MILMED Level II Unit Experiences

[septic_shock]

Would any of you happen to have had personal or second-hand experience with any of the Level II units in the various services? Just to head off any questions, I do not mean Level II trauma hospitals, but instead units such as the Air Force's Special Operations Surgical Teams, the Army's Forward Surgical Teams and Special Operations Resuscitation Teams, and the Navy's Shock Trauma Platoons or Forward Resuscitative Surgical System. The internet is has a surprising paucity of information regarding these units, and other than some mentions of low patient volume at FSTs I have found little information about them on SDN. Any information y'all can provide would be appreciated (especially any information on the Joint Medical Augmentation Unit, such as its role, capabilities, or composition).


Thanks,

septic_shock

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[244913]

Would any of you happen to have had personal or second-hand experience with any of the Level II units in the various services? Just to head off any questions, I do not mean Level II trauma hospitals, but instead units such as the Air Force's Special Operations Surgical Teams, the Army's Forward Surgical Teams and Special Operations Resuscitation Teams, and the Navy's Shock Trauma Platoons or Forward Resuscitative Surgical System. The internet is has a surprising paucity of information regarding these units, and other than some mentions of low patient volume at FSTs I have found little information about them on SDN. Any information y'all can provide would be appreciated (especially any information on the Joint Medical Augmentation Unit, such as its role, capabilities, or composition).


Thanks,

septic_shock

Almost all of these packages involve sitting around in tents on FOB's instead of airfields during deployment. At the beginning of OEF they had a JMAU at Rhino I think who helped out when the AF JDAM'd that A-team. Actually the C team that helicoptered in for sh*** and giggles JDAM'd their own guys but you get the point...

There is always a lot of hype surrounding these units for the uninitiated, because people think being "forward" in the non-linear battlefield means you'll be in the ****. You won't be. Your colleagues at the Role 3 will actually see a lot more trauma then you will because they have more capabilities and MEDEVAC will routinely overfly the smaller places to get casualties to a higher level of care.

You'll spend most of your time sitting around lifting weights, and playing hide the pickle with the various flavors of RN's attached- some who may have BMI's < 30.

If you really want to have a good chance of collecting a high disability rating enlist and become a corpsman or medic, or try to get the special forces enlistment option to be an 18D.

- ex 61N

 

[Perrotfish]

Would any of you happen to have had personal or second-hand experience with any of the Level II units in the various services? Just to head off any questions, I do not mean Level II trauma hospitals, but instead units such as the Air Force's Special Operations Surgical Teams, the Army's Forward Surgical Teams and Special Operations Resuscitation Teams, and the Navy's Shock Trauma Platoons or Forward Resuscitative Surgical System. The internet is has a surprising paucity of information regarding these units, and other than some mentions of low patient volume at FSTs I have found little information about them on SDN. Any information y'all can provide would be appreciated (especially any information on the Joint Medical Augmentation Unit, such as its role, capabilities, or composition).


Thanks,

septic_shock

 

[septic_shock]

Almost all of these packages involve sitting around in tents on FOB's instead of airfields during deployment. At the beginning of OEF they had a JMAU at Rhino I think who helped out when the AF JDAM'd that A-team. Actually the C team that helicoptered in for sh*** and giggles JDAM'd their own guys but you get the point...

There is always a lot of hype surrounding these units for the uninitiated, because people think being "forward" in the non-linear battlefield means you'll be in the ****. You won't be. Your colleagues at the Role 3 will actually see a lot more trauma then you will because they have more capabilities and MEDEVAC will routinely overfly the smaller places to get casualties to a higher level of care.

You'll spend most of your time sitting around lifting weights, and playing hide the pickle with the various flavors of RN's attached- some who may have BMI's < 30.

If you really want to have a good chance of collecting a high disability rating enlist and become a corpsman or medic, or try to get the special forces enlistment option to be an 18D.

- ex 61N

I have lurked for a while and am rather familiar with the "Doctor Rambo" syndrome that seems to strike many interested pre-meds on these forums. I am under no illusions about the proper location and role of physicians in the military, but reading some of the articles the AF has published about a SOST (links to whom I cannot include as a plebeian with only 1 post) who cared for roughly 800 patients in 8 weeks in Inherent Resolve seemed to imply that Level II units might be a way to escape the latter aspects of the oft-mentioned triad of military medicine- low pay, low patient volume, and low patient acuity. I had hoped the milmed community might be able to shed more light on that.

The video from Perrotfish implies that my next question- "How to jam Predator drones", might also be met with a less-than-specific response...

I kid, but I do understand if any relevant information might not be able to be shared publicly, or if Level II units are just a waste of good physicians.

Thanks for the helpful if slightly acerbic responses,

septic_shock


Edit: grammar corrections

 

[Gastrapathy]

Fly-over units in most cases. anywhere there's a robust Role III, that's where the real patients (should) go.