1st Cavalry Division Troopers set the standard with paramedic training
KILLEEN, Texas — Six Troopers from the 1st Cavalry Division graduated from the Initial Paramedic Education Course at Central Texas College, marking a milestone in advanced combat trauma care for the Fort Hood military base.
Over nine months, the Troopers balanced rigorous coursework with demanding field practice alongside civilian first responders.
“This was the first group of Troopers from the 1st Cavalry Division to complete the program,” said Sgt. Maj. Waylon Wren, 1st Cavalry Division’s Chief Medical NCO. “Paramedic certification provides a nationally recognized credential and strengthens professional development and preparation for advanced clinical, instructional, and operational opportunities.”
While standard Army combat medics are certified at the basic Emergency Medical Technician level, this pilot initiative bridges the gap between basic field triage and advanced trauma medicine.
“Cumulatively, the program is a thousand hours of didactic mixed with Emergency Medical Services,” said Spc. David Hernandez, a combat medic assigned to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. “You have the classroom portion on Tuesdays learning different pathologies and illnesses, and then on Thursdays you practice assessments and hands-on skills.”
The program's true test came during real-world clinical rotations, when students stepped out of simulated environments and into emergency rooms and civilian ambulances.
“When you actually do an EMS ride-out or work in the emergency room is when you get to put it into practice,” Hernandez said. “You start IVs, you intubate, and I even got to do a finger thoracotomy — cutting into the chest wall to decompress it when a patient has blood in their lungs.”
Those hours in local hospitals required the Troopers to integrate directly into healthcare teams, treating civilian patients across various departments.
“Out in the populace, you had to do field experience in different areas of medicine,” said Staff Sgt. Brian Hoskins, a combat medic assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. “EMS was the biggest one, along with the emergency room. In the ER setting, we acted essentially as nurse assistants, performing anything within our medical scope of practice.”
For Hoskins, that level of exposure highlighted the need for higher baseline standards across the force.
“I hope this goes widespread throughout the Army,” Hoskins said. “To effectively lead, you need knowledge.” He added that the program provides that knowledge and will improve the future of Army medicine. Hernandez echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that advanced medical authority should become standard for unit leaders rather than an exception.
“This isn’t a program that should be gatekept,” Hernandez said. “If you are a 68W noncommissioned officer, being a paramedic should be the baseline requirement. In EMS, you can’t lead a medical team to its fullest capability as an EMT-B. You have to expand your skill set.”
Beyond elevating unit readiness, the certification significantly enhances the Troopers’ personal and professional trajectory, both in uniform and as potential civilian job seekers.
“Outside of the physician assistants and doctors, we are now the highest level of medically educated personnel in our units,” Hoskins said. “That knowledge will drive excellence across our peers and subordinates. And if you transition out of the military, leaving with a paramedic certification is far superior to leaving as a basic EMT.”
Ultimately, the high-pressure environment of real emergency care provided a level of psychological stress inoculation that classroom simulations simply cannot replicate.
“It teaches you resilience and how to remain calm under pressure, especially with a critical patient,” Hernandez said. “You can't lose control. You have to regulate your emotions and stay focused on what the next step is for the patient to make it to the hospital.”
He emphasized that the stress isn't something you can simulate. You have to experience the stakes, because real pressure forces you to better yourself.
“Paramedic-qualified Troopers bring stronger assessment, resuscitation, and patient-management skills to their formation,” said Wren. “They also serve as prehospital care subject-matter experts who coach other medics and improve casualty response training, evacuation rehearsals, and care during delayed evacuation.”
Graduates of the course are eligible to apply to take the test for the National Registry paramedic certification, a credential recognized across civilian emergency medical systems.
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