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AMEDD/ASRP - Questions from a potential recruit


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Hi all. Much appreciation and respect for the amount of knowledge shared freely in this portion of the forum.

 

A favor then, in that vein:

 

I'm seriously considering the AMEDD/ASRP program. I understand and acknowledge that the final source of truth on all this is the contract that I sign. That said, I know that what is not on that paper is just as - if not more - important than what's on it.

 

Basic questions:

 

-Is there any cap to how long I can draw active duty pay while attending a PA program (I am considering one 33 month program and would hate to be cut off at 27 months of active duty pay)?

 

-Are the week-to-week responsibilities during school really as advertised? (distribute information, be a role model, give occasional talks)

 

Deeper questions:

 

-How easy/difficult will it be to change my state of service after school? It is unlikely that I will go to school where I want to live more permanently.

 

-Deployment cycle and duration. I've read that there is a new 180 day cap for boots-on-ground deployment length. What does that look like all-in, from pre-deployment trainings to post-processing? Essentially two things; a) how long am I out of other civilian work and b) how long am I away from "home" in the conus?

 

-Your satisfaction with your initial and ongoing training. I may be dumb but I ain't stupid - I know that to be "good" or even baseline proficient at what I may need to do in a deployed/field setting, I'll need a substantial bump in skills and training from what I get in PA school (currently a paramedic, for reference).

 

-Is there any "common" (subjective, I get it) impediment to getting 20 years of service as a PA? Working towards a retirement is a part of this consideration for me.

 

Anything else I'm not considering but should be? To head off some of the obvious...

 

I'm 30, married (wife is bought in - if I want to do this she is fully supportive and understands the deployment angle - she comes from a military family), and genuinely believe that I would enjoy the full package, from the increased responsibility (and I get understand that there are two sides to that coin) to the idea of national service, to the idea of a bit of excitement (I'm an dedicated alpinist, etc. and seek out high-intensity experience in general).

 

Sincere thanks in advance for any insight.

 

-Ryan

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  • 1 month later...

Now that the wars are drawing down, it is becoming easier for PAs to skate by while on active duty. People just aren't getting out like they were before. They are delaying promotions to Captain etc. They caught the last train leaving the station with those bonuses. I wouldn't expect these type of "desperate" programs to ever come back until the next war when everyone abandons ship and they need PAs bad. It wont be the war that gets me, it'll be the clinic's demands for control of the battalion level providers. You bet your *** I'm going to pull a Jerry McGuire when I roll out too!

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Now that the wars are drawing down, it is becoming easier for PAs to skate by while on active duty. People just aren't getting out like they were before. They are delaying promotions to Captain etc. They caught the last train leaving the station with those bonuses. I wouldn't expect these type of "desperate" programs to ever come back until the next war when everyone abandons ship and they need PAs bad. It wont be the war that gets me, it'll be the clinic's demands for control of the battalion level providers. You bet your *** I'm going to pull a Jerry McGuire when I roll out too!

 

 

Da*n "Combat MEDDAC" types screwing with folks!!!

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