Fighting Alongside Infantry?

[Lamb]

Hi there everyone! I've been reading these boards for a little while, picking up information where I can. I have some questions that I'm not finding the answers to in the FAQs. If someone could give me some help, I'd really appreciate it.

So. I'm 22 years old, and I'll be finishing University this summer. I've been intending for a while to do a stint in the army before professional school (med or law), and I have some requirements. I want to be able to get in and get out after four or five years, I want to do a tour overseas, and I want to do something dangerous. (This sounds reckless, I know. I'm not some nut who just to shoot people, but I'm willing to get shot at if necessary, and I figure the Army needs people like that.)

I looked at the jobs online and did the live chat with a recruiter, which was only sort of helpful. I'm still confused about the various jobs. I've always been fascinated by specialists like radio operators and medics, people who work with regular infantry but have their own skills. Reading about the modern military, it seems like the 'combat medic' no longer really exists, and it takes a long time to train to be any kind of medic at all. Signal Ops is interesting, but it seems like they have a very wide range of roles.

Is there a way to make sure I don't spend my Army years as a 'REMF' other than joining something like the Infantry?  Do any of the interesting jobs I remember from books and movies still exist?

Thanks a lot for your time!

 

[medaid]

YOU have requirements of the MILITARY?! WOW... The military by itself is a dangerous job.

You want to get in and out in 4-5 years, you want to do something dangerous, you don't want to be a "REMF" you want this, you want that, but have you actually read anything at ALL? You think people WANT to be shot at? You think the military WANTS people who LOVE to be shot at? You are sorely mistaken and SERIOUSLY uninformed. IMO you haven't and I can see that from your post.

You want to be in 4-5 years and then get out right? Well... surprise, surprise the MedTech trade has an IE of 5 years. Almost EVERYONE in the Army and yes sometimes Navy and often Air Force works with the infantry and other combat arms.

Where'd you read that 'combat medic' no longer "really exist" ? What do you think the Medics in Afghanistan attached to the Infantry platoons, with the PRT and other organizations are doing? Knitting?

Why do you think it takes a long time to train "any kind of medic" ? Maybe because they're GOOD at what they do? Because the knowledge imparted to them are IMPORTANT for their roles? The more EXPERIENCE and EXPOSURE we give our medics in training the more likely they will do better in a theater of operation, maybe, JUST maybe that's why it takes soooo long to train "any kind of medic".

Let me tell you this. I don't WANT "any kind of medic" I want a GOOD medic, and a GOOD medic takes time to train, and it takes long hours and weeks and months to hone and perfect their skills. To update, to refresh to make themselves GOOD at what they do. A combat medic not only has to be good at what they do, they also have to be proficient with that their combat counterparts are doing.

You usage of the term "REMF" is extremely insulting. From what little you have written about the military I can see that your intentions on joining the CF is not to serve, rather it's glory seeking. Every single job in the military is INTERESTING for the people that do them that's why they're doing it.

I'd suggest that you visit your recruiting center and actually READ for a while here.

 

[geo]

Hmmm... Ilet me suggest that you do not want to be one of us..... Combat Engineers.
Not enough glory

BTW, I presume you know the term REMF stands for Rear echelon MFs..... well - guess what?  Not too many rear areas any more.  Truckers, Mechanics, Medics, Storemen and Clerks are all asked to go into harms way.... every time they step out of their tents.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Congrats Lamb, you prob just alienated well over 90% of the posters here who would have been willing to give you advice had you not come across as an arrogant tool. Well done!

 

[aesop081]

:rofl:

Great thread. I'm not really sure of what you are asking. I hope you will come back and clarify what it is you are asking.

"no combat medics" ?

 

[kincanucks]

and I have some requirements

You are so funny.  I strongly suggest you spend some time reading the various threads and the Forces website and just about everything you can get your hands on  that has to do with the CF.  In the meantime go away.

 

[karl28]

      op:  I knew that I would be able to use this Icon at least once here  . Sorry Mods I couldn't help myself

 

[bbell]

is this another "i play rainbow six and i'm awesome, so therefore in real combat i would rule." ?

Lamb, as another potential CF member i have some advice.

1. don't assume you know anything- always ask, don't tell
2. someone on here will almost always know the answer to your question, so again just ask
3. i've worked in medicine for 8 years, apply to med school and in the interview make DEMANDS. that will go over well.

i thought at first your post was a joke. or maybe i'd hoped it was :

 

[Celticgirl]

I came across this thread earlier before anyone had responded. You remember the opening scene of Die Hard with a Vengeance where Willis' character is wearing that sandwich board with the less than PC slogan on it in the middle of Harlem? And we're sitting there watching it and thinking, "Oh God, this is gonna be good...he's gonna get CREAMED...but it's gonna be good!"
  op:

Those are the same exact thoughts I had when I read Lamb's post earler.  ;D

 

[medicineman]

Well, in this person's defence, there is no MOS of "combat medic" in the CF. 

However... since many of those non-infantry but "cool" trades take for ever to train to a level where you're allowed to even just play soldier with the "big boys", and since you just want to hang out for a couple of years, why don't you just join the infantry or other combat arms?

My $0.02.

MM

 

[RHFC_piper]

Lamb,

I don't think you quite understand what we do in the forces, or why we do it.  And I don't think the military will ever meet your "requirements"... I would strongly advise that you reconsider joining.

By the by; sometimes when you get shot at, you actually get shot...  I hope you realize that.

 

[Pea]

it seems like the 'combat medic' no longer really exists, and it takes a long time to train to be any kind of medic at all.

"any kind of medic"...? I'd like to think you'd want to be an excellently trained, highly efficient Medic. As for the "long time to train", well the initial training is now approximately 9.5 months long. That really isn't that long to train to do something as important as care for fellow soldiers, and be in a position to save lives when needed. I've loved every minute of my training so far, and cannot wait to move on to the next portion of it so I can learn even more. The more knowledge and experience I have, the more efficient and useful I'll be.

Oh, and the IE for Med Tech is actually 6 years now.  So I guess that wouldn't work for you, since you want to be "in and out, in 4-5".......

 

[medaid]

Oh, and the IE for Med Tech is actually 6 years now. 

Oh hahaha roger. Thanks for the correction!  ;D

 

[Trinity]

How about Combat Steward?

 

[Michael OLeary]

And that should be enough to give Lamb an idea how his question has been received.

Locked, with the usual caveats, i.e., if you have something new, interesting and useful to add, contact a Moderator.

Milnet.ca Staff


This thread has been unlocked for a response from Lamb as sent to me by PM.  He has been advised it will then be relocked.  Any other attempts to post will be deleted.

 

[Lamb]

I'm actually shocked.

Regarding the use of that acronym: I'm sorry. I picked the term up reading these boards, I didn't realize it was offensive. I found this thread where someone uses it in a similar context and no one calls him out on it. Anyway, I'll certainly stop if it offends people.

Geo, thank you for the clarification. I guess that's a result of asymmetrical warfare?

People seem offended by the word 'requirements'. I guess 'preferences' is a better term? I understand that if I sign up, the Army will know better than I do about where I should go or what I should do. But, honestly, I came to this website after seeing TV commercials about traveling the world and helping its most threatened and disadvantaged people. The website lists a lot of interesting jobs, but all of them (except the combat arms) say that you may end up in an office somewhere, which I don't want to do. It's not like I want to join the army so I can see explosions and win medals. I cannot put this emphatically enough. In my original post I tried to be wry about it, which apparently didn't go over well.  I was careful in my post not to say I "wanted to" be shot at, because no one in their right mind would want that. But if my country needs people who are willing to put themselves in harm's way, then I want to step up.

Med Tech, you spent a lot of your post basically agreeing with me. It takes a long time to train a medic. There is a good reason. Maybe that means it is not a good choice for me. All I'm trying to do is figure out what trades I might want to apply to.

Thank you medicineman for your advice, and for answering my question at all.

Also, are people getting mad at me for wanting to spend ~five years in the CF? Six, as in the case of medics, is fine too of course... I'm just not interested in 'going career' as they say. Both of my parents spent a few years in the militaries of the countries they're from. I thought doing what my mother called a 'stint' and then going back to civilian life was a common and acceptable thing?

That's basically it. I guess I've annoyed the forum and will now be flamed off these boards, which is too bad, because I really respect what members of the CF do and was honestly just looking for some advice. This experience won't stop me from continuing to research and speaking again with a recruiter, however.

Thanks to Michael O'Leary for unlocking the thread.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I will advise all who monitored this thread that Lamb may take time to review things based upon the information he has been provided, and may try a new approach at a later time.  If anyone uses this thread as ammunition to attack him in another thread it will be considered an unwarranted attack and staff may place the offender immediately on the Warning System.

This is your only warning.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[aesop081]

That's basically it. I guess I've annoyed the forum and will now be flamed off these boards,

You wont be. You clarified what you meant, as i hoped you would.