What is your experience as a 68W or old 91 series in a Stryker unit?

2018-05-10T14:33:48-04:00

I have been stuck in hospital in the ER, Aviation, and Primary care clinics, in that order. I have no line experience. For my first reenlistment I re-upped for the 2-3 Stryker BCT at JBLM so I could get out of the MEDDAC. My PT is good, and I shoot Expert, but otherwise have had little to no training on Soldier skills outside of Basic and AIT. What should I expect, know, learn, do etc, to prepare for this? Many Thanks.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2018 2:45 PM

2018-05-10T14:45:48-04:00

Battle drills, skill level 10 tasks, know the assessment backwards and forwards. Tq drills, patient movements, configuration of medevac strykers. All that should help.

Response by MAJ Tom Hutton made May 11 at 2018 8:15 AM

2018-05-11T08:15:08-04:00

You’ll probably be adding vehicles to you military drivers license if you already have one. Might be a good thing to get before if you don’t have one already.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2018 2:25 AM

2018-05-12T02:25:11-04:00

Honestly man being on the line is not that hard but a lot of medics mess it up bad or are really bad at it. If you want the joes you’re with to take you in don’t be a lazy ass like a lot of line medics are, learn the job of your joes so you can help them do it, have the things they ask for (which will mostly be stuff for pain relief / allergies / general sickness) and do the best you can to be an overall help to the unit you’re assigned to and you’ll be loved. Take care of the soldiers you’re tasked with taking care of and take it to heart, don’t half ass it like a lot of line medics do. If you don’t know something find the answer, don’t blow off your guys. Talk to the guys you’re assigned with A LOT. When I was a senior line medic with an FA battalion I was talking to their leadership several times a week trying to figure out how I could help them with their skills and in the field despite the fact medics are given much more respect and ability to slack off than the average joe don’t slack off. Advocate for the little guy, make friends with senior leadership in your unit but be damn close with the lower enlisted and E-5’s and E-6’s. You’re there for the joes and don’t ever forget it, everything you do should be for them. Whether that’s advocating for downtime for an E-3 who’s sick as shit or injured and his leadership doesn’t care, advocate for him and help him to the best of your ability. If you’ve done a good job communicating with the higher level company leadership they will take your word for it and give that soldier the downtime or rest that he needs within reason.

Really in summary help your company leadership as much as you can, in doing so you will get more leverage in helping joe, which in turn joe will love you. If you’re in the treatment section at HHC get the hell out and get to the line, that’s where the magic happens.

Response by SSG Robert Perrotto made May 12 at 2018 3:35 AM

2018-05-12T03:35:52-04:00

First and foremost - Know your skill level 1 tasks, and as a Specialist, I would know Skill level 2 tasks and some skill level 3, PT being "good" could mean anything from a 180 APFT score to a 250 - if you fall in that range, its not gonna cut it in an infantry unit, you wont be hassled about it, too much, but it will definitely reflect Have a thick skin, and I mean a THICK skin - Combat arms humor, especially with those that have deployed and seen some shit, is very dark and twisted and someone coming from outside the "house" would not understand and could easily start filing complaints regarding this. Take care of the Soldiers you will be responsible for and they will in turn take care of you - you are the "Doc" and they will go out of their way to protect you - do not abuse that. Do some cross MOS reading and familiarize yourself with the 7-8. I wont go into gaining the trust and respect of the leadership as someone else has already advised you regarding that on this thread.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2018 5:26 AM

2018-05-12T05:26:36-04:00

Go rasp then w1 and go to 2/75 if you like it there or go the CA medic pipeline and W2 after W1. All the medics I had in my units before I became a medic really liked it. And we are the first unit filling Stryler bde at JBLM too. You will get alot more hand on with patients as you are aware medic in the MEDCENT really can't do that much other then the ER and clinics unless you have a specialty. Pt, ot, immunization, since I became a w and then a C I have worked in CSH and now with Civil Affairs. Very meaningful in both you learn alot and get hands with real small team missions. Don't let the reserve tag on me fool you need active duty compo1 most of my military career.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2018 6:09 PM

2018-05-13T18:09:13-04:00

Do EVERYTHING your grunts do. You look like a privelaged fuck if you're always near the PL or PS, or not helping dispatch trucks/mount guns. Take care of your guys. Make sure you have plenty of the little shit while training: bandaids, adhesive glue, shit to pack/excise abscesses(if your PA trusts you enough), plenty of motrin and tylenol in your aid bag. It goes a long way to showing your guys you care about them. Prepare to carry as much weight as the gunner. And don't be a little bitch. Be sure to make as fun of yourself and everyone else.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2018 7:43 AM

2018-09-12T07:43:02-04:00

Don't try to bullshit anyone or use the famous line "in my experience." Ask a lot of questions, make sure your teammates know you feel like you have a lot to learn. I've always been the type of person who is confident and want to be totally competent in every aspect, so when I don't know, I make sure to find out. Don't be lazy. Keep up with your Brothers, get your hands dirty when you can. Once they see you want to be part of the team, they will help you fix your short-comings. I've never had a problem even after I said, "Shit, I'm not sure... let me find out." Good luck, little Brother! You got this.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2018 7:50 AM

2018-09-12T07:50:34-04:00

2-3IN is my unit. If you contact me I can hook you up with the medics here and you can hear from them what to expect working here.

Response by SGT Donald Croswhite made Nov 13 at 2018 10:33 PM

2018-11-13T22:33:13-05:00

The docs we had in our recon were badass. Like a previous comment stated, do everything the dirt-pounders do. Being a doc is very admirable. Not only do you have to hang with the grunts, you have pull double duty with your medical training. But let me say one thing. My docs were my best friend, and I would have died for any one of them.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made May 1 at 2020 3:46 PM

2020-05-01T15:46:32-04:00

I know I am late to this party but get out in your community and get involved. Get your state EMT cert and either find a FD to volunteer with or look at a part-time job with an ambulance company. I do paramedic part-time with AMR and a FD before them. Getting good and maintaining that is on you.