical traumas and cardiac arrests every day, but runny noses and bumps on the head. Likewise, little did many soldiers realize before they signed up that they would be spending most of their time waiting for a battle, and then when it actually came that it was nothing like they expected. And consciously, you may be able to see that and say, "Yeah, I get it. It's not like that." but there's still some things you've said that make me think that, at least subconsciously, you've still got a much more "TV friendly" view of what both are like.

One thing you said in particular that has me worried:

But..I recently read that 50% of all deaths in combat are due to uncontrolled hemorrhaging. If that's the case, how many fathers and brothers and husbands could I send home alive? It's not just about the money or the résumé, I love the medical world, and I love the idea of truly helping someone.

Let me tell you something up front: don't get into medicine because you like the idea of helping someone. First of all, what we do rarely makes the difference between life and death and on the rare times when we CAN make a difference between life and death, all too often death wins that battle. Secondly, I don't like you saying you "love the idea of truly helping someone". You've got to want to be in medicine for more than just that, because garbage collectors truly help people as well. So does the cleaning lady. And the CNA. You need to ask yourself, "WHY do I want to be in medicine?"

I also don't like the way you phrased your comment about sending fathers and brothers and husbands home alive. You said, specifically, "if that's the case, how many fathers and brothers and husbands could I send home alive?"

Two things about that, first of all, the military has already implemented tourniquets, so realistically the number of people you can "send home alive" is probably around the same as any other soldier--seeing as they all know how to use tourniquets and have them available, not just the medics. You also have a bit of an ego in there, it seems, and I've got to tell you, man, it's not about us. It's not about you or me or any other paramedic or combat medic or RN or doctor or RT or anyone else. It's about the patient. You and I don't matter. If not us, then someone else. Yes, the whole is only as much as the sum of its parts, but I promise you that every patient you may save and every patient I may have saved would have been taken cared of by someone else had it not been me and if it isn't you. You can debate the philosophy of it, but in the end we're not special for being there and saving them, we're just the ones who happened to be on shift at that time and happened to be the closest available unit. And I use civilian paramedicine as a reference, but the same principle applies anywhere. The point is, it's not about us, and I really hope you see that.

Anyway, I hope none of that discourages you but I really think you need to take a good hard look at yourself and reevaluate your position. You're young, you're very young. And I'm very young myself, and I'm still older than you, and I'll tell you that I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I want to do with my life so believe me when I say your views are going to change as you get older and you may even change your mind about what you want to do with your life. Take your time, you have plenty of it, and make sure that this is what you truly want.

When you come to these forums, and you speak with professionals, and that's what we are, professionals, you need to take a step back and look at where you are and where everyone else is. I know you're at that age where you want to be treated like an adult, but you've got a long ways to go before you hit that milestone. Everyone here has proven themselves amongst their peers and their instructors, and some of us--myself included--are still a long ways away from obtaining the kind of recognition that some of the more experienced ones have. And that's what it comes down to, experience. I'm a paramedic and I'm twenty-four, and I'm a long ways from being considered experienced or carrying any kind of weight to my opinion. And that's okay. I'm not here to prove myself to anyone, I'm here to learn from people who DO have that kind of experience and who DO carry a lot of weight with their views.

You need to present yourself for what you are, a young man with very little life experience and very little experience in the field of medicine and in the military, and take advantage of this opportunity to learn from people who know a hell of a lot more than you or I about life and the medical field. If you can do that, if you can stop trying to prove how adult and experienced you are and just come here with the attitude of "if I knew everything I needed to, I wouldn't be looking for the advice of people more experienced than I", you'll be proving that you ARE an adult without even trying.

Good luck and take care.

Edited March 4, 2011 by Bieber

[Richard B the EMT]

17 years old, and telling everyone else how things are going to work is in defiance of Dale Carnagie (wrote the book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People").

After 37 years in EMS, with 25 of them in perhaps the busiest 9-1-1 system in the United States, I can tell you that, dispite my longevity, due to location, and sometimes dumb luck, I might have experiences more than some, but others may have more than me, in a much shorter time. While I may tell someone who has been a military Medic/Corpsman how they are expected to perform in MY system, I am still in awe of what great numbers of them have experienced before we even met.

Just as a mention, this week, a Nassau County (Long Island), New York, EMT, as a part of a response to a single involved car crash, got shot! Nassau County PD returned fire, killing the gunman, who had a small arsenal in the car, and on his body.

Over a decade ago, one of my friends was pinned down in the crossfire between another gunman and the NYPD, while attending to one of the gunman's victims.

In all my years on the job, I've only been on the scene one time when an NYPD Officer not only had his sidearm unholstered, but fired it. My "counterpart" Military Medics/Corpsman associates might have that experience several times an hour.

I also mention, "young whippersnapper/grasshopper/young Jedi", that in New York State, to even sit for the final written test to become a NY State Department of Health Certified EMT, you have to be 18, even if you take the test on the day of your 18th birthday.

[island emt]

Again young Jedi knight Bieber.

OUTSTANDING post

+1

You continue to give me hope that the next generations who will succeed us old farts can continue to bring this profession to the next level!

[Doczilla]

As for all the comments about me needing a taste of basic and the microscopic level at which my post was picked apart, no one will believe me if I bother telling you. But I've trained with PJs, Recon Marines, Seals, Sergeant Majors, and field grade officers in every branch. They're all just as ruthless as doczilla, and have taught me to do the same when necessary. But they do it for a reason, not because they feel like they can. They realize they're working with young men and women who are making the effort to go above and beyond their call, when they could be eating donuts and playing xbox.

You came here with serious questions about serious business, and I gave you a no-bullshit answer. It was filled with facts to assist your thinking and was very direct. It is the type of answer you should expect from anyone who is knowledgeable in the given areas and serious about helping you with your career goals. That you did not like what I had to say does not make my answer ruthless.

NOW, surely we're done with all that. Ak, everyone else who was trying to help, thank you. I suppose I originally made this post because I've gone though some drastic changes lately, and I'm now considering the military as a career option. However, so many people get washed out, burned out, or injured. Due to this they fall out of the military and get a job they don't truly enjoy, or that doesn't pay all too well. However, if I can get valid experience in the military as a medical professional, that's a great experience and opportunity to serve my country. After which, if I really enjoy it, I could make some money for the future and do something I really enjoy, which is working hard. I'm not out to be a mercenary, or a hotshot carrying a big gun. But..I recently read that 50% of all deaths in combat are due to uncontrolled hemorrhaging. If that's the case, how many fathers and brothers and husbands could I send home alive?

Actually, about a third of all PREVENTABLE combat deaths are from hemorrhage from an extremity. Most combat deaths are still not preventable, being that they are grievous wounds to things we can't fix. For the hemorrhage from an extremity, that's about 9% of all combat deaths. 5% from tension pneumothorax, 1% from airway obstruction. 90% of those KIA die before they ever reach a medical facility.

You've said you really like the military, but spent 1 week in PJOC and decided you wanted nothing to do with it. PJs are among, if not the, most highly trained paramedics in the service. (We can argue about 18D and other SOF medics, but pararescue is probably the closest to what a .civ paramedic does) So as I said before, ask yourself why you were so turned off by it. Was it the yelling, the physically arduous nature of the training and the work, the long hours, little sleep, the kind of medicine, what? Again, PJ is the epitome of all this you say that you want to do.

I'm seeing a lot of "I want to make money" from your posts, which as I and others have said, is not really in line with your short and intermediate term career plans with the military, medicine, and EMS.

I came here and gave you pretty much exactly the info you were looking for, and then some. You responded defensively, and with a great deal of shitty attitude.

'zilla

[Eydawn]

Ah yes... the CAPSAR fire explorer kid. full of vim and vigor....

The problem with CAP and explorer programs is that they fill you with a false sense of assurance and "experience." I know- I speak from experience. I got my start as a First Responder with a Venturing Crew (Boy Scouts of America). Yes, you have gotten some exposure to a variety of things which is very cool, and yes, you probably have a little bit more life experience compared to your donut-eating peers, but you are nowhere NEAR the level that many here on the forum are.

You haven't worked WITH these military divisions you reference; you've been given an opportunity to have brief exposure and side-along training. That is a far cry from actually working with them and understanding what is actually going on. And being an officer in CAP is excellent; kudos to you. I was secretary, scribe, and lead FTO for my Venture Crew before I was 18. Guess what that meant in real life? Jack diddly nil-point-zippity shit. It was cool to put on college apps, and useless where employment was concerned.

I have some targeted questions for you. I think you came across as exactly what you are- someone who is very excited, passionate, and who has done some research and is filled with all the possibilities that lie before you.

1. What is it about the military that appeals to you? What aspects of your personality make you a good military medic candidate? This isn't an interview question where I want to hear the "right" answer- I want you to soul search and really think about this. If you already know, I want you to convey it to us here in the written word so that we understand without a doubt where you are coming from. Prepare to be grilled, and don't take it as negative, but rather a chance to save you from your own impetuousness in case you haven't thought this through at the level that we, as outsiders, are capable of doing.

2. What aspects of your personality make you a poor military candidate? I want you to give as much thought as you did to the above question, and be ruthless on your self critique. Show us that you can evaluate both your positive and negative qualities.

3. What about medicine appeals to you? You mentioned detail oriented work- why medicine and not tech or intel?

4. Do you understand what the differences in practice (in civilian life) between RN and EMT-P really are? Do you understand the different approaches, ethical perspectives, limitations and what relationship to the overall picture of care for each is? Explain it to us, in your words.

Answer these questions, and we can tailor our guidance to you. If you know it all and know all the differences between military medical specialties and are convinced that's what you're going to do, posting here was kinda pointless. If you truly want some guidance from those who have been there and want to achieve "peer" status with those of us in the working world, then answer these questions and we'll go forth.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Doczilla]

Actually, about a third of all PREVENTABLE combat deaths are from hemorrhage from an extremity. Most combat deaths are still not preventable, being that they are grievous wounds to things we can't fix. For the hemorrhage from an extremity, that's about 9% of all combat deaths. 5% from tension pneumothorax, 1% from airway obstruction. 90% of those KIA die before they ever reach a medical facility.

Ah, crap. This should read that 2/3 of all preventable combat deaths are from hemorrhage from an extremity, not 1/3.