Hey Guys, As an upcoming civillian-def HPSP EM grad, I feel very out of the loop about the "job-search". I am interested in flight surgeon slots but I was told that the best way to approach it is to call the unit commander and start a dialogue about potential upcoming openings. Does anyone have a comprehensive resource for identifying all of the Army air units and their geographical locations? And any advice on how best to pursue this job search is definitely appreciated... Thanks,
COL Barthel is a good start, but he will most likely bump you down to his minions - the O4 MSC "career managers" or something like that. They will know more about what spots are open after the match in Dec. I'd start early on (fall time frame), but realize that in the end, they will just put you where they (the ops billets guy and your EM consultant) need you. For example, I have my FS wings and was forced to become a Brigade surgeon instead.
It looks like they are really pushing graduating interns who don't match this year into flight surgery billets. Anyone have opinions about the following locations??? Ft. Rucker Ft. Hood Ft. Campbell Ft. Drum
I'm in a FS billet at Campbell, heading downrange soon. Shoot me a message if you have specific questions.
I'm sure others will have something to say. I would talk to the Aviation Medicine Branch Manager directly. Others may promise you things, but he is the only one who can deliver. The good billets are SHAPE -- which is NATO in Belgium, it will be available this year, and the 12th CAB in various locations in Germany. Understand that all aviation billets are for two years and it will be hard for you to get out of them early unless you are picked up for GME. The 10th CAB (from Ft. Drum) will be deploying soon and I do not think there are any openings in the unit at this time. Ft. Rucker is where they train the pilots, thus you'll be spending most of you days do routine sick call with some flight medicine mixed in. Yuck Campbell has two CABs so getting a job there shouldn't be very difficult. You're close to Nashville which is pretty good. There's also Riley which has a CAB returning from Iraq shortly. There will be slots opening in that unit. One caution about doing FS. If you intend to stay in the army, even as a subspecialist, expect to get more than average deployments. Your wings are like a target on your back for deployment. Ed Ed
See, that's the thing I had heard (more than average deployments). I sort of brought that up in the most tactful way I could with the MAJ who is handing out GMO assignments and he keeps telling me that he is pushing interns into 61N (flight surgery) billets and graduating residents into 62B positions. He won't even give me locations for 62B positions. The only options/locations he has given me over email are for 61N.
I despise that MAJ. With a passion. He can't give you 62B locations yet because he doesn't know all of them. Wait until some try to get out of them by getting accepted into fellowship. The powers-that-be will have a much clearer picture of where the holes are after the match in Dec. You'll have a better idea of where all the 61N openings are after the match too. From what I'm seeing, most non-residency trained 62B's (that are serving at BDE surgeons) are continuing their GMO time after not being picked up for residency (again) and have been "promoted" up to the BDE levels so their spots will be opening up too.
That's the feeling I was getting from him, that I was probably one of the earlier people to email him about possibilities and because of that, he's trying to nail me down into a spot he knows is available now. Anyone know if there is an actual deadline to telling them your preferences for location??? In other words, what are the potential downsides to telling him I'd like to wait until December to find out #1 - if I match #2 - what other positions become available, including 62B.... I can already imagine a downside but I just want to see what others have to say...
Anyone know who the current POC for this sort of info is? I'm a current intern who will be doing a GMO next year, but no one has any info as to what my options for FS/BS are...
