i want to be a paramedic, and have enrolled in an EMT-B class that starts in january, but realized i could get that training in the military.

my question is: is the military worth dedicating a chunk of your life to (especially for that career field), or would it be better to pursue it as a civilian?

i will most likely choose the army over the other branches.

You should consider the Air Force as a Flight Medic.

It's the same paramedic course, except you don't get The Shaft like in the Army. Unlike the Army, you are among a group of people who are actually required to get higher A.S.V.A.B. scores. Also, if you have a complaint, the Air Force listens; the Army doesn't.

I've met more people in the Army that are miserable than I have in any other branch; the Air Force and Navy is the happiest, we're taken care of.

Being a Flight Medic is a hell of a lot cooler, anyway. I've got a few friends who are Flight Medics, and they have some pretty intense stories; and fun ones. They're very happy.

And by the way - my brother is an Army paramedic (on top of his normal job), and he hates every minute of it. This is coming from a guy who loves anything medical. If it were any other branch, he would be in heaven.

Buddy of mine got blown up in Iraq, is now legally blind in his left eye and his head got all messed up. He's med boarded out on PTSD and head issues now, but when he saw an army doc, they told him he's still fine to be a SAW gunner. He petitioned to see the AF training hospital guys, where they actually took a good look at him and told him he needed to go home.

Buddy of mine got blown up in Iraq, is now legally blind in his left eye and his head got all messed up. He's med boarded out on PTSD and head issues now, but when he saw an army doc, they told him he's still fine to be a SAW gunner. He petitioned to see the AF training hospital guys, where they actually took a good look at him and told him he needed to go home.

It seems they'll do anything to keep a few ground pounders these days.

You should consider the Air Force as a Flight Medic.

It's the same paramedic course, except you don't get The Shaft like in the Army. Unlike the Army, you are among a group of people who are actually required to get higher A.S.V.A.B. scores. Also, if you have a complaint, the Air Force listens; the Army doesn't.


I've met more people in the Army that are miserable than I have in any other branch; the Air Force and Navy

is the happiest, we're taken care of.

Being a Flight Medic is a hell of a lot cooler, anyway. I've got a few friends who are Flight Medics, and they have some pretty intense stories; and fun ones. They're very happy.

And by the way - my brother is an Army paramedic (on top of his normal job), and he hates every minute of it. This is coming from a guy who loves anything medical. If it were any other branch, he would be in heaven.


thanks for reply.

i was only considering the army because i was under the impression that it was the only branch that let you pick your job. the army recruiter told me that.

does the air force let you choose jobs? my brother is in the air force. he scored exceptionally well on his ASVAB, and was told he was going to go in as something (i can't remember what), and then got stuck doing weight and balance for air crafts. his recruiter lead him on.

he is stationed at ramstein, and said to pick the air force too. he likes it and decided to make a career of it.

i'll check into it some more, but i have another question. i always here stories about the services dickin people around. would i be able to enlist in the air force and pursue being a flight medic? or would i encounter some bull shit and get stuck sweeping the runway?

i'm kind of stuck, because if i stay a civilian, and become a paramedic, i will have a job. my step-dad was a paramedic, and is friends with lots of people who could get me in. i also know the owner of one of the ambulance companies in my area.

i'm not sure what to do, but i need to make a descion quick.

The Army is definitely not the only one that lets you pick your job. In fact, the Army picking a job for you is more likely than other services. The major exception to that is the Marines; they are ALL riflemen. No matter what your Marine Corps job; you are, first and foremost, infantry.

The Air Force does let you choose jobs. Virtually everyone I know chose their job. There are exceptions. Say you get washed back one too many times in Tech School; they may re-class you into something you are more capable of. Say you get Re-Cycled in Basic Training; you may lose your chosen job due to time issues, so they re-class you then.

Sounds like your brother is a Load Master for C-130s (correct me if I'm wrong). That base is as awesome as they come; he is exceptionally lucky. That place is one big vacation. Also, that job is highly desirable.

As long as you score good on your ASVAB, then you can become a flight medic. Just remember that certain jobs are only open sometimes. Now, being a Flight Medic is probably a more open job because it's highly manned, and therefor there's plenty of people getting out of the Air Force from that job, and they have manning slots that need to be filled. I originally wanted to work on Nuclear Weapons, but the wait was 6 months, so I didn't do it. Instead I told them I wanted to work Aerospace Propulsions, and so they put me where the manning needed me there; therefor I got in within a week of signing my papers. For being a Flight Medic, expect a month or so wait. Also, I suggest you get ready for studying, because in both the Army and Air Force - it IS a very hard course. It is exceptionally stressful; so be prepared. In the Air Force, though, you can always be thankful that you ARE being pampered. It IS the military, and it IS hard, but it is still the "Chair Force" in many ways; so while still getting a lot of B.S. that the military gives, the Air Force is by far one of the most fair. We don't work in the rain, let's put it that way.

You won't get stuck sweeping a runway. There is literally no true "shitty" job in the Air Force.

I suggest you join the military. Of course I DO have a bias view, so take it with a grain of salt.

But consider this. . . The Air Force will provide you good living quarters (we have DORMS, not Barracks :) ), a pay check, clothing allowance, food paid for, everything you need; and you just show up to work. Pay raises, and only 20 years of service, then you can retire and not do anything; or work a second career and retire twice.

thanks for reply.

i was only considering the army because i was under the impression that it was the only branch that let you pick your job. the army recruiter told me that.

does the air force let you choose jobs? my brother is in the air force. he scored exceptionally well on his ASVAB, and was told he was going to go in as something (i can't remember what), and then got stuck doing weight and balance for air crafts. his recruiter lead him on.

he is stationed at ramstein, and said to pick the air force too. he likes it and decided to make a career of it.

i'll check into it some more, but i have another question. i always here stories about the services dickin people around. would i be able to enlist in the air force and pursue being a flight medic? or would i encounter some bull shit and get stuck sweeping the runway?

i'm kind of stuck, because if i stay a civilian, and become a paramedic, i will have a job. my step-dad was a paramedic, and is friends with lots of people who could get me in. i also know the owner of one of the ambulance companies in my area.

i'm not sure what to do, but i need to make a descion quick.

I'm in the Army, I knew some guys that joined Navy or the Air Force the sametime or before I did and I outrank them by at least 2 paygrades. I'm currently working on getting my next.

Yes they do offer a waiver for low scoring ASVAB guys, but its very hard to get. Most of them have to prove they get good grades in school in all sorts of shit like that. So its not that common as you Navy and AF guys think it is. Plus I know guys that are intel and are complete dumbasses. So a high ASVAB score does not mean shit.

The Air Force is ran like a white collar company while the Army is ran like a blue collar one. Now don't get me wrong I think the Air Forceis great. It was actually my first choice but the recruiter I had was a piece of shit and tried screwing me into a AFSC I didn't want. Surprisingly the Army recruiter did more for me and didn't care about what MOS I picked.

The Army has it downsides of 12-15 month deployments and all the other branches have 6-9 month deployments. As for picking MOS/AFSC it all depends on your ASVAB score. But with Marines, you can pick what you want but your not guarenteed to get it, unless your Reserve. I love the Army and yeah you may hear people bitch about it but its the same in all branches. People that bitch are the fucking lazy ass bitches that never knew what working for a living mean't. Army isn't the only branch where people are miserable. Marines, Sailors and Airmen, I have heard the same amount of bitching across all branches.

Very good response. I'm glad to see a Soldier that is intelligent enough to give some damned good perspective about the Army and how it relates to other branches.

I'm bias, though. I think the Air Force is the coolest choice out of all of them. Everyone who is not in the Air Force should disagree - fight for your branch.

I'm in the Army, I knew some guys that joined Navy or the Air Force the sametime or before I did and I outrank them by at least 2 paygrades. I'm currently working on getting my next.

Yes they do offer a waiver for low scoring ASVAB guys, but its very hard to get. Most of them have to prove they get good grades in school in all sorts of shit like that. So its not that common as you Navy and AF guys think it is. Plus I know guys that are intel and are complete dumbasses. So a high ASVAB score does not mean shit.

The Air Force is ran like a white collar company while the Army is ran like a blue collar one. Now don't get me wrong I think the Air Forceis great. It was actually my first choice but the recruiter I had was a piece of shit and tried screwing me into a AFSC I didn't want. Surprisingly the Army recruiter did more for me and didn't care about what MOS I picked.

The Army has it downsides of 12-15 month deployments and all the other branches have 6-9 month deployments. As for picking MOS/AFSC it all depends on your ASVAB score. But with Marines, you can pick what you want but your not guarenteed to get it, unless your Reserve. I love the Army and yeah you may hear people bitch about it but its the same in all branches. People that bitch are the fucking lazy ass bitches that never knew what working for a living mean't. Army isn't the only branch where people are miserable. Marines, Sailors and Airmen, I have heard the same amount of bitching across all branches.

Very good response. I'm glad to see a Soldier that is intelligent enough to give some damned good perspective about the Army and how it relates to other branches.

I'm bias, though. I think the Air Force is the coolest choice out of all of them. Everyone who is not in the Air Force should disagree - fight for your branch.

Yeah I was one of the few that thought long and hard about joining the military and it was a spur of the moment thing. Another thing is, you hear all these Marines talking shit about the Army but the majority of the schools they go to are rand by Army. Hell I've heard Ranger school is the most demanded school by Marines. So don't let them fool ya. All they got is nice uniforms. Although I do think the Marines have a better way to get rid of the fatasses and shitheads better. I try not to give a bias view over branches because whats good for one person isn't always necessarily good for the other.

Now to the OP

The Army offers sign up bonuses on certian MOS's. You won't get it until after basic and you won't get it in one lump some, just big payments. Army ain't perfect but they will keep you fit and you'll have organization in your life. People will say the Army has a lot of fatasses now. Unfortunately the Army is a little too needy to get people and keep people. Once were out of Iraq and troops in Afghanistan can be kept to a minimum that will change. The fatasses and pieces of shit will get chaptered out if they abide by Army standards.

Seeing how you want to medical stuff there are 4 options from 3 different branches you can do.

Navy Corpsman - Marines rely on the Navy for anything medical and the Corpsman is their combat medic

Army Medic - I'm not sure which exact MOS's does the combat role but I do know they don't always work with combat units.

Army SF Medic - A medic trained to work in a Special Forces enviroment and knows some of the more advanced medical procedures. They also have a working knowledge of dentistry, veterinary care, public sanitation, water quality and optometry. The training is roughly 2 years to complete.

Air Force Pararesuce - A trained paramedic, and actually becomes a certified Paramedic who will become registered into the National Registry of Paramedics. These are the guys that go out and rescue downed pilots and shit hits the fan situations like the battle in Mogudishu, Somalia.

Thats what each branch seems to offer you. Remember to pick what you want what you think will be suit you better. Don't let some guy that is gung ho for his branch tell you how if you don't pick his branch your this and that. Just remember that when you sign up make sure you read the little lettering at the bottom of the contract. Make sure your contract is going to say your getting the job you picked unless you fail training. I believe the Army does that and the Air Force is a little bit shady about it. The other branches I don't know. Damn I just realized how much shit I just typed up in this post.