Marine EMT-B?

[Lucky~13]

My little brother is a L CPL. in the USMC. 1st of the 7th. He already did a tour in Iraq and is waiting to go back for a second tour sometime middle of next year (hopefully not though). But before he goes, he told me on the phone the other day, he's gonna take something like a "combat life saver" course. It's about a month long, and at the end he'll a NREMT-B. We didn't get a chance to talk for long, so I wasn't able to get much more info then that.

Anybody know what it is he's talking about? I just don't see cramming an EMT-B course in a month. Even for the Marines.

[iadybug423]

First of all Semper Fi to your brother. I am a Marine, married to a retired Marine. I just finished my WEMT-B/EMT-B in a month. Mine was at the National Outdoor Leadership School/WMI Wilderness Medicine Institute in Wy. So yes you get so much thrown at you rather than a couple hours once or twice a week. It can be done.

What your brother is saying about the Combat Life Saver course is that he will be like the EMTB of a squadron. He will be right with a squadron as a non medical person but trained as EMT for BLS for his squadron.

Not sure I am explaining it right...Been a lot of years since I was in (1985 I got out after 6 years). They all are trained in first aid so he is going one step further.

-

[Chrisclark]

I have heard of an EMT-B program in the Chicago area that only takes 2 weeks. It can be done.

[akflightmedic]

The Combat Lifesaver Course in no way prepares you to be an EMT or even to take the test for National Registry. I have a copy of the book/course right here in front of me. It is a very thin manual that covers basic first aid and IV therapy. I am in no way knocking this course as it is very valuable to the guys down range but that is all it is, first repsonder with IV therapy.

Your brother may not have all the facts yet and if he does, good luck with the exam. He very well may be the "medic" for his unit when they go out however this course is actually given to just about everyone in the unit, that way all personel are utilized effectively.

Since I have been in country, I have taught/assisted with two different EMT B programs for the soliders. This course was just shy of 3 months and at the completion, they did indeed sit for National Registry. So these programs are available and used frequently over here, but the CLS course is kind of a mini indoctrination that just about everyone goes through. There is no reciprocity or transferring CLS back to the civilian world, so if he gets the opportunity to take the EMT B course, encourage him to do so.

Having said all that, here is the caveat and Dust will confirm. There is no continuity or unfirm procedure over here, each locale has their own way of doing things or getting things accomplished. Which means if they decide to push these guys through a month long CLS course and then get them to sit for NR, it may be possible but will be very difficult for them.

[Asysin2leads]

First of all, give your brother my thanks for keeping us all safe. Secondly, from what I know, an EMT-B course can be compressed into as a little as three weeks. I remember my EMT course met I think like 3 times a week for 4 hours each, so it took about 10 weeks for the 120 hours. If you spend 6 hours a day and met every day, you'd bang out the 120 hours in 4 weeks. Please send him my best.

[zippyRN]

8 hours a day * 5 days a week * 4 weeks =160 hours so not inconcievable

certainly when i was in the (UK) reserve forces we'd regularly work 10 or 12 hours on a training day - even a 'day conference' we had fo rthe Nurses and student nurses was 0800 on site and didn't finish until 1800 hours - most if not all the people with mil experience (of any service or nation) will tell you long days and 5 1/2 or 6 day weeks even when 'at home' are not unknown

[akflightmedic]

Yes not inconcieveable, however...

1. He said it is the Combat Lifesaver Course, not EMT course. I am familiar with this program. It is a first responder class with IV therapy. Not real in depth, they simply teach how to start a large bore IV and how to attach a bag of saline. Thats it.

If you are not familiar with this particular US Military course, you can not comment on it. The military always has their own way of doing things. Again, I am not knocking this class as it is very important over here and I am sure has saved many lives. To send someone to test NR after only completeing CLS is almost a guarenteed failure.

As I said in my previous post, I just do not think it is fair to test these guys at NR after only having CLS. Again I am not saying it can't be done but I wouldnt be surprised if he just didnt have all the information at this time.

I do respect and appreciate what your litle brother is doing and wish him well. This discussion is nothing against him personally, just the course and information provided.

[Dustdevil]

Yes, there really is no fair comparison between CLS and EMT. CLS receives a lot of training that an EMT does not. And an EMT receives a lot of training that a CLS does not. They are two VERY different courses for two very different purposes. From my expriences, I wouldn't say that one is necessarily trained "better" than the other. Just trained different. It's like trying to compare RNs to RTs. Both have the same degree and basically the same amount of education. They just have completely different foci.

But yeah... AK is definitely not belittling the CLS in any way. Those guys are gold out here. And in this place, I'd much rather have a CLS beside me than an EMT. And, of course, having ANY Marine beside you when the defecation hits the oscillation is a comforting thing. Especially if she's hott.

[BushyFromOz]

And, of course, having ANY Marine beside you when the defecation hits the oscillation is a comforting thing. Especially if she's hott.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

LMAO, why does this not catch me off guard anymore?

[scubanurse]

My EMT-B class was 120 hrs crammed into one month...5 days a week, 8 hrs a day...so it def. can be done...I have a green card to show for it too!