SOCM update

[Asystole557]

Just thought Id let everyone know where Im standing now. We are on clinical rotations in Tampa Bay at the moment. Im pretty excited to actually put the knowledge vie gained over the last 9 months of SOCM to work. we will do four weeks down here of hospital and EMS work and then i head back to Bragg to graduate. I should find out what battalion I am assigned to within the next couple of weeks. I am excited to finally show up to the line after being in training for 2 + years. Then it all starts for me from there. just like a fresh guy out of RASP... who can give motrin

[Jim]

Good SITREP! You are earning your place in the Ranger Regiment. Well done.

[The Sleepy Doc]

No, no, my friend. You will be ready to hit the ground running. In the past when a slot to SOCM had to be earned things were different. You, young grasshopper, are ready to leave the temple! You may not yet know the day to day operations in Batt, but you will learn those quickly. You have been trained to do far more than give out motrin and foot powder, and believe me the grunts know this. You will literally have dudes knocking on your door a all hours because they trust you before some cat that has been working at the TMC his whole life. Just by your being there, you are a battlefield multiplier. When the joes get ready to do their thing they will ask "who is our medical support?". Just knowing that they have someone who is fully capable of bringing them home alive will be a load off of their minds, and they will be able to accomplish their mission with greater success. Do not discount your training at all!

If you haven't learned it yet, understand that there are only approximately 10% of the patients that you will ever have to worry about. Most will live, no matter what you do. Some will die, no matter what you do. This is a fact you cannot change. The 10%? These are the ones that the skills you have been taught will make the most difference for. These are the ones you will earn your paycheck working on. Just understand you must have a good dose of humility. You are not the end-all, be-all.. but you are well ahead of the average medic.. military or civilian. Be the quiet professional, and you will never have to sing your own praises, for everyone else will do it for you!

Excellent work, my friend! Now, go earn the title of "Doc"!

[Lunch]

No, no, my friend. You will be ready to hit the ground running. In the past when a slot to SOCM had to be earned things were different. You, young grasshopper, are ready to leave the temple! You may not yet know the day to day operations in Batt, but you will learn those quickly. You have been trained to do far more than give out motrin and foot powder, and believe me the grunts know this. You will literally have dudes knocking on your door a all hours because they trust you before some cat that has been working at the TMC his whole life. Just by your being there, you are a battlefield multiplier. When the joes get ready to do their thing they will ask "who is our medical support?". Just knowing that they have someone who is fully capable of bringing them home alive will be a load off of their minds, and they will be able to accomplish their mission with greater success. Do not discount your training at all!

If you haven't learned it yet, understand that there are only approximately 10% of the patients that you will ever have to worry about. Most will live, no matter what you do. Some will die, no matter what you do. This is a fact you cannot change. The 10%? These are the ones that the skills you have been taught will make the most difference for. These are the ones you will earn your paycheck working on. Just understand you must have a good dose of humility. You are not the end-all, be-all.. but you are well ahead of the average medic.. military or civilian. Be the quiet professional, and you will never have to sing your own praises, for everyone else will do it for you!

Excellent work, my friend! Now, go earn the title of "Doc"!

Because they trust you....This is a profoundly powerful truth; and I cannot think of any higher honor.

[Asystole557]

I do feel more than confident in my skill set. I know I can do everything we have been trained on. It shows here in the hospital. the doctors are very impressed with all the SOCM students because of how quickly and efficiently we can work in trauma patients. on the same note there is not enough I can learn about medicine. Its not really like a do it once and you're done thing. Its always a growing and continuing thing. When I get back to battalion I wanna keep reading up and studying on stuff because even though my trauma and procedure skills are well honed Its hard to remember all the clinical medicine because of all the reading and test taking and then it gets dumped to make room for the next material to study. Pre SOCM definitely helps out with that a lot though. I am excited to finally get to be on the ground and join the ranks overseas. Ive put in a request for 2/75 but ill just be happy to get to a battalion finally. Again, thanks for all the support over the last three years I have been on here. Ill keep updating on my progress. hopefully I can get a slot to Ranger school within the next six months or so if I go to a battalion that isn't deploying right when I get out of here.

[Invictus]

I'll be at Bragg at the end of the month, let me know when you'll be up there. Like to buy you dinner before you're off to the next step.
Great job Ranger.

[centermass]

Fuckin a.

Probably one of the best summations of a Doc I've ever read.

Great work, drive, effort and perseverance Ranger.

[Asystole557]

Scott, I think i graduate on the third of September. Heading back up to Bragg on the 29th if you're up there give me a shout. It would be great to see you. I got a new number in December so ill email it to you.

[Asystole557]

Found out I will be going to 1/75. I graduate SOCM sept 4. Rotations are finished on tuesday. RLTW!

[The Sleepy Doc]

Found out I will be going to 1/75. I graduate SOCM sept 4. Rotations are finished on tuesday. RLTW!

Awesome! The medical section there has consistently been setting the bar high, ever since the days of Chief Donovan. Remember, the scope of practice and privilege you will be enjoying was earned by men who are literally legends in the Special Operations medical community. You may have heard some of their names already; Chief William Donovan, Dr. Russ Kotwal, SFC Perry Black, Cpt. James Paramore, and others too numerous to list. These men didn't ask for perfection, but demanded excellence. If you just keep on your A game, but have one foot well grounded in humility, I have no doubt you will make a name for yourself that will live on well beyond you tenure.

Edited to add: Here is some of what you can expect; longer working hours than just about anybody but the cooks. Unless you are actually deployed, remember the Joes are practicing their job, but yours does not end. You are on 24/7, and you will get those late night knocks on the door "Doc! Need some help here.." You will have a well stocked selection of medical kit in your room for such emergencies. Your ruck will always be heavier than most, because you will always have your aid-bag, no matter what. You will not get to rest at all on a road march, because when the Joes are resting you will troop the line and make sure nobody has any issues with their feet or with water. You will always have a ready supply of lickies and chewies, and will hand them out just before a jump, while everyone is rigged up and resting on the floor. You will have porn available in your ruck, and must also carry bottles of Hot sauce, soy sauce, seasoning (adobo, tony cachere's, etc. ) and have a small heat-tab stove with an extra canteen cup for the coffee and cocoa you will also carry. Some of that MIO water flavoring won't hurt either. If one of your men gets hurt in training, you will accompany them to the ER and stay with them every step of the way until you are relieved, or they are discharged. I could write a book about it..

Just remember, if you cop a "holier than thou attitude" or treat your men like an asshole, you will be ostracized faster than a fag leper at a Mormon summer camp. Conversely, do your job well and you will have men that will literally give you the last MRE or can of 'Cope.. Your men will literally break their backs for you to make sure you are taken care of. It is a special, almost sacred, trust and bond. DO NOT abuse it!

Excellent work, brother. Now, you get to earn your slot everyday!.