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What should i know about being a Combat Medic?
I'm a student at Job Corps still trying to figure out what i want as a career. I'm just asking so i have a clearer mind about my choices. #Medicalfield #Army
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Jacob’s Answer
Hi, Jacklyn,
While I can't speak broadly on what it is like to be a medic in the Army, I can site my specific experience with medics. I was an Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader and, later, a Mortar Platoon Leader in a light infantry battalion in an infantry brigade combat team. My Rifle Platoon was assigned a line medic. He held a wide range of responsibilities that included:
- Monitoring the physical and mental health of the platoon both in garrison and while deployed
- Providing immediate care for casualties (while deployed) and injuries (in training)
- Helping to resource and execute field sanitation plans (i.e. enabling my Soldiers to maintain as high a standard of personal hygiene while in the field and deployed as possible)
- Helping to plan and execute the Platoon's combat field care training (i.e. training the rest of the Platoon how to treat a casualty or an injured Soldier)
This is one example of MANY roles you could serve in as a medic. I believe either our battalion or our brigade maintained its own aid station. Our battalion's medics also staffed the aid station during sick call in the mornings and maintained a presence there throughout the day.
Again, medics serve a variety of roles. If this career is something you're interested in, I'd suggest doing as much research online as possible (see the link below for a good starting point). If, after thorough research, you are still interested, it might be a good idea to reach out to a recruiter to get some more information.
I hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions about this specific inquiry or the Army in general. Good luck!
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/medical-and-emergency/combat-medic-specialist.html
While I can't speak broadly on what it is like to be a medic in the Army, I can site my specific experience with medics. I was an Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader and, later, a Mortar Platoon Leader in a light infantry battalion in an infantry brigade combat team. My Rifle Platoon was assigned a line medic. He held a wide range of responsibilities that included:
- Monitoring the physical and mental health of the platoon both in garrison and while deployed
- Providing immediate care for casualties (while deployed) and injuries (in training)
- Helping to resource and execute field sanitation plans (i.e. enabling my Soldiers to maintain as high a standard of personal hygiene while in the field and deployed as possible)
- Helping to plan and execute the Platoon's combat field care training (i.e. training the rest of the Platoon how to treat a casualty or an injured Soldier)
This is one example of MANY roles you could serve in as a medic. I believe either our battalion or our brigade maintained its own aid station. Our battalion's medics also staffed the aid station during sick call in the mornings and maintained a presence there throughout the day.
Again, medics serve a variety of roles. If this career is something you're interested in, I'd suggest doing as much research online as possible (see the link below for a good starting point). If, after thorough research, you are still interested, it might be a good idea to reach out to a recruiter to get some more information.
I hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions about this specific inquiry or the Army in general. Good luck!
Jacob recommends the following next steps:
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david’s Answer
That it is a great career field. But it also depends on your goals for long term. Your already thinking of military professions so you should understand that you are eligible to so many different types of jobs. But for medical (68W) you have to broad avenues. One being attached to a combat unit, or working in a clinic or hospital.