Need Christian Guidance

[DrakeM1020]

Hello, my name is Drake. I am a christian high schooler interested in military medicine and I'd like some guidance from christians about pararescue. I feel like I want to be a PJ, but at the same time I'm interested in being a doctor. I have very good grades and I know I could be a doctor, but I'm also in great health and I think I have what it takes to be a PJ. I don't know what God is calling me to do. I don't want to make a wrong choice or if God is allowing me to choose. What made you become a pararescue Jumper or Combat Rescue Officer? Would you recommend it? Would it be smart to try and do both? Thank you for any help you can offer.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Just for context to anyone who is qualified to respond, how old are you?

 

[Topkick]

don't want to make a wrong choice or if God is allowing me to choose.

I'm not a PJ, or any SOF type, but sometimes it's right in front of your face and you don't know it. I joined the military just to get my life in order and I knew immediately in basic training I'd just found my calling. Served 23 years and do not regret it one bit. Would I change anything? Sure, I trained up for SFAS and let my then wife talk me out of going. I also declined consideration for Sergeant Major, twice. But overall, I had a great military career and feel like it's what I was called to do. But, that's just my 2 cents. Maybe helps, maybe not.

 

[TLDR20]

I do t think CRO’s do any medicine. But I could be completely wrong.

If you want to be a doctor be a doctor. Nothing worse than not doing what you want. If that is your ultimate goal a 6-8 years of gap in a SOF unit isn’t a bad vibe. I’ll say if being a PJ isn’t your absolute goal you won’t make it. Stepping stones as large as a SOF selection are not great stepping stones, they are more like laborious mountain climbs.

 

[amlove21]

Hello, my name is Drake. I am a christian high schooler interested in military medicine and I'd like some guidance from christians about pararescue. I feel like I want to be a PJ, but at the same time I'm interested in being a doctor. I have very good grades and I know I could be a doctor, but I'm also in great health and I think I have what it takes to be a PJ. I don't know what God is calling me to do. I don't want to make a wrong choice or if God is allowing me to choose. What made you become a pararescue Jumper or Combat Rescue Officer? Would you recommend it? Would it be smart to try and do both? Thank you for any help you can offer.

Hey Drake, thanks for asking the question. I'll get the plug out of the way; check out Ones Ready- social media, podcast, YouTube channel, discord server. Quite literally thousands of hours of content focused on the step-by-step process of succeeding in Air Force Special Operations. That's a great place to get your information, and I know the guys that run it (that's a joke; I am Aaron, the PJ on the podcast, and I run the social media).

To answer your question directly, CRO and PJ (not "pararescue jumper") are entirely different jobs. As @TLDR20 very accurately pointed out, CROs medical capabilities are nowhere near the Pararescuemen. PJ's are solely responsible for medical treatment, Combat Rescue Officers are Special Warfare Officers in command and responsible for overall mission success or failure- if a CRO is doing medicine, we have a LOT of problems and things aren't going well, or things are going great and a PJ has time to do some real world training with the CRO. There are one-off examples of CRO's being involved in small team rescues, and some CRO's take it upon themselves to get a baseline medical capability (like Basic EMT)- but tactical medical treatment isn't their primary mission set.

For PJ's, you'll be a Paramedic, Advanced Tactical Practitioner, you'll have the opportunity to attend courses like the Critical Care Flight course and many others. PJ's main food groups are- shoot, move, communicate, medicine, and technical rescue.

The mission- saving American and Allied lives in the most harrowing scenarios- is righteous. I was a proud Enlisted Fighting Man during my 22 year career, I never had any desire to be a Combat Rescue Officer, for a lot of reasons. I can find you CRO's that will say the same in the inverse. There are pro's and con's to both- lots of PJ's make the decision to get their commission and switch jobs later in their career, and a ton of PJs go on to be PA's, doctors, surgeons, you name it.

I'll give you the cheat code for the start of your journey here. Answer these questions in order.

1. Do you want to serve America in the military above all else? Support and defend the Constitution?
2. Which branch (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines) do you want to be in when you statistically fail out? It's about a 90% washout rate, so if you don't want to be in the Big Air Force, then there you go. It seems harsh; it's just data. Selection is hard.
3. Which job do you actually want to do? Do extensive research (already provided) and truly understand the mission set and differences.
4. Begin your preparation by talking to a recruiter (you have to be at least 17), enter into the Delayed Entry/Development program, and laser focus on your Initial Fitness Test. Nothing else matters if you can't pass your IFT repeatedly at a moment's notice.

If you just use the search function on our YouTube channel, and put in key words contained above, I will almost guarantee you will find hours of content from guys that have done exactly what you're trying to do. If you hit the discord, I'll bet you find thousands of peers trying to do the same thing. IF after all that you seem to have a question you think hasn't been addressed- which I will bet it was after 5 years of content- hit us up in the DM's, and we will help you out.

Specifically to your question about Christian mentorship- the mystical reality of religious endeavors is that it won't matter what I tell you or a Muslim PJ tells you or an athiest PJ tells you. Look internally, lean on your faith, and make the best choice.

And to close with a bit of personal advice- just live your life for now. These career fields and global warfare aren't going anywhere, so you have time. Enjoy where you are now, and live your life. Get in a little trouble.

Happy hunting.