Sitrep from Grim666

[Jim]

Good SITREP! Please keep us advised of your progress. Never, never quit!

[Sleepy Doc]

Just remember how far you have come. Seven short months from now you will be able to take a well earned place in the Ranger Medical section. Keep your focus and that day will be here before you know it. Now, go get this shit done once and for all.

[peterk]

Grim666, I just figured out who you were hahah. Fantastic. I'll be seeing you this week.

[Grim666]

Well a little sitrep. I have successfully completed the second block of instruction here at the school house at Ft Bragg for SOCM. On to the third. They seem to be moving very quickly with 7+ hours of instruction and an immeasurable amount of time spent of your own time in addition to the extra PT you need to do to maintain your physical shape (especially at the ripe old age of 35). I will say that in our class we had 2 guys fail out during the EMT section. We had a recycle in the A&P section who did not make it the second time around and it seems the class behind us had one fail out of the EMT section. That should have been the "easy" part as all of us come here already passing AIT where you are a NREMT-B once you graduate. Well it isn't and just because you are already a NREMT-B doesn't mean anything. It only means you will not have to sit for the test a second time. You still have to maintain the same average as everyone else and have to pass the same tests. This is an "oddity" from what I hear for Rangers. Typically we are supposed to come here and do well. Especially having already been a NREMT-B and having an A&P and med term class during Pre-SOCM. I hear those have now gone away due to the wonderful budget cuts and TA nonsense that went on. So those of you who are headed here had better shape up not just physically but mentally. I hear about a number of things they are now doing at Pre-SOCM and if you are there you are best to be a sponge as everything you are doing you WILL see again. While not the same as an A&P class it is a great foundation. The guys who come here as 18D have no previous experience with anything so having any advantage should show. My only bit of advice is that while you are here consider yourself a fulltime student. That means you are in class, doing PT, or studying with an occasional amount of down time. Take that seriously or you will wind up like the last 4 guys from here just down the road at the 82nd. Watching them do organized PT and listening to the guys who have moved over is incentive enough for me. Keep that in mind. This is a long hard road but well worth it.

[Steadfast]

Good sitrep Ranger Grim666.

Keep driving on.

[Jim]

Great SITREP! Continue to drive on; hope you and the family are doing well. Never, never quit!

[Grim666]

Another update. First to anyone who wants to be a 68W read the information from Bloody Limey. All of it is spot on. I had the privilege of having him as a friend through this website since I started my journey. It was great to have someone ahead of you to pass things along. I learned a lot from him. I also had him over for a nice home cooked meal while he was here. A nice break from the barracks and some time away from the mundane. Anyway enough about that, life here is not quite so easy. A lot of time spent studying and learning what is next. There is never enough time in the day. You need to do a lot in a short period of time. So far so good, continuing my efforts to stay in the top 5. Hopefully the top 3 soon. Working for the honor grad spot. One thing is that despite the PT that you do you need to do extra to maintain yourself. As I said before there is not enough time in the day and I am only in the Trauma 1 section. Once you get to Trauma 2 you are expected to give as much time on the weekends as well.

I cannot sum up my experience any better than Bloody Limey did. The resources that he gives are incredibly useful as well. For those of you heading that way be aware that the program is changing slightly soon so be aware of that plus the information and content is dynamic. It changes as information comes back from the front lines to the latest and greatest so just because it is what we are learning now does not mean it will be that way in 6 months. We had the privilege to sit for 2 lectures by the LTC of the schoolhouse. A dynamic instructor with a very big vision for the schoolhouse. That is simply to produce the best. I would expect that the course may even add a bit of time soon but just my opinion.

Overall it has been a great experience. Just be prepared to work hard and then some.

[Jim]

OK, now you are ready to earn your place in the 75th Ranger Regiment. I'm proud of you. Never, never quit!

[Sleepy Doc]

More from our intrepid SOMC candidate...

Well tested out on the TPA part 2 weeks ago. No sweat. Was easier second time around. Then we had TSS Trauma surgical skills. We learned crics, chest tubes, IOs, and intubation and venous cut downs mixed with some suturing. It was great but a lot for 4 days. We are now on to CTM, combat trauma management where we mix the TPA part (Trauma Patient Assessment), with all the TSS skills and hem con. We have 4 days of this of which one is already gone, then we have 3 testing days. I go for my first test either thursday or friday. All depends on how the flow goes in our lane for which day it is. So we will see. Jumped yesterday and was a really nice jump, cold but no wind and a dam soft landing. Then walking back I twisted my dam knee. So been icing it and trying to stay off it whenever I can. At least there is no PT next week since we start so early. Hate being old lol..... Oh well I will keep you updated. Once I pass CTM then from there everything else should be easy for the most part.

A few short weeks and he will finally be done, and then assignment to the Regiment. Time to finish strong!..

[Grim666]

Sorry it has been a bit since the last update. Once you reach the TPA portion (Trauma Patient Assessment) the days are long and you are expected to spend your weekends and any other of your "own" time working. This continues for about 6 weeks. I had a little hiccup the first time through. Since I have been a good student all A's, decent PT scores,( this program doesn't give you a lot of free time to work out so you have to fit it in), and staying the hell out of trouble I was fortunate to get a recycle. Took care of the TPA test on my first shot the second time, then we did the Trauma Surgical Skills portion which was great no actual graded test there more of an evaluation which all went fine. After that you are in for the intense part since that is all not enough of CTM. This is the combat trauma management part. These days are even longer and you have even less time in case you thought that was not possible it is. I would get home at night since my family is here eat dinner that my wonderful wife saved for me in the microwave, shower, kiss the kids goodnight and crash myself to start over the next day. You lose track of what days are what because they all blend together. Today all of that work paid off. I passed CTM on pretest day. So that is the huge hurdle that is now behind me. Next week is kind of relaxed now because of that. Plus we have another airborne jump next week. We also get a 4 day for the Veteran's Day holiday. Then onto the last block of SOCM. We start with a few lectures then onto TCCC and Advanced Trauma Management and FTX. After that is Xmas break then to rotation.

[Jim]

David, as you continue to excel, you will be so prepared to take care of wounded Rangers, I am at a loss for words. I'm proud of you! Never, never quit!

[Grim666]

Thank you Ranger Jim. I am privileged to be among so many warriors throughout this part of training. It is great to learn from so many that have "been there done that" and don't need to say anything for you to know it. I will post again hopefully in about 4-5 weeks once I am ready to hit Xmas break.

[Sleepy Doc]

Just to keep your head in the game, I'm going to have my instructor friend smoke your ass, old school-like!

(JK! Glad to hear everything is moving along. Keep up the good work, brother!..)

[Jim]

By Mid-December a break will be welcome. Never, never quit!

[Sleepy Doc]

By Mid-December a break will be welcome. Never, never quit!

Indeed, you will certainly have earned it!..