Basic, Senior and Master EMT/Paramedic Badge

[lordmonar]

That is exactly my point......the badge does not say what you can do....but you did in the past.

So.....why the  hub-bub about the EMT badge?

[SansGroove]

That is exactly my point......the badge does not say what you can do....but you did in the past.

So.....why the  hub-bub about the EMT badge?

I kind of like the fact that wearing it conveys that you are currently certified.  Getting nationally certified as an  intermediate EMT or especially a Paramedic shows some serious dedication that includes many many 100's  hours of study (1000's for that of a paramedic) and clinical experience.  Even once you get your EMT cert you still have to keep it by maintaining CEH's every year.  I think that you guys and gals in CAP that have earned the right to wear this should take PRIDE in the fact that it shows CURRENT certification.  The whole EMT model in out nation has changed over the past couple of decades.  Medics can do a whole lot (more than nurses often  ... that's not a knock against nurses by any means).

The fact that it means current certification is cool...  embrace it.

[SoCalMarine]

This goes to a post I was making in another thread about modernizing the uniform. If we redesigned our speciality track badges to mimic USAF rating and occupational badges (but leave ours full color) and place them above the ribbons like the they do it would look better and fit this situation.

Here's what I mean:

If you've earned a rating in a specialty track (or something like GT, IC or aviation) you always keep that badge. So, move it up. Now, anything that requires a current certification could be places on the pockets and removed when no longer certified. That way we can draw a distinction from what someone is certified in, and what someone has earned a rating in.

Picture it this way... you are USAF aircrew and you're in an air unit. You wear both your A/C wings AND the unit patch. One you've earned and the second you wear while currently certified by being in the unit. Say you then move to another unit and do public affairs. You know pin on the public affairs occupational badge and have a different unit's patch as well, you still maintain the A/C wings because you've earned them. This is a real life example by the way for a friend of mine in the AF in Hawaii.

So, we have a rating/occupational badge for EMT, and then a separate badge/patch you can wear on the pocket for current certification.

The only issue I see with that is the AF won't go for it, and members will complain about costs.

[nesagsar]

Do US Army combat medics have to take off their badge when they get transferred to another branch?

[SoCalMarine]

Do US Army combat medics have to take off their badge when they get transferred to another branch?

Don't know. Each branch has their own uniform regulations; however I know that the you can't wear it in the Marines for two reasons. First, you cannot wear a badge on a Marine Corps uniform you didn't earn while in the Marines; and second, there is no Marine equivalent for the badge so you couldn't earn the badge while in the Marines, or requalify for it if you earned it in another branch.

[Hawk200]

Do US Army combat medics have to take off their badge when they get transferred to another branch?

Combat Medic badge used to be authorized on the Air Force uniforms, but not the EFMB badge. Not certain if it has changed. Wouldn't surprise me if it did, the Air Force does have a history of manifesting "Not Invented Here Syndrome."

[PA Guy]

Do US Army combat medics have to take off their badge when they get transferred to another branch?

"Combat Medic" is a MOS (68W) in the Army.  They may earn the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB), a killer course taken after AIT, or the Combat Medic Badge if they serve as a medic in combat, similar to the Combat Infantry Badge.  If they stay in the Army the badge goes with them no matter what they do.  If they transfer to a different branch of the military it is hard to say.  Each service has their own policies.

[Sapper168]

The majority of Army badges and skill Tabs can be worn on the air force uniform only while attached to Army units. There are a couple, Jump wings being one that has an Air Force equivilent (Parachutist badge) and is allowed to be worn all the time.

[Bongo1980]

The CAP regulation provides no specifics on whether someone must remove the EMT badge if certification lapses.  However, as a previous medic in the USAF and having earned it, I am PERMANENTLY authorized to wear the Senior Medic badge.  Regardless of the fact that I cross-trained into another field, I do not have to remove the Sr Medic badge.  Once earned, always authorized... in the military, we identified CURRENT medics by yelling 'MEDIC!' and seeing who responded  ... non-current (non-qualified) personnel did not necessarily respond -- if I do, I simply say "I know first aid"... once competent (e.g. current) medical personnel arrived, they had the show...  :clap: