aero med tech

[sball]

Can anyone please give me information about Aero Med Tech C school. What all does this job entail? Is this a good rating to have? What are the advancement capabilities and what do the sailors do? Where do they typically get stationed with this rating?

[HM2(SW)Mom]

Depends on what you are looking for in the Military. A big part of AVT is flight physicals and working in a clinic. My husband was an AVT for 5 years and hated every minute of it because it was the same thing day in and day out. If you are assigned to a squadron you may get deployed but then again you might not. I guess they are merging with SAR now so now they will jump out of helos too. Dont' know about that part though.

[Poolzer]

As stated above, the role of the AVT is to maintain the medical readiness of a fixed or rotary wing Navy or Marine Corps squadron. Their main job is going through medical records and updating immunizations, flight physicals, conducting sick call and assisting the flight surgeon. It is not a glamorous role, but it is a much needed role in the aviation community and is a tedious job that can spiral downward if a couple tasks are forgotten or not kept up.

They are stationed anywhere there is a Naval or Marine Corps Air Station and the majority of larger Naval Hospitals.

As far as advancement opportunities, a lot of their job may show up on parts of the advancement exam (sick call, forms, immunizations, anatomy & physiology, emergency medicine) and when deployed with their squadron, if they do very well at their job they could be honorarily promoted. Otherwise they have the same chances as anyone else, its up to them to study and work on their evals to shine at their squadron.

Concerning the aviation communities merging. A SAR HM and Aerospace Physiology Tech (APT) must now be an AVT (aerospace medical tech), but an AVT does not have to be a SAR or APT. SAR and APT never had sea going billets, so we created some and utilize the AVT job in that aspect of being SAR.

Hope that answered your questions, feel free to ask more.

http://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/NAMI/Academics/aeromedtech.htm

This is their web site that talks about the curriculum and more about what is involved.

[sball]

Thanks so much for the information. Does this rating require the swim tests and training in the helo dunker, etc. Do you actually go on flights?
You mentioned the merge that this is required for the other rating, can you get the other rating after you get 8406? In other words can I go to another school after this to get the merged rating?

[dustmans]

sball,

It is easier to get to a flight billet from an AVT slot because you are working in the aviation community but all actually flight billets are voluntary. No one will make him fly if he doesn't want to (or isn't physically qualified for). The NEC is rather paper heavy, lots of attention to detail. Knowing how to type will definitely help. Everyone looks to us as the professional when it comes to pushing paperwork. I like the job but it isn't for everyone.

[Poolzer]

Thanks so much for the information. Does this rating require the swim tests and training in the helo dunker, etc. Do you actually go on flights?
You mentioned the merge that this is required for the other rating, can you get the other rating after you get 8406? In other words can I go to another school after this to get the merged rating?

There is not a swim qualification or physiology requirement (dunker) for AVT. Flights are squadron specific, some may let you, some may not, it depends on how well you can maintain their readiness. If you are sitting in the low 90%'s then no, you shouldn't be flying, but if you can maintain 98% or better, then it shows you can manage time well and the squadron would be more inclined to give favors such as flights.

You can put in for SAR or APT at anytime, both have dedicated pipelines, which include AVT school. For SAR though, you need to pass a strict flight physical, so eyes, ears, labs, cardio etc all need to be in pretty good shape.

[sball]

Does Color blind disqualify you for SAR or any flight for that matter

[sball]

Is it true you have to have one tour finished before you can go for the rate 8401? What are the other qualifications?

[dustmans]

Color blindness does disqualify you for any flight slots which includes 8401.

[AVTDOC96]

I have been an AVT for 11 years now. I have always enjoyed the Operational side of the job. Not so much the Clinic side. If you don't mind doing paperwork then it's a good job. I've been on I & I duty for 3 years and have been flying with CH-53E's the whole time. I've learned a lot from the Marines here, but am ready to move on.

[Socrates_TMNP]

Being an AVT gives you a well rounded skill set as a corpsman, however you must take the initiative to keep your medical skills sharp and maintain a good balance between admin and patient care.

[Poolzer]

You do not need to have a tour under your belt nor have to be EMT qualified to enter our program now.

We have a pipeline straight from HM 'A' school now, as well as a fleet pipeline.