In a combat situation, an army medic is responsible for providing first aid. Although many medical professionals are involved in military operations, such as those working in a military hospital, the term “army medic” is typically reserved for those who provide medical care on the battlefield. Medics may also be employed a country’s navy, air force, or other military groups, but these medics often have different titles, responsibilities, and requirements. An army medic is a medical professional who serves the army and those it encounters, including civilians.
The primary responsibility of an army medic is to provide adequate medical care to a person in an emergency so that he or she can survive the journey to a more advanced medical facility. Providing detailed and comprehensive medical care is generally not possible during combat. Immediate action taken after a serious injury on the field may be enough to save a person’s life.
Army medics may also be called upon to provide minor first aid, though this is rarely an issue. Medics with the appropriate training may be in charge of administering medications and vaccinations. An army medic may be responsible for treating diseases and serious injuries for an extended period of time when access to physicians and medical facilities is limited. In an emergency, a medic may be forced to perform duties beyond his or her training and make do with whatever equipment is available.
Basic medical care for the types of injuries that a medic typically encounters, such as bleeding or amputation, is typically covered in an army medic’s training, with an emphasis on performing these duties in highly stressful and hazardous environments. Many countries have an official program for army medics, but some combat units have medics who are unofficially trained. Even if he or she is not expected to use these skills, an army medic is almost always trained for combat.
Medics are usually marked in some way most combat units that employ them. The red cross, red crescent, and red crystal are all acceptable symbols to use to identify medics. The purpose of these markings is to keep medics safe while also allowing the injured to locate them.
Historically, and especially since the First Geneva Convention, firing on a medic wearing identifying symbols has been considered unacceptable. It is a war crime to attempt to injure a medic. Most medics used to be unarmed, which made the job appealing to those who were dragged into the army against their will. Even medics are now typically armed, as some combat groups attempt to injure even non-combat members of opposing armies.