Hi Chewie !
Must disagree in a friendly way. I was a platoon sgt in the
infantry and the medic in my platoon used to follow the PS around
during exercises. The combat medic has a different life to the camp
medics (such as in BMTC and other big camps e.g. SAFTI).
The medic in the platoon or coy. had to do the same as the
infantryman, plus his own vocation. For example, when the PS had to
go for ops briefing during a defence exercise, or is tasked to lead
a recce patrol around the defence perimeter, the medic has to help
prepare his overnight position, be it a trench , a shell scrape ,
or erecting his basha. This is on top of doing his own. If there
are no casualties, the platoon medic doubles up as a runner between
the PS and PC and OC. He is a useful , highly intelligent runner,
as he is usually a LCP or CPL and normally would have more than O
levels in his background.
All the combat medics that have served with me in reservist and NS
were damned good guys.... they were specialists (NCOs) of a good
calibre. Most times, more hardworking than the privates or LCPs
that we have in the sections.
