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Medics seek prestigious badge at Fort Bragg
http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/09/22/1124757?sac=Home
"As machine guns bark and simulated artillery booms, a pair of soldiers maneuver among the pine and brush of Fort Bragg's medical Simulation Training Center.
With a final blast, one of the soldiers screams, feigning an injury to his leg........."
Hard Badge to earn.
Yep. I'm rooting for a soldier I went to high school with who's still in the running. She knows her stuff though.
swatsurgeon
09-23-2011, 07:54
anyone know the curriculum they work off of to earn this?
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/EFMB/index.shtml
Heres a quick look on the web. This is a standard test for our guys. HTH adal
ruh roh Shaggy....I hope their risk assessment was good....
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10173310/
Fort Bragg, N.C. — Forty-three soldiers suffered heat-related injuries Friday morning during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, authorities said.
The soldiers were among approximately 50 taking part in a "ruck march" at about 6 a.m. to earn their expert field medical badge, Fort Bragg spokeswoman Jackie Thomas said. The soldiers, who were from various units, were walking with backpacks, helmets and weapons as if they were in combat, she said.
Spokesman Ben Able said the troops were pushing themselves hard to finish the exercise within the allotted time.
Eighteen of them were taken to Womack Army Medical Center for treatment, where one remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit, she said. The other 25 were treated in the field and released, she said.
Mr Furious
09-23-2011, 18:45
ruh roh Shaggy....I hope their risk assessment was good...
ruh roh is right. Fay Observer just ran the same online
http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/09/23/1125087?sac=Home
43 down is not going to be good:eek:
edit versus double tapping - wait a minute! it's only a damn 12-mi road march for the EFMB. it practically rained all day here and was damp and cool all morning. wth?!
Was this another case of guys dumping their water to lighten the load and not hydrating properly prior to the event? It wasn't that hot.
Eagle5US
09-24-2011, 03:12
Was this another case of guys dumping their water to lighten the load and not hydrating properly prior to the event? It wasn't that hot.
Realize too that the EFMB is open to medical types....not STUDLY medical types...ALL medical types.....hospital / BSB / I do pt 4 weeks a year (2 weeks before each PT test) types / etc.
Most of the folks competing for the badge probably sit in AC all day and had to have help assembling their TA-50 simply because it was new in the package.
This is (unfortunately) a fairly common problem when it comes to this particular trial.
Realize too that the EFMB is open to medical types....not STUDLY medical types...ALL medical types.....hospital / BSB / I do pt 4 weeks a year (2 weeks before each PT test) types / etc.
Most of the folks competing for the badge probably sit in AC all day and had to have help assembling their TA-50 simply because it was new in the package.
This is (unfortunately) a fairly common problem when it comes to this particular trial.Let's hope that, during the investigation this point is brought to the surface!
Stay safe.
greenberetTFS
09-24-2011, 05:19
Medics seek prestigious badge at Fort Bragg
http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/09/22/1124757?sac=Home
"As machine guns bark and simulated artillery booms, a pair of soldiers maneuver among the pine and brush of Fort Bragg's medical Simulation Training Center.
With a final blast, one of the soldiers screams, feigning an injury to his leg........."
Hard Badge to earn.
Boy it sure sounds like it..........:D:D:D
Big Teddy :munchin
Big Teddy, we're too old to raid anymore, but maybe you and I could get part-time GS jobs as Screamers and Injury-Feigners for this exercise. Please look into it.
I do it for free all the time, anyways...:D
greenberetTFS
09-24-2011, 06:14
Big Teddy, we're too old to raid anymore, but maybe you and I could get part-time GS jobs as Screamers and Injury-Feigners for this exercise. Please look into it.
I do it for free all the time, anyways...:D
;) :D
Big Teddy :munchin
One of the 12 Mile Ruck marches I ran as a 1SG was done in Aug. Because of the heat we were out at the far end of Ft Bragg and ready to start at 0300. They also walked through a pretty good thunderstorm about the middle of the march.
The Co Commander, a Major at the time, walked the route also - with a PRC 77 in his ruck to monitor the conditions inside the main group.
Everybody finished - with only a few over time - who with a little extra attention from SFC Cooper on his Nature Excursions - passed when stuck in with another Company's March.
The end was a little exciting. Had a couple keel over by the water point, then a couple more in the rest area, then a couple more, then..........
Captain (COL) Fox was out in the road directing the Medivac Chopper, IVs were going in all over, right exciting for a while. All the guys sent to Womack were back in the company area by afternoon. And oh, yeah, this was a Saturday because you could not mess with the weekly MOS schedule.
12 Miler - just a thaanng
You're tasked to run a test like this and you get troops (including Nursing staff) from all kinds of Med units from all over post - bet they weren't from the Med Co's of the 82nd's Bde Spt Bns. ;)
Richard :munchin
Kickball
Red light, green light 1 2 3
Dodge ball
Kill the man with the ball
Tag
Snowball fights
Rock fights
Drinking out of garden hoses
Shoveling snow
Cutting grass with that manual push mower that would spin when pushed
Raking leaves
Trimming bushes with those big-ass scissors
Bruce Lee tournaments when no one even knew karate
Cowboys and Indians
etc.
I wonder how they would have done?
I'd study the background of those that passed...:munchin
Stay safe.
If they played/worked outside more as kids...
The Wii generation? Play outside?!!??!!! :rolleyes:
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
The Wii generation? Play outside?!!??!!! :rolleyes:
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
You mean we have to walk the 12 miler? We can't do it with our thumbs at the play station. Heck, on that I can run the 12 miler with a 100 lb ruck.
The Wii generation? Play outside?!!??!!! :rolleyes:
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
It's all fun and games until, you get out there in natures elements (heat & humidity).:lifter
Stay safe.
The Reaper
09-24-2011, 09:07
I would love to see a gender breakout of the candidates and the heat casualties.
TR
I would love to see a gender breakout of the candidates and the heat casualties.
TR
They're all bitches if they fell out of a short ruck. :D
Mr Furious
09-24-2011, 10:09
They're all bitches if they fell out of a short ruck. :D
:D:D:D hilarious
MTN Medic
09-24-2011, 13:45
We have the EIB 12 miler coming up soon. I'll let you know how many WE lose. ;)
frostfire
09-25-2011, 12:43
I would love to see a gender breakout of the candidates and the heat casualties.
TR
By the ruck day, it was almost 100% male. I don't think any of the female ended up heat casualties and none made it to the end. They were smart enough to call it a day. OTOH, some of the male ones were just too dumb to quit :D
Realize too that the EFMB is open to medical types....not STUDLY medical types...ALL medical types.....hospital / BSB / I do pt 4 weeks a year (2 weeks before each PT test) types / etc.
Most of the folks competing for the badge probably sit in AC all day and had to have help assembling their TA-50 simply because it was new in the package.
This is (unfortunately) a fairly common problem when it comes to this particular trial.
Spot on. Nothing like the tough love of the QP's.
However, we got 82nd, 44th, USSOC medics, and other supposedly studly-barrel-chested types fell out the ruck as well. Also got a Ranger-tabbed and a personnel from the compound failed the land nav. The ruck condition and outcome were considered bizarre. Investigation is still ongoing so I won't go into control details.
I gladly admit I'm no studly type and my AC work environment is not helping. That is why I use no AC at home and car. Also spent 2 months prep with 6-8-12-12-10-6 etc miles ruck every week on the same route as the competition. 12-miler time was 2:40 something with exact load. Resting HR 33 to 44 bpm.
By His grace I made it to the ruck with pretty much 1 no-go away from going home in every category. All the advices on ps.com and Get Selected were golden. PACE, two is one-one is none, all of that. Body Glide is good stuff. My feet had zero pain/hot spot etc. all the way till the ER. By mile 6 I realized something was not right when i only had 20 seconds lead time. "effort is only effort...." "I never saw a wild thing....." "regret is forever....." All those quotes were flying in my mind.
Approaching the finish line was the last thing I remembered, then the bumpy ambulance ride with tubes in all orifices. Mind was racing with questions:
- Did I quit? Did my mind quit? Did the body quit? Which one first?
- Is this it? If 12 mile with only 30lbs+LBE/rifle/water kicked my ass, then I have no business going to SFAS
It turned out to be rhabdo meets borderline heat stroke. Just like casket or tab, it was badge or death. Unfortunately or fortunately, neither occured. Still, I didn't go to win the badge. I went to do give my best. Badge or no badge is up to His grace.
It really wasn't particularly hard and medical knowledge can actually hinder learning the info "modified to EFMB standard." It simply was an exercise in following simple instruction and paying attention to details under moderate stress. If anything, the hardest part was ignoring/avoiding a certain gorgeous CPT who threw heart-melting smile when she passed by. I was doing well until I saw her sitting on the dirt eating chow by herself outside the dining hall. Couldn't help but said a few kind words then :)
edit: re-checked the weight. Ruck + empty camel back: 37.4 lbs + mask +LBE with canteens, flashlight etc. + rifle + water = probably still only between 45 to 55lbs.....darn it!
Textbook example of mass hysteria.
Yeah, I'm talkin' trash. Bigtime.
I literally can't fathom falling out of a 12-mile ruck.
- Is this it? If 12 mile with only 30lbs+LBE/rifle/water kicked my ass, then I have no business going to SFAS
:)
What? What? 30 freaking pounds? :eek:
I had that much in beer gut during the freaking Q Course!
:D
I literally can't fathom falling out of a 12-mile ruck.
Yeah - I wish it had only been 12 miles those 3 days we spent walking with our gear from Camp Lejeune to Fort Bragg at the conclusion of Exotic Dancer in the fall of 1972. ;)
Richard :munchin
What? What? 30 freaking pounds? :eek:
I had that much in beer gut during the freaking Q Course!
:D
Ha! Reminds me of when we would be off cycle in SFOT/SFAS and basically doing PT on our own back at the WWII barracks HQ in the middle of COSCOM (late '88 - '91 time frame). After our PT, several of us would get our cups of coffee and stand out front cracking jokes about the Cosmonites as they went by, trailing out for a half mile or so. Their rucks would look like they were empty but some of them would be limping like broke leg donkeys, crying and snorting and crap. When they were running, it was hilarious.
Ha! Reminds me of when we would be off cycle in SFOT/SFAS and basically doing PT on our own back at the WWII barracks HQ in the middle of COSCOM (late '88 - '91 time frame). After our PT, several of us would get our cups of coffee and stand out front cracking jokes about the Cosmonites as they went by, trailing out for a half mile or so. Their rucks would look like they were empty but some of them would be limping like broke leg donkeys, crying and snorting and crap. When they were running, it was hilarious.
Say what you want about those in COSCOM, but those rucks weren't empty; I personally saw what went into those mantastic rucks. Helium
............. After our PT, several of us would get our cups of coffee and stand out front cracking jokes about the Cosmonites as they went by, trailing out for a half mile or so. Their rucks would look like they were empty but some of them would be limping like broke leg donkeys, crying and snorting and crap. When they were running, it was hilarious.
The SF students who passed the ruck march went from rucking three times a week to two. The few who didn't make time remained on the three times a week.
Since the TACs took PT with the students that left SFC Cooper to run the ruck PT. I went with him one morning when he took one of his "Nature walks". Walk only if you were up front with us. Run for everyone in the back half.
We came up out of the woods on the top of that slight rise where they have the fair right as a Coscomite formation ran by so we swung in behind. Our walking pace was a little faster then their running pace so we started to pass. Was moving up and the leaders got a little red faced and started to pick up the pace. Our rear students were running anyway so we went into the rucksack suffle and continued to pass 'um by.
Our last student was on the company street before they hit the main dragg. Coop let them do a little shouting and gesturing as the Coscomites ran by.
That spot seemed to be the prime ambush site as SF student formations popped out there pretty regular and smoked on by the CosCom units.
MTN Medic
09-30-2011, 11:36
We have the EIB 12 miler coming up soon. I'll let you know how many WE lose. ;)
Well, we did the EIB 12 miler with heavier rucks and low and behold, no heat casualties! ;)
Plus all the SF guys did 5 extra lbs for the Airborne Ranger in the Sky! HOOOOOAH!
Well, we did the EIB 12 miler with heavier rucks and low and behold, no heat casualties! ;)
Plus all the SF guys did 5 extra lbs for the Airborne Ranger in the Sky! HOOOOOAH!
:lifter
The Reaper
09-30-2011, 18:51
I find this a mystery.
We ran the 12 mile route for Phase II students from the far end of Chicken Road, finishing at Preacher Road, with big rolling hills and deep sand alternating with red clay during daylight hours, in August, with 55 lbs. plus water, weapon, LCE, etc., and only had a couple drop.
TR
frostfire
10-05-2011, 03:05
Other than the 95%+ humidity that's being touted as the culprit, it is a mystery to everyone, including me. While it slowed everybody down, the terrain wasn't too bad with gravel and deep sand hills with muddy puddle here and there from the rain.
I spent a good portion of my life in a tropical climate where it's 90°F to 102°F or more all year long with high humidity. At camp Bullis where many officers keeled over during the 108°F day land nav, I was doing just fine. I also trained for this EFMB during the peak of summer. After heat cat IV was declared, I recalled passing guys from other units rucking in PT uniform and boots whereas we had full gear. Got a lot of WTF looks. I also skipped the big BBQ the night before, ate pasta instead, and downed a few gatorade and H2O. In hindsight, hard to tell how to have done better. Perhaps harder PT and rucking. Sigh...
While there were various medical types in the beginning, by ruck day just about everybody were the in-shape-PT-score-280+-12miles-ruck-in-2:40-or-less type. People were confident if they made it to ruck, it's as good as getting the badge
8 got the badge out of 59 who started the ruck out of 190 something who went. 4% graduation rate which is the 2nd lowest ever. I know at least two of those 8 are the hospital-staff-nursing-type-work-all-day-in-AC type. I think two or more from 44th, then 82nd.