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Originally Posted by 0919mmk
Hey all - non-prior trying to do his due diligence here before signing my life over the the AF (USUHS). This may seem like a stupid/naive question, but please bear with me.
I have read thru these threads pretty extensively, but I still haven't gotten a good understanding of the amount of mortal peril
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Mortal Peril?! None if you're in the AF, just work on your golf swing and you'll be fine! (j/k)
There's always some risk of getting hurt or killed, in some situations. Flying in a helo over Afghanistan is a lot more dangerous than treating tennis elbow in suburban america.
But no one's ever going to give you an 'AK' and ask hold the line, not as a lawful order at least. If we're still in the business of winning wars, we're not going to ask MDs to do that.
Now, you may be deployed to a forward operating area, asked to treat wounded service-members . . .oh and btw carry this sidearm or rifle in case you take fire. That's a perfectly legitimite order.
Can you get hurt/killed? Of course. But what's that risk compared to say dying in a car accident on a large highway? I'd venture to say the same, maybe the car-accident death is even more probable, given how much we commute.
There's plenty of other facets of military life that you should be thinking about too, not just the safety issue. Oh and (I dont know if this is your case) if you chose the AF thinking its the least 'military-like' or the least dangerous of the services, that is bad logic. The AF deploys plenty, operations are becoming more joint, a doctor from any service can be deployed anywhere if the need arises (except for maybe out to sea, the Navy's realm). Good luck in your decision.