Army Ranger Medics

[Civiguy]

Rangers,

As stated in my introduction, my goal is to become an Army Ranger Medic. I have kept quiet for some time, but as I approach my 17th birthday, I've decided its time to start getting more information.

1) I understand medics in the "big Army" are sometimes put in aid stations and hospitals. If I become a Ranger Medic, would there be a possibility of I going to a aid station or hospital?

2) I read that there is a special course Ranger Medics go through to further their knowledge in aiding wounded men on the battlefield. I believe it was SOCOM. Is there any other course that I would be able to attend besides that, or is that the only course I would need to be an outstanding medic.

3) If I were to make it through Ranger school, would it be possible for me to be a team leader?



Thank you Rangers for the time and service.

[hit_it]

I will only address question #1.

Ranger Medics work in and aid station too, as all Army units have aid stations to treat their own people.

[UNATAINABLE E5]

pm inbound

[ChipOnShoulder]

I spent alot of time, effort, heartbreak, sweat, blood and tears to stay out of the hospital as a medic. You will eat alot of crow since you are viewed as support. Working in a hospital as a POG Medic was my worst nightmare. I was also the only SOB to get exactly what he wanted out of the military, and that was to be a Platoon Medic in the same Batt., Company, Platoon and squad for nearly my entire enlistment (No more / no less)

Was it worth the extra effort - YES!!

Bravo 57 taught many things to HQ platoon, but the one fact that has stuck with me now for 7+ years after I got out and 2+ years in Iraq was: "What you do in Battalion and how you were as a Ranger will follow you for the rest of your life."

Well, it has followed me and helped me. The most valuable item on my DD214 besides the Honorable Discharge is the losing unit block stating that I was in the 75th. The experience was worth more than college degrees and everything I have since done in my life, -before and after.

My advice is to go for it if you really want it. Don't ever quit (you will have bad days), be a strong field medic and hang with the platoon: ie, don't fucking fall out and see your time through. Don't half ass it. Bear in mind that you will work your ass off, putting in time when the rest of the Company is off.

Duties as I remember them:

1! 1! 1! 1! - Know basic infantry skills like BRM. Know most of the weapons in a Platoon. A Battalion Surgeon once told me that I was a Ranger first and medic second. Bear in mind that you won't be much good in the field if you can't hack the field or you are dead. Lots of great medics, better than me, were not worth a shit in the field and always fell to the wayside. Everyone is initially on their own when your feet hit the ground on tarmac after you jump. The Geneva Convention can get fucked since today's bad guys don't follow it and never heard of it.

2 - Know basic field medicine "Sticks and Rags!"
3 - Know clinical medicine.
4 - Know how to teach medicine using basic language - This one is hard.
5 - Live the Creed even if it burns you. There are elements of the creed that reach back into our childhood psyche. I swear it was designed to be that way - Those that live it know what I am talking about.

Good Luck

[Civiguy]

I will only address question #1.

Ranger Medics work in and aid station too, as all Army units have aid stations to treat their own people.

SFC hit_it,

Thank you for your answer. If working in an aid station for my first enlistment means I would be able to go into the field for my second, it would be worth it.

[Civiguy]

pm inbound

Ranger UNATAINABLE E5,

Received and replied.

[Civiguy]

I spent alot of time, effort, heartbreak, sweat, blood and tears to stay out of the hospital as a medic. You will eat alot of crow since you are viewed as support. Working in a hospital as a POG Medic was my worst nightmare. I was also the only SOB to get exactly what he wanted out of the military, and that was to be a Platoon Medic in the same Batt., Company, Platoon and squad for nearly my entire enlistment (No more / no less)

Was it worth the extra effort - YES!!

Bravo 57 taught many things to HQ platoon, but the one fact that has stuck with me now for 7+ years after I got out and 2+ years in Iraq was: "What you do in Battalion and how you were as a Ranger will follow you for the rest of your life."

Well, it has followed me and helped me. The most valuable item on my DD214 besides the Honorable Discharge is the losing unit block stating that I was in the 75th. The experience was worth more than college degrees and everything I have since done in my life, -before and after.

My advice is to go for it if you really want it. Don't ever quit (you will have bad days), be a strong field medic and hang with the platoon: ie, don't fucking fall out and see your time through. Don't half ass it. Bear in mind that you will work your ass off, putting in time when the rest of the Company is off.

Duties as I remember them:

1! 1! 1! 1! - Know basic infantry skills like BRM. Know most of the weapons in a Platoon. A Battalion Surgeon once told me that I was a Ranger first and medic second. Bear in mind that you won't be much good in the field if you can't hack the field or you are dead. Lots of great medics, better than me, were not worth a shit in the field and always fell to the wayside. Everyone is initially on their own when your feet hit the ground on tarmac after you jump. The Geneva Convention can get fucked since today's bad guys don't follow it and never heard of it.

2 - Know basic field medicine "Sticks and Rags!"
3 - Know clinical medicine.
4 - Know how to teach medicine using basic language - This one is hard.
5 - Live the Creed even if it burns you. There are elements of the creed that reach back into our childhood psyche. I swear it was designed to be that way - Those that live it know what I am talking about.

Good Luck

Ranger Doc Cook,

This post has been very helpful. I refuse to be the medic that can't last with infantry units. Ranger infantry units are the reason I would to join the Army as a medic. If I was concerned about the Geneva Convention, I wouldn't join the Army.

Thank you very much for your reply!

[UNATAINABLE E5]

A Battalion Surgeon once told me that I was a Ranger first and medic second.

Would that have been Dr ''5 signs of infection in latin'' Kotwal?

[Sleepy Doc]

Coulda been the cat before him. He trained us to the level of 3rd year medical students and he was in the President's Hundred. He could shoot better standing unsupported than most people could prone supported..

PM inbound Civiguy

[ChipOnShoulder]

Ran into him last year up in Maryland

- Yes, Dr. President's Hundred.

[panthersix]

When I got to Hardrock Charlie in '79 the company was short of school trained medics so Doc Donovan was Leading the Way by instituting his own brand of Combat Lifesavers. "Doc" Friedman was being trained OJT after doing at least one tour as an 11B. Doc Friedman was a damned good medic and didn't need to attend the US ARMY 91 "bandaid" school!

Why were they so short on medics? I was told that right before I joined the company three medics burned into Rock DZ on one parachute. I can't verify the jump but that is what I'm told!

My first day with my platoon was before the Mortar Platoon was broken into Weapons Platoon Squads. I joined them at Benning in the mud out at the range. When I jumped off the duece a Ranger 1LT pointed to a bunch of testing stations in the mud. Each had a 60mm tube with an 11C Ranger at it.

The LT told me to take the Gunner's Exam. Even though I'd never seen or touched a 60mm tube, I took the exam. At each station the Ranger evaluator gave me a quick "Task, Conditions, and Standards" speech, then I tried like hell to make the standard. I didn't make any that day.

However, I later worked my way up to AG (okay, okay I just dropped a round down the tube) with mortars. But I'd also haul ammo to the guns, help set the aiming stakes, anything to help out the squad.

Except when we had a short willy pete round at OP4 at Stuart and I jumped under Cpl Scott has he sought cover behind the only log on the range! Thanks to Cpl Gilbert I got through RIP and got to go to Ranger School and get my tab as a PFC Medic.

Did I get to work in the clinic? Hells yeah, and it was fun to be around all the leg medics in their "whites" as Ranger Medics always wore their cammies back then. Did we get to ride along with Savannah EMS on calls? Hells yeah we did and that was fun too. All told, I spent about 3 or 4 weeks at both the clinic and the ride alongs out of 19 months in the Bn.

C. Co. Weapons was an incredible experience for a Ranger Medic! Except when they were going to throw me out of the third floor window in a wall locker as my initiation into the platoon. Luckily Jewel talked Ski out of it before I had to do a PLF inside a wall locker!

I don't know if I answered your question, but if you're going to be a Ranger Medic and want your Rangers to take care of you, then you'll have to know your shit, take care of your Rangers, and be able to carry a medic ruck and ammo for your platoon too. Rangers are Ranger first, then whatever MOS they are, if and when, it suits the mission. If you are weak of mind, spirit and body, then you will fall by the wayside.

Doc McCalip

[Sleepy Doc]

I remember my first PL (Ape-shit crazy long Tabber who started life in 1st Batt..) telling me that the job of the Platoon medic is one of the most important in the Army. He said that a good medic vs. and outstanding medic can mean the difference between mission failure and success.

If the medic is a shitbag, then the joes will worry about their safety or not work with him altogether, thus being distracted from the job at hand.

On the other hand, if they have an excellent medic they have one less thing to worry about. They realize that no matter what happens, "Doc" has their back and will do everything in his power to get them home alive. They, in turn, can get down to the business of killin' and blowin' shit up.

[UNATAINABLE E5]

I remember my first PL (Ape-shit crazy long Tabber who started life in 1st Batt..) telling me that the job of the Platoon medic is one of the most important in the Army. He said that a good medic vs. and outstanding medic can mean the difference between mission failure and success.

If the medic is a shitbag, then the joes will worry about their safety or not work with him altogether, thus being distracted from the job at hand.

On the other hand, if they have an excellent medic they have one less thing to worry about. They realize that no matter what happens, "Doc" has their back and will do everything in his power to get them home alive. They, in turn, can get down to the business of killin' and blowin' shit up.

that sums up the day to day mental goal I had for myself as a platoon medic

[Buns175]

I remember my first PL (Ape-shit crazy long Tabber who started life in 1st Batt..) telling me that the job of the Platoon medic is one of the most important in the Army. He said that a good medic vs. and outstanding medic can mean the difference between mission failure and success.

If the medic is a shitbag, then the joes will worry about their safety or not work with him altogether, thus being distracted from the job at hand.

On the other hand, if they have an excellent medic they have one less thing to worry about. They realize that no matter what happens, "Doc" has their back and will do everything in his power to get them home alive. They, in turn, can get down to the business of killin' and blowin' shit up.

that sums up the day to day mental goal I had for myself as a platoon medic

And although a shitbag , I know that no one ever worried about yo skillz.