Prior AF medic

[Jim]

Welcome! If you truly want to earn a place in the 75th Ranger Regiment, you are at the right site. Most questions have been addressed at least once. Use the search feature, located on the top right of thie page. We have a number of Ranger medics on the site; one will be along to address your question. Never, never quit!

[Sleepy Doc]

To my knowledge, they do not allow non-medics to attend SOCM. That being said, there have been instances where one to "reclass" as it were, once they got to their assigned Battalion. The one case in particular that I recall was a good friend of mine, Marcus Muralles. However, he was a prior service Army medic (then MOS 91B) so it was just a matter of him being re-assigned by the Battalion Sergeant Major.

In your case, however, things are different. If you make it through RASP, you may get lucky and they find out your background assigning you to the Aid Station as "slave labor". They would let you do as much or as little as the BSurg would allow, until such time as you can re-class 68W and go to SOCM proper. A more likely scenario is that you will have to drive on as an 11B, and keep that prior AF medic thing under your hat until it is time for your first re-enlistment. If I'm not mistaken, you can re-class MOS on your first re-up. Believe me, if you didn't get the royal treatment to re-up in the AF, you will in Batt. When you are in your re-up window they can, and will, move mountains to get you what you want. Especially if you indicate that you are going to stay in the Regiment. I have seen them go as far as to get people schools that they weren't allowed by MOS (a non-11B going to sniper school. completely unheard of) The trick is to not be a fuck-up and be someone they want to retain.

Here is my advice to you, If I may; First and foremost, concentrate on getting your ass through RASP and assigned to a Battalion. That should be your most immediate task. Keep you prior-service training and experience under wraps. It has been a while since I was in, but I'll bet this one thing has not changed; they don't give a shit about what you did before (unless it was getting a Ranger Tab). You are an Infantryman now. I suggest you keep a low profile, learn as much as you can, get as much training as you can (to include going to Ranger School and getting a Tab) The time will come when your prior-service skills will come in handy, especially if you get the chance to switch MOS and go to SOCM. However, I'm willing to bet that if you saw how the Ranger Medical section operates you would see they have their own way of doing things. Not to discount what you have done, but it is vastly different from what you have learned. That is why they have SOCM to begin with. When I was still in the Regiment we were trying to get Ranger Medic as a separate MOS because it is that different from what everyone else does. (unfortunately, some plain-vanilla people at MEDCOM got their panties in a twist and said "wah! that is BS! how can YOU get your own MOS?.." SOCM became the compromise)

Fuck, man! Enjoy being an 11B while you can! That is the heart & soul of the Army. Without ground-pounders there is no Army. 11Bs get to do some cool-ass shit that nobody else does. Your prior service shit will count for promotion points, and if you play your cards right, you can be an E-5 within two years. Just keep you ass in top physical shape and your nose clean. DO NOT get a DUI! To quote Keith David from the movie Platoon, "Just keep you dick hard and your powder dry, and the world will turn"

[Sleepy Doc]

Don't think of it as "giving up" on doing it. You are just putting it on hold for a little bit. Even though you were in a different branch, you have a distinct leg up on the first timers. You already know how the military works and how to conduct yourself. Most of the guys I knew that were prior service did really well once they got to Batt. The key is staying in physical shape. If you are in good fitness, you will get Ranger school slot sooner than later. For an 11B (and everyone else, for that matter..) in Batt, that Tab is everything. Nothing happens without that. Hopefully you will see what I mean someday. Knowing what I know now (read: if I had a resource like this site available to me), I would have fought tooth and nail to get a Ranger school slot rather than go to paramedic school at the time. But lets not get ahead of ourselves...

RASP. You have to get through that first. Sounds like you made it to the gate, and that is good. However, this is where it gets tough. You will have to put in that extra effort in everything you do from now on. Don't know how much time you have, but if you are weak on something, you need to work on it. Today. Right Now. Hopefully, you are in top physical shape, for that would take the longest and the most effort to improve, and you just don't have that kind of time. Land Nav? Hope you are good at it. If you haven't yet, learn a little Ranger History. Better yet, learn a LOT of Ranger history. This website is a goldmine of information for you.

When the rubber hits the road, draw on whatever you have learned in your flight training in the Air Force. As aircrew, I'm sure they put you through some type of fucked up SERE kinda shit, where you were kept cold, hungry and tired, yet still had to drive on. That is your ace in the hole. They can't intentionally kill you, and at some point they must let you sleep and eat. You've done this before, now its time to do it again. Just don't look too far down the road. Concentrate on what is in front of you here and now.

Play your cards right, and you will be a rockstar Ranger Medic before you know it.

By the way, were you aware the 18D medical training and SOCM are one in the same? Have you thought about doing your time as a grunt in Batt, getting yer Tab (and whatever else you can), then going to selection and trying for 18D? I know more dudes who did that than I can count.

[Jim]

Roger that Ranger Sleepy Doc. I'm going to stay the course and see how it plays out. As far as land nav, I got 7 of 8 of my points in the STAR course, which I dont think is too bad, and am working on my PT, Ranger history, and basic infantry knowledge with the rest of these guys waiting for RASP orders. I don't see myself going through SFAS again. I have a bad taste in my mouth from the whole Xray program. I'll keep you updated!

Memorize the Ranger Creed if you have not already.

[rangertough]

Doc gave you excellent advice (as usual). I would like to add that being a "Line Dog" first and then being "Doc" can not hurt you. All experience in the Regiment (even being a cook) can benefit you in whatever your final chosen field is.

Tough

[cams]

Doc gave you excellent advice (as usual). I would like to add that being a "Line Dog" first and then being "Doc" can not hurt you. All experience in the Regiment (even being a cook) can benefit you in whatever your final chosen field is.

Tough

So true. I cannot think of anything that has prepared me better for all the curve balls life can throw at you, than time spent in Batt.

Good luck on your journey stud.

[goon175]

Honestly dude, your medical skills might not even be on par with most 11B TL's and SL's in battalion, as most get sent to be NREMT-I, do rotations in an ambulance and in the ER, etc. as well as having combat trauma experience. I have heard more than one Ranger Medic say that the average 11B in battalion has more medical experience than the average 68W in the big army. I would say you should focus on RASP (I mean hell, you didn't make the cut at SFAS, who's to say you will in RASP?), and then focus on learning your job as a Ranger. If after you get there and do a deployment or two you decide you still want to be a Ranger medic, then you can re-enlist for the MOS change as others above have stated.