15th MDG Airmen take on Army medic course

by Tech. Sgt. Terri Paden
15th Wing Public Affairs

4/14/2014 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii  -- Four Airmen from the 15th Medical Group recently had the unique opportunity to attend the Army's Expert Field Medical Badge course at Schofield Barracks.

The two-week course, held March 31 through April 11, tested an attendees' medical aptitude through a series of rigorous mental and physical tests. Upon completion of the course, students are awarded the highly sought-after Army Expert Field Medical Badge--and ultimate bragging rights.

The prestigious award has a passing rate of five to 25 percent, making it one of the most difficult badges to earn in the U.S. Army and most definitely the most difficult in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

To successfully complete the course, students must demonstrate their proficiency at tactical combat casualty care, standard and non-standard evacuation operations, take a written test, execute U.S. Army Warrior communications and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives tasks, perform day and night land navigation and complete a 12-mile road march.

Senior Airmen Christopher Bowlds and Justin Stinson, as well as Airmen 1st Class Devon Garvin and Steven Hernandez, were hand-picked to represent the Air Force among the 241 Soldiers attending the course.

Senior Master Sgt. Keith Scott, 15th Medical Operations Squadron superintendent, said this was the first time Airmen from the 15th MDG had been invited to attend the course, and they couldn't have picked a better set of Airmen.

"It's all about attitude, motivation and representing the Air Force well in the joint environment," he said. "We wanted to make a good impression so we vetted the volunteers to send the 'best-of-the-best' first."

Scott said the Airmen performed so well, the Air Force has already been invited back to attend the next class.

"The interaction and exposure to the joint environment this class offers is priceless," he said. "Our Airmen desire operational experiences, so the invitation to participate in this training gives us an opportunity to give them a taste of that. In training, we tend to simulate a lot but this training is not like that. It's more realistic. Some of these guys will never see situations like this again in their career unless it's the real thing, so for some, this could be what gives them the experience they need."

For Bowlds, attending the course was not only the most challenging thing he's ever done, it was also one of the most rewarding.

In addition to having to retain the knowledge and demonstrate their ability to use the skills they were being taught, course participants were expected to do so under extremely stressful conditions such as simulated attacks, gun fire or explosions.

"This was not necessarily physically challenging as much as mentally challenging," he said. "The amount of attention to detail and all the little things you're expected to do is way beyond I've had to do before. Most of the tasks are timed and the pressures always on. This was something I hadn't been exposed to as a junior Airmen, and definitely one of those experiences I will take and learn from."

Bowlds said the best part of the training for him was the joint peer-to-peer interaction.

"A lot of these medics are assigned to infantry units, so they don't do the same thing I do every day," he said. "I definitely have a new respect for my Army counterparts. Those guys are no joke hard-core medics. It was definitely an honor to learn from them and get their perspective. I enjoyed getting to pick their brains about things and see how they operate in a field or combat environment."

Though the course provided an opportunity for the Airmen attendees to pick up an immense amount of field knowledge, it also sparked a bit of healthy competition.

"I wanted to take this course just to see how Air Force medics stack up against Army medics," said Bowlds. "Army medics have the experience ... they get this type of training often, but that doesn't mean we are any less of a technician. We're okay getting dirty too and it was good to be able to show them that we could do that. Just to stand next to them, training side by side and earning their respect ... was a good feeling and I think any technician would jump at the chance to do that."

Although only one out of the four Airmen attendees walked away with the EFMB, Scott said they are all victors in his eyes.

"It's an honor just to be selected for this course ... not just for themselves, but for the chance to represent the Air Force and these guys went above and beyond," he said. "It's a challenge. This course is a real challenge and they didn't have to go do it, but they did and they excelled at it. I'm proud of the way they represented the Air Force."