I'd like to drop a quick SITREP. A little over a year ago, I graduated medical school and reported to William Beaumont Army Medical Center (Ft. Bliss TX) on active duty for my intern year of training. Two months ago, I graduated my intern training and have since been at another location in TX for officer training, with graduation tomorrow. Our class included physicians, PA's, nurses, mental health providers, vets, dentists, and plenty of 70 Bravos (medical service corps). On the bright side, I've lost several pounds over the last two months; on the downside, my legs hurt like hell when I got here from trying to square away my run time over my last couple of months Ft Bliss. I gimped my way through the APFT and put off imaging until I had completed the required exercises, now x-ray and bone scan this last week showed a grade II stress fracture in my left lower leg, potentially another in my right. So that's awesome
Plenty of prior service guys here, mostly former medics; SF, 82nd Airborne, 25th ID, 101st, 10th Mountain, 173rd. As I've learned over the years on ArmyRanger.com and my little time on active duty, I got to know these guys and tried to learn as much as possible. Specifically, in my tent, I got to know an Audie Murphy member with four deployments who was a great resource, full of insight. When some of these guys talk, you just know you need to snatch up their insights like a dog snatching up bacon bits off the kitchen floor. In addition to learning from these guys, I've made some great friends here as well. I wasn't the biggest fan of my platoon's active duty cadre, but our two civilian cadre were a retired SF individual and a retired "Batt Boy" who was an absolute riot. We spent several weeks being tortured with PowerPoint, followed by three weeks "in the field"; yes, the tents were air conditioned, we did have showers, we did come back on post for the weekends. I'm sure everyone can see what's coming - YES, people STILL complained. What I enjoyed about my short AMEDD field experience was 1) I wasn't writing patient notes, 2) I was hanging out with a bunch of cool freaking guys around the clock, and they were freaking PAYING ME for it, and 3) to be looked at as above average, all one has to do is stay motivated. When I wasn't feeling motivated, I just faked it, and eventually I begin believing it, and I was motivated again. It was kind of an interesting experience in that way. And I can't forget 4) field mustache.
After graduation tomorrow, we break into training specific to our area of concentration. Mine will be about a week long, all of us physicians lumped together. Then, I've been approved for what is purportedly some high speed training on battlefield trauma, which may or may not involve some goats and/or pigs. Once that is complete, I'll drive several hundred miles to the northwest where I'm assigned as a battalion surgeon to a unit that is, according to the local media, headed downrange later this year. Naturally, it's somewhat intimidating to think about, but also exciting to know that my days as on O-3 without shit on my right shoulder are now limited
. The PA that is currently assigned to this unit was coincidentally in the area this last week for a week of his own training, so we were able to meet. Fortunate for me, he seems to be a great guy who is intent on doing everything he can to help me. He's informed me that the unit's command climate is great, very reasonable. Additionally, he states that his(our) NCO's are super squared away, all with deployment experience. He assures me I'm walking into an excellent set of circumstances, and I couldn't be happier. A couple of guys (and gals ) I met here are also headed to the same place as myself.If some of the units/locations/training I mentioned are somewhat vague, I wanted to err on the side of not violating OPSEC; I'm not sure how specific is too specific. As always, thank you all for your service, and thank you for all the great advice and insight over the years.
