60%

[DRM]

Thank you for the wisdom, Ranger Silverback. I'll be sure to speak about that to the first-year cadets tomorrow.

-DRM

[Sleepy Doc]

When I ETS'd in 2001 I had to go to a refresher course to keep my paramedic license current. During the class there were some people bitching about their being expected to remember how to use a KED in the field at night & during adverse weather.

(For those non-high speed types, KED stands for Kendrick Extraction Device. It's a short blue thing that kind of resembles a semi-rigid straight jacket. It is used for non life threatening patients who have a suspected back injury while in a seated position, such as a car accident. It has several straps and takes several minutes of some manipulating to apply. The patient looks like a baby in a papoose when done correctly.)

So these non-hackers were arguing that they should not have to be held to using the device when called for. It is a skill that everyone had to learn as an EMT, but most have never used one or it has been a very long time since they have. "Whah! Why should we have to use it in the rain and snow? It takes too long!.. Whah!.."

Needless to say I couldn't believe my fucking ears. Most of the trolls in the class knew each other and have worked together before. I was a total stranger in the room and didn't give a shit about offending anyone. "Are you fucking kidding me!?..", quoth I. "Bad weather is EXACTLY when we need to be proficient in it's use!.. " I then went on to remind everyone in the room that as paramedics, we were responsible for every aspect of patient care, and use of all our equipment. If they weren't comfortable using a KED at night in the rain then they needed to bust one out and get wet, and make sure their people were up to speed also. (Sound familiar?..) They needed to practice in the most adverse conditions, so that using it in ideal conditions would be a piece of cake.

You can guess that I got a few under the breath comments like "Who does he think he is?.." and "Who pissed in his wheaties?..". I didn't give a shit. I was trained by motherfuckers like DC Ranger and his comrades. I did much push-push If I didn't meet the standard. They made us learn how to do IV's in the back of a moving aircraft under blackout conditions with nods. We got smoked if we started an IV and any blood got loose. We had to learn how to use a KED in an aircraft hull on an upside-down patient. They never let us forget that we were working on real people, and if we fucked up someone would die. Most of the medics had lost friends in Somalia and elsewhere, and too the work very seriously.

Being trained to that level has paid off. The new paramedics seek me out to precept them and if I go to a call there are sighs of relief and "Thank God its you showing up". I know I'm not the best at my job, but I'm on my A-game because dudes like DC Ranger and others wouldn't accept anything less than excellence. (The guy who is the best is a bad motherfucker, though..)

60% indeed..

[Darksaga]

We have a couple Specialist who fall into the "special" category. Last week I was pulled aside by the SSG that is in charge them while here at school. He wanted to run his thought by someone.

His problem was that these individuals are wanting recommendation for promotion. They see advancement to SGT as a pay increase and simply dont realize the responsibilities that go along with being an NCO.

We went over the paperwork documentation to support his lack of recommendation but he still wasn't comfortable.

I asked him 1) Do they know how to be an NCO 2) Do they want the pay or the responsibility 3) Would you trust them with lives.

All three answers were No, pay, No

So I recommended that he put that in his write up.

Then we talked about how to make those three questions into a yes, responsibility and yes answers. That talk took a lot longer.

[Rico]

I think you should make it a sticky SB, it should be read by all.

[Ranger Ron]

I think you should make it a sticky SB, it should be read by all.

...Because it applies to every facet of life!!!

[42L5V]

Damn good bump. I've been slacking a bit as of lately mentally, physically, etc. Good to be reminded why I don't want to ever be mediocre in anything. Thanks, Dan.

[Oto-Man]

If I could find 5...yes just 5...cillyvillians that were willing to even give a lousy 60%, I'd be a happy guy--and that's pathetic...It would LITERALLY double my income and I wouldn't have to work 70 hour weeks...

And trust me, 60% at THIS job is insanely easy.
9-5 M-F.
"Work"-4 times per week, 1.5 hours each time. Potential to Make $650-$975 each time you work. 60% of that means about $2300 a week....

You would think that THAT would be enough to motivate someone at their.....





wait for it......











JOB!!!!!!!! (You know...the place they go to earn money!!!)

But...nooooooooo....nobody wants to work...they don't want to work at it....they don't want to get better...they want it all HANDED to them....and EXPECT it to be so....

They spend more time trying to find a way to NOT do their job than they ever do actually DOING their job. Makes me wanna puke....

On the other side of the coin:
I hired a guy about a year and a half ago...over the phone...he was in Michigan, and if we hired him, we were going to pay his relocation expenses...He was looking at 3 different companies to come work for in Florida.

After an hour and a half on the phone, he asked me the following question:

"I'm just curious about the income potential, If you don't mind me asking, what kind of money do you make and DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AVERAGE????!!!! "

My instant response was "If I thought for one second I was average, I'd put a fookin' bullet in my head!" I then disclosed my income from that end of the job and the call ended soon after. (He told me later that it was that comment alone that had made the choice for him to work for us).

He came to work for us, went through training with me, and two months later---exceeded MY best month by over $20k in sales.

He has continued to be a huge asset to the company, and I never have to wonder what the hell he's doing....ever...He's selling hearing aids... 5 of him and I am on the beach by 1400 every day!!!!

Didn't mean to Hijack this thread (if it reads that way), just trying to verify SB's point.