SEAL Medics or USAF PJs?

[pjm]

Originally Posted by embracethehate01

If it is strictly medicine you are after, then like Sawman said, PJ's. That is their mission focus. If you want to be a SEAL with medical skills, then go that route.

Either one is challenging, rewarding, and while I don't know day to day life of a PJ, I imagine some would even call it fun.

Pararescuemen are not focused on "strictly medicine." In fact, Pararescuemen aren't medics at all .. having the EMT-P civilian certification is simply one requirement of the job. PJs are personnel recovery specialists (that is our mission focus) and due to this, having the capability to assess and treat trauma injuries is a requirement. It's simply one more skill in the bag to ensure the mission can be completed .. just like HALO, SCUBA, etc.

Originally Posted by Tacprod

PJ's go through EMT and Paramedic school in new mexico. They do not attend the Army's 18D school. From what i understand Army 18d is a much harder course.. being that SEALs go through 18d, i would imagine they have more advanced skills.

an oda 18d joked around with me saying that pj's are just pretty paramedics..

im not saying they are, theres just a little rivalry there..

Pararescue used to attend SOCM (I did when I came through), however due to slots we developed our own medical course. SEAL Corpsman do not attend the entire 18D course (though some may have the opportunity later in their careers.) They attend the SOCM portion (ie, the trauma portion) just as Ranger medics do.

SOCM does not provide any more advanced skills in trauma care than the PJ course. Both courses have to meet ATP standards. The PJ course does enable our cones to become EMT-Ps however, the course itself goes far beyond what civilian EMT-Ps are capable, as is the case with almost any military training that has a civilian equivalent.

Both a SEAL Corpsman and a Pararescueman are going to have to study and stay on top of their medical skills, regardless of their primary mission. What you should decide is do you want to be a SEAL or a PJ .. the medical training is the common ground, the missions are the differences.

[cback0220]

Originally Posted by pjm

Pararescue used to attend SOCM (I did when I came through), however due to slots we developed our own medical course. SEAL Corpsman do not attend the entire 18D course (though some may have the opportunity later in their careers.) They attend the SOCM portion (ie, the trauma portion) just as Ranger medics do.

SOCM does not provide any more advanced skills in trauma care than the PJ course. Both courses have to meet ATP standards.

Nowadays some SEALs are allowed the opportunity to go straight through the entire 18D course. I went on my clinical hospital rotation with one, and we had 4 in our class who went straight through.

[joshdupre]

cback turn your pm on I have a message to send you.

[jared1989]

PJ's all day...you get the Air force Life with all the perks of an sf medic...its the best and toughest program that is offered for sf medics

[pjm]

Originally Posted by jared1989

PJ's all day...you get the Air force Life with all the perks of an sf medic...its the best and toughest program that is offered for sf medics

SF medics belong to the Army and a little group called Special Forces. PJs belong to the Air Force and are not medics. There's a difference.

Different missions and different training to cater to those missions.

[cback0220]

Originally Posted by jared1989

PJ's all day...you get the Air force Life with all the perks of an sf medic...its the best and toughest program that is offered for sf medics

How would you know? What life experience of your own do you use to qualify such a statement? I mean using my logic I would think you had been to both SOCM and the PJ course, have you? Have you done anything? Or do you have no brain to mouth filter and are just spouting off inflammatory bs that has no merit to it whatsoever?

I feel sorry for the PJ's, with all these high speed new commercials they are going to have a whole gaggle of posers running around.