Medical Restructure

[combat_medic]

size 6 OPA swallowing, [Big Grin] female Ptes

Ah Borden, so many terrible memories of nasty shack rats.

I agree that the whole restructure makes medical training more accessible (in theory, and only in the Regular Force), in practice, it simply helps to alienate the medical personal from the combat arms... or as Infanteer puts it; the pointy end. You‘ll end up with a bunch of medics who are knowledgeable about medical skills, but who could spend the duration of their career in the reserves without ever actually laying hands on a REAL person who‘s REALLY injured.

And no wonder they‘re losing personnel, with this decision alone, their numbers will probably dwindle even further than they could have imagined. Maybe that will kick them in the arse enough to re-start the trade of combat/field/troop medic, but I‘m not holding my breath. Maybe if they want to retain their trained soldiers, they might want to stop screwing them around at every possible avenue. I‘ve been facing the brunt of their incompetance for 4 years now, and I‘m amazed that I haven‘t left sooner, and that so many have stayed.

 

[Spr.Earl]

They started this back in 97 when I went to Bosnia.
The Medic‘s where pooled and then doled out as higher saw fit.They were moved about and worked with everyone never staying long with any one Troop or Platoon.
Needless to say they were very unhappy.

 

[Brad Sallows]

I don‘t have much sympathy for destructive rumours and misinterpretation of policy, so you will have to forgive my curtness. There are four possibilities:

1) You weren‘t provided an opportunity to read the letter.
2) You didn‘t read the letter.
3) You didn‘t read the letter carefully.
4) You didn‘t comprehend the letter despite reading it carefully.

What is actually happening:

As promised months ago in the Mutual Support Agreement between LFC and ADM-HR(Mil), all detached (employed in non-medical units) reserve medics are being "validated". Those who are not validated will have options limited to: employment (parading) with a medical unit, transfer to Primary Reserve List (if applicable), remuster, or release.

Every reserve medic should _already_ be joined to a local reserve medical company / field ambulance - on paper. Those that have not yet been administratively scooped up, soon will be. All that necessarily implies is paperwork: a transfer "to" the medical unit, and a request for attached posting "back to" the employing (eg. infantry) unit.

The only medics in danger of a change of employment are those who are not validated. If you are employed primarily as a medic, maintain your qualifications including completion of the Maintenance of Clinical Skills Program (MCSP), and are generally an all-round effective and useful soldier/medic, you should be validated. If you are the unit Odd Jobs NCO, can‘t or won‘t complete MCSP, or otherwise can‘t meet the expected standards of employability, you will probably not be validated.

 

[kiltedtradesman]

Thanks for clearing that up Brad.

Makes sense to clean house in some units.

:soldier:

 

[combat_medic]

Brad, I did read the letter, and I recently got another one that said that all medics will be transfered, and NOT attach posted back. They will be required to parade regularly at a medical company IN ADDITION to doing MCSP unless they live so far from a medical unit that it would be prohibative to do so. If you want any courses, tasking or promotions then you must be a regular parading member of a medical company. Parading with any other unit is not considered. This was made abundantly and exceedingly clear to me.

I was told this directly by several Senior NCOs, and had it confirmed when I received a letter this week from the CFMS/CFHS/whatever. There is very little room for grey area or misinterpretation. It states very clearly that all medics must parade with a medical company on a regular basis, as well as attending MCSP yearly. In understood about the whole "transfer on paper" arrangement they made earlier, but this recent development changes all that, and it seems the attach posting was simply a guise for this eventual clawback.

In addition, MCSP is so disgustingly simple, that if anyone out there couldn‘t pass it blindfolded and with a hangover, then I would weep for their inclusion in the medical system.

If you don‘t believe me, then send me a PM and I‘ll quote you directly from the letter I‘m being required to sign.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Attending MCSP will not be difficult for medics parading with medical units since it is likely to be built right into the training plan.

If medics geographically close to medical units are obligated to parade with medical units, that is a new wrinkle. I will have to do some digging to see what, if any, new information I‘ve missed.

 

[Armymedic]

Nice to see you on Army.ca Brad...

I sense this is a reserve force issue, which I have no real understanding of, but I can speak for the Reg Med Services side.....

The Med Tech who are attached to cbt arm units in 2 CMBG have tended to stay at their respective units for atleast one yr (and up to 4 so far). Medics who have been promoted (like me being torn from Para Coy after promotion )or going on a career course are rotated or replaced so that the UMS always has its proper manning.

To say that medic who do not stay with a cbt arms unit for a long time will not learn the nessecary skills related to the trade is a little full of themselves. To fit into the 031 related job is not that difficult and if the soldier is motivated, fit, and knowledgable, it doesn‘t take a whole bunch of time to know how to live and where to be in all phases of the job.

You‘re a soldier, suck it up...don‘t like it?

SEE YA

 

[combat_medic]

I‘m not implying that it takes forever to figure out the skills, but in the reserve world, that time is made even longer, and if some Med Coy medic only shows up on med support for 2 or 3 exercises of 2 days a piece in an entire training year, they‘re hardly going to learn a thing. The reg force is quite a different entity, and it makes it difficult to draw comparisons, as you‘re spending 40+ hours a week doing it, instead of 3.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Having seen an excerpt from the letter sent to the Med As, I agree with combat_medic‘s interpretation: if you and your unit are close to the reserve fd amb, the default policy is that you will be required to parade with the fd amb.

At this point, I have no idea whether the local CO‘s have any discretion to arrange attach postings of either fixed or indefinite length.

 

[Enzo]

I‘m not feeling positive about the bureaucracy that dominates the CF right now, so I‘m just going to say cheers to you CM. You‘re an asset. I hope this doesn‘t sour you too much. Think of it this way, the Infantry‘s getting a well qualified soldier out of this.

As for the decision‘s being made...