Updates?
I finally got the gall to call the National Guard to discuss just what exactly becoming a 91Whiskey or Combat Medic entails. Some of the information applies positively as to how I planned it all in my head, while a significant portion of the information negates parts of my plan.
As far as being in the Guard is concerned, it requires for a minimum period of three years that I attend one weekend a month of training and two weeks each summer of training. I don't personally find that to be an issue.
Initial training requires of course the standard nine weeks of basic combat infantry training. With the split-op program, that is also not an issue, since the program is designed to allow college students to go to basic training over their summers and to return to their units until the next summer when they ship out for x number of weeks of Advanced Infantry Training, which in my case would be medic school.
The snag is that the spilt-op program does not work well for medics, since medic school is, understandably, significantly longer than the other schools. Total it comes to about 12 and 1/2 weeks.
So now I need to reevaluate the idea of joining as a student since becoming a medic, which is what I would like to do if I do join, is not conducive to that plan.
Additionally, medics do not return with civilian paramedics licenses. They return instead with a National EMT Registry certification, which says you're an EMT-Basic, but you can go to any state. That's not as advanced training as I had hoped. It does look nice, however, with my National Fire I and II certifications, effectively making the ultimate choice for chiefs as far as new personnel (but it's not likely I want to end up a full-time firefighter). Additionally, much of combat medic training is identical to civilian medic training, so becoming a paramedic would be that much easier. The question then must be asked is am I in fact interested in, on my own, going for the civilian certification? It's another consideration.
As far as deployment is concerned, I wouldn't consider the military if I was afraid of being deployed, that would be silly.
A significant concern is adjustment to army life. I am and always seem to have been a yuppy. To me camping is exciting because it is not the norm for me, and I can return to my home or call it off when I wish. In the army however, if you sign up and don't like it, well, too bad. Hell, I've never shaved with a real razor - something I'd have to do in the army. I know that might seem insignificant, and petty, but it's just one of many examples of a complete deviation from my typical life style that would become mandatory for a minimum of three years. This is the biggest consideration holding me back because it requires so much soul searching. If I knew I could handle being committed, like it or not, to this life style, there would be no issues in my mind. It's great enough to override my patriotism. The answer is I just don't know, and it requires much more research.
If I do decide to join, I already know exactly where I would be stationed, because they told me where they want me. It is of course the far away location of...Worcester. If I joined the Guard, they would put me in the 21st Infantry Division, which is stationed elsewhere around Massachusetts since it is the official Massachusetts Guard division, but the medical unit attached to the 21st Division is stationed right off Route 9 in Worcester, and that's where I would report for duty. It's closer than school.
Finally, one last consideration is putting my "life on hold." The fact of the matter is that the Guard is designed to allow you to go on with your life, and only in the case of deployment would you be mandated to serve for a period over two weeks on active duty. The only issue here is the medic deviation of the split-op, which could have me taking a semester off from school (perhaps grad school), which I don't know I want to do.
The research continues. This is where I stand at the moment right now, though.
Any suggestions?
As far as being in the Guard is concerned, it requires for a minimum period of three years that I attend one weekend a month of training and two weeks each summer of training. I don't personally find that to be an issue.
Initial training requires of course the standard nine weeks of basic combat infantry training. With the split-op program, that is also not an issue, since the program is designed to allow college students to go to basic training over their summers and to return to their units until the next summer when they ship out for x number of weeks of Advanced Infantry Training, which in my case would be medic school.
The snag is that the spilt-op program does not work well for medics, since medic school is, understandably, significantly longer than the other schools. Total it comes to about 12 and 1/2 weeks.
So now I need to reevaluate the idea of joining as a student since becoming a medic, which is what I would like to do if I do join, is not conducive to that plan.
Additionally, medics do not return with civilian paramedics licenses. They return instead with a National EMT Registry certification, which says you're an EMT-Basic, but you can go to any state. That's not as advanced training as I had hoped. It does look nice, however, with my National Fire I and II certifications, effectively making the ultimate choice for chiefs as far as new personnel (but it's not likely I want to end up a full-time firefighter). Additionally, much of combat medic training is identical to civilian medic training, so becoming a paramedic would be that much easier. The question then must be asked is am I in fact interested in, on my own, going for the civilian certification? It's another consideration.
As far as deployment is concerned, I wouldn't consider the military if I was afraid of being deployed, that would be silly.
A significant concern is adjustment to army life. I am and always seem to have been a yuppy. To me camping is exciting because it is not the norm for me, and I can return to my home or call it off when I wish. In the army however, if you sign up and don't like it, well, too bad. Hell, I've never shaved with a real razor - something I'd have to do in the army. I know that might seem insignificant, and petty, but it's just one of many examples of a complete deviation from my typical life style that would become mandatory for a minimum of three years. This is the biggest consideration holding me back because it requires so much soul searching. If I knew I could handle being committed, like it or not, to this life style, there would be no issues in my mind. It's great enough to override my patriotism. The answer is I just don't know, and it requires much more research.
If I do decide to join, I already know exactly where I would be stationed, because they told me where they want me. It is of course the far away location of...Worcester. If I joined the Guard, they would put me in the 21st Infantry Division, which is stationed elsewhere around Massachusetts since it is the official Massachusetts Guard division, but the medical unit attached to the 21st Division is stationed right off Route 9 in Worcester, and that's where I would report for duty. It's closer than school.
Finally, one last consideration is putting my "life on hold." The fact of the matter is that the Guard is designed to allow you to go on with your life, and only in the case of deployment would you be mandated to serve for a period over two weeks on active duty. The only issue here is the medic deviation of the split-op, which could have me taking a semester off from school (perhaps grad school), which I don't know I want to do.
The research continues. This is where I stand at the moment right now, though.
Any suggestions?