Should I be an EMT?

[firecoins]

PJ falls under AFSOC. So it is Special Operations by definition, but...

The term "Special Forces" is reserved for any 18 series MOS of the US Army. Though the terms have become more and more widespread, PJ is not Special Forces but rather a seperate special operations asset. Just as Navy SEALs are considered a special operations unit, but are not regarded as the "Special Forces" in the military community because they are from the dept of the Navy, not Army.
In the Navy, most SOF are in Navy Special Warfare. While in the Army, most SOF are in Special Forces Goups

Does that help at all?

In one sentence: All combat branches have Special Operations, but only the Army has Special Forces.


As far as the scariest medical guys I've ever met, it'd definitely be an 18D

actually thats very helpful.

whats an 18D?

 

[SwissEMT]

Special Operations Medical Sergeant.

 

[Guardian]

here's my two cents. "Medics" in the Army and Navy Corpsman are basically emt-basics with extra emphasis on trauma patients. They don't know very much about medicine in general and would be lost if they had to treat an asthma attack, MI, pediatric, overdose, etc. etc. etc. However, give them a a young man whose been shot and they will keep him alive until the medivac gets there. I've helped to train special forces medics and they're a entirely different animal. They have fairly extensive training in general medical care as well as extensive training in ems. They can do a heck of a lot more than most paramedics (venous cutdowns, chest tubes, minor surgeries, veterinary medicine, etc.). I respect these guys; however, once they quit the military, all they have to show for their training is a NREMT-P card.

 

[SwissEMT]

...or a job in the Private Security Industry
...or a job in the Austere Medicine Training industry
...or work for the government


I have pics somewhere of a chest tube done by a "DoD" medic with a cut camelback bladder, part of an IV package and a few other tidbits.

 

[firecoins]

It sounds to me like these men are prepped to go to PA-C school. According to wikipedia, a PA-C position was created exactly to deal with well trained military personnel who were returning to civilian life.

 

[mfrjason]

The EMT training isnt a bad thing to have if you go into the air force or coast guard but the best thing to do is get your EMT schooling first before you go into the military cuz otherwise you are gonna end up being weighed way down with all the classes you will be taking while at the academy.

 

[Luno]

mil medics

Ahhhh, another mil chestbeater session, okay, ex-USAF here, so let me throw my .02 in. In my opinion, there are different jobs within mil med, and each is trained to their specific job parameters... There are things that an 18d is trained to do, that pjs/docs (navy corpsman, aka USMCspeak "doc") aren't, there are things that pjs are trained to do, that and 18d or a doc isn't, the same with the docs. I will say that I've been very impressed with PJs med, having worked with them, I've learned some very interesting and eye opening things working with the docs, and I've learned some new cocktails by working with 18d's. But in my opinion, and strictly my opinion, some of the scariest most eye opening med I've ever seen hasn't been from a mil medic. That being said, I've worked with sf/spec ops medically trained personnel that I wouldn't trust to hand me a pair of nitrile gloves. It's more about the personality and dedication of the person than the training. That being said, and in the humor of this conversation, myself and another well known tactical medic were talking about our courses that we teach, and the differences between civilian and military medics in the tactical field. Well, we discussed patient count, and the different ways we approach problems because of the way we've done things. Then we got on to the subject of how mil medics occasionally look down at civi medics, then it was brought up, the only time we'd need an 18d, is if someone's goat needed saving..... (it's an inside joke )

 

[BossyCow]

We have an ex military medic on our squad who is the best person to have with you on a nice juicy trauma call. But the look on his face when I show up on call for a female with belly pain is a relief close to tears! Awesome training for trauma, but a gitter done sort of attitude that can be problematic on the calls needing more finesse. It's an attitude shift that not all can make. I've seen some who did. Case in point, very dear friend was a medic in the army, became a PA after he retired and he's now an ER doc somewhere in TX.

 

[Glorified]

I'd like to ask a stupid question.

Can you get your nremt-p training first and then try out for pararescue and not have to take as many courses as your peers that do not already have nremt-p? Basically can a paramedic join pararescue without taking ALL the classes?

 

[Jon]

I'd like to ask a stupid question.

Can you get your nremt-p training first and then try out for pararescue and not have to take as many courses as your peers that do not already have nremt-p? Basically can a paramedic join pararescue without taking ALL the classes?

Probably not... the Military would probably want you to go through "their" training from a legal/liability standpoint, so they could say that you ween through ALL appropriate training. However, you'd probably have a jump-start on most of the class.

Jon

 

[firecoins]

I'd like to ask a stupid question.

Can you get your nremt-p training first and then try out for pararescue and not have to take as many courses as your peers that do not already have nremt-p? Basically can a paramedic join pararescue without taking ALL the classes?

I agree the Air Force would probably not let you opt out of the class. I would still take the nremt-p class and let the air force one be a refresher. This way you can focus on the more physical aspects of the training program which has an 80% drop out rate.

 

[BossyCow]

I'd like to ask a stupid question.

Can you get your nremt-p training first and then try out for pararescue and not have to take as many courses as your peers that do not already have nremt-p? Basically can a paramedic join pararescue without taking ALL the classes?

First: The only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask.
Second:Why would you want to opt out of available training? The more classes and training you get, the better. There will be enough you don't know after taking all the classes to keep you busy for a while. Why up the ante by minimizing the amount of training?

 

[Glorified]

Good point. I am watching this National Geographic Channel special on PJ's that is killing all notions in my mind of ever wanting to be a PJ. These guys are twice as tough as SEALS.

 

[firecoins]

I am sure SEALs don't think that. That being said, it appears that PJs have a higher drop out rate which like a university makes them more prestigious?

 

[SwissEMT]

the only time we'd need an 18d, is if someone's goat needed saving..... (it's an inside joke )

I know some guys who take that too well lol

I'm not sure that this could really be a .mil chestbeater session. No marines are participating.
I've had great experiences with the few SOF medicine guys I've met, but this was surely in a different setting from yours.
In the end, your mileage may vary.
Are you a TEMS instructor?

 

[SwissEMT]

I am sure SEALs don't think that. That being said, it appears that PJs have a higher drop out rate which like a university makes them more prestigious?

Different tools for the job. Trying to debate which is more "elite" is just plain dumb.

 

[firecoins]

Different tools for the job. Trying to debate which is more "elite" is just plain dumb.

The Marines consider themselves the best. They didn't want Force Recon to be "special" because they are than saying these Marines are even better? I read that somewhere. Than they gave up on that idea recently and joined the joint special operations command?

 

[Glorified]

I am sure SEALs don't think that. That being said, it appears that PJs have a higher drop out rate which like a university makes them more prestigious?

Yeah, I'm sure they don't think that. No, that last statement applies neither to universities or military groups. Like the guy above me said, arguing about it is dumb.