I've been here in scenic Afghanistan for a bit now and it has definitely had it's ups and downs and here's a couple of things that those up and coming 68W's might do well knowing.

A. Make sure your aid bag is always stocked and all your **** in there is labeled as not everyone knows where you keep stuff.

B. Pay attention to detail as someone's life may well depend on it.

C. Be part of the platoon you're with, not just an attachment. Learn their job as best as you can and teach them yours.

D. Just because someone isn't a medic doesn't mean that they're an idiot. Some of the smartest, most well spoken people I've met have been with the scouts that I work with and a few of them have more medical knowledge than I do.

E.Don't and I mean Don't skip any steps on medical care or documentation as this will come back to bite you in the *** by your P.A., to say nothing of the ***-whipping you'll get from the people your responsible for.

F. If you start out as a line medic, don't rag on the medics who work in the aid station as both positions are important and you can learn a lot from both. I started out in an aid station and I've learned as much there as I do on the line.

G. Don't run around flapping your gums about how you want your CMB as you may get what you wish for and speaking as someone who earned theirs by working on two of my friends, I can say that it comes with an awfully high price tag.

H. Don't bullshit or lie to your patients as it's a small world and someone like me will make you sorry.

I'm not trying to flap my gums or any of that, I'm just letting you know what it's about as once you're on the ground, it is absolutely unforgiving.