EMT-B Training

A few images from some completed training. Our unit spent several weeks at Camp Bullis completing courses designed to bring medics (now "healthcare specialists"; I still prefer the term medic; newer isn't always better) up to speed before deployment. The first phase was EMT-B (Emergency Medical Tech, Basic) review, or for those of us who had let our registration lapse, review and boards.



Our first stop was in our new quarters, which quickly earned the name "pig huts". The first several days, you would see soldiers doing a great imitation of chickens looking for feed in a barnyard as they were constantly looking at the ground for old nails to hang clothes on. Nail placement was a achieved with the Mark I BFR (Big F****** Rock) we found outside our door.

The Army is big on intensive learning, done quickly. Also lots of hands on with some pretty advanced simulator mannequins. Good training, although there's a definite need to upgrade the facilities at the post we were at. We practiced with some fairly expensive mannequins in a building that was a gutted cooking facility that probably dated from the 1940s.






Our particular unit did well, with the two of us who sat for EMT-B boards both passing. Good incentive to keep the continuing education points current so I don't have to take the boards a third time. On completion of the EMT portion, we began training more oriented towards military medics, who have a greater degree of freedom in their scope of practice. More on that later.