What is an Army Flight Medic and what should you know about it? For the rest of this post, I want to educate you about what flight medics do, how to become one, and share some of the benefits of serving in this duty position.
The Flight Medic is an additional skills identifier (F6) for Soldiers already serving as Combat Medics (68W). I like to think of them as an EMT, similar to someone who works in a ground ambulance. The major difference is that they do their job in a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft.
Army flight medics are part of medevac (medical evacuation) operations. These operations use helicopters as air ambulances, transporting injured soldiers to medical centers where they can get further treatment. Although helicopters were used in this manner in the 1940s, the medevac program was officially established in the 1960s during operations in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, the 57th Medical Detachment was the first medevac unit — its name, “DUSTOFF,” arose from its radio call signal. ~ How Stuff Works
Flight medics are typically assigned to an Air Ambulance Company and they work closely with the pilots, doctors and medical professionals. To keep things simple they are responsible for taking care of their patients from the time they “receive them” until they get them to their final destination, normally an Army Hospital.
Flight Medics are NOT doctors, but they are highly trained medical personnel. They can evaluate casualties, treat wounds, perform CPR, do IV’s, and many other routine and advanced medical tasks.
Army Flight Medic Duties & Job Description
Here is a list of tasks that you might perform while serving in this job.
- Provide post flight patient assessment and documentation
- Loading and unloading patients
- Provide in flight monitoring of patients
- Responsible for pre-flight patient assessment
- Evacuate wounded Soldiers or casualties to higher level of treatment
- Get patients and casualties off of the battlefield
- Provide medical assistance to critically injured or ill
Army Flight Medic School and Training
To serve in this career field, you must first serve as a 68W (Combat Medic) for minimum one year. After completing one year in that MOS, you must pass a flight physical and have 24 months left remaining in your enlistment to be eligible to go to Flight Medic School. The school itself is at Fort Rucker, Alabama and is four weeks long.
Benefits of Working as an Army Flight Medic
There are many benefits that come with working as an Army Flight Medic. First and foremost, you get to fly on a regular basis. For anyone who loves flying in helicopters or fixed wing aircraft, and helping people at the same time, this would be a great career choice. You don’t have to spend every day doing the same thing at the same location. Every day is an adventure!
In addition, you round out your medical experience, which can give you opportunities for career advancement. You can also get lots of experience in combat, peacetime and humanitarian missions. You have and in demand MOS and ASI (additional skills identifier) that can take you anywhere in the world.
Finally, you get real world training that can benefit you after you leave the military. There is a high demand for flight medics with different public and private sector agencies. Finding a job or career after military life shouldn’t be that hard to do.
During the flight, the flight medic and flight nurse must continue emergency medical treatment, if necessary. Medications may be administered, for instance, or a portable defibrillator may be used to restart the patient’s heart. Oxygen may also be given during a medevac flight. Flight medics will also usually calm and reassure a patient during a flight as well. ~ WiseGeek
Final Thoughts
Although you can’t enlist in the Army as a Flight Medic, I think this is a great career field for anyone who wants to fly in a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft. It’s tough, challenging, and a lot of hard work. You will deal with just about every type of injury or wound imaginable. It’s not for the weak or faint at heart, but if you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding career, this might be just what you are looking for.
What are your thoughts? If you’ve ever served as an Army Flight Medic before, I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below to tell us what you liked and disliked about your job. Share your story. I look forward to hearing from you.
*** If any of this information is inaccurate or has changed, leave a comment below to let me know so I can fix it. Thank you.
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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It would seem to me that it would also be a strong advantage if the soldier with this MOS also had jump experience too. If I were in a position such as this; flying in and out of battle areas, I believe I would want a parachute on my back at all times.
I am curious, do these soldiers in this MOS have chutes readily available, or do they ride a helicopter down if it is damaged?
I have always thought that anyone who works via air should have jump experience–just my opinion….Yours?
That’s a great question. Maybe someone else can chime in here and offer their two cents.
Typically flight medics and paramedics are also air assault qualified which is centered around loading, unloading, rigging, and rappeling out of helicopters and they are usually anchored in some manner to the interior of the helicopter. the reason they don’t use chutes or are airborne qualified is because the helicopters fly at a lower altitude than a plane making the pull time much shorter if you were to jump out as well as the rotors over head pose a health risk if your chute were to get caught in them.
Not at all. As a former Airborne soldier I can tell you that flight medics and all members of fixed wing air crews do not work with parachutes on their backs lol. If your bird is losing altitude for any reason depending on the circumstances plan on a head landing or crash. Would you really jump from an aircraft and leave your pt to save your own skin??
I would think it would take a special kind of person to be a flight medic. Being a combat medic alone can be quite stressful I am sure. When in combat situations, you are apt to see almost anything, and it would take a strong stomach. When you are in a helicopter dealing with war injuries, you then have more stress if you are flying into or out of combat zones.
I agree with Chuck, if you have what it takes…go for it. The Army always needs top medics.
I think this job would be very tough, but very fulfilling.