25th Combat Aviation Brigade combat medic enjoys pushing the limit

03.26.2007

Courtesy Story

25th Combat Aviation Brigade

By Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
Task Force Lightning Public Affairs

AR'AR, Iraq – As Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines conduct daily missions throughout Multinational Division-North, Iraq, they can feel confident in the care they will receive should they become injured in the line of duty.

Combat medics are the first line of qualified medical personnel to provide care to an injured war fighter prior to reaching a medical facility.

These dedicated professionals work and train hard. One Soldier from the Task Force Lightning's 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, takes it a bit further.

Spc. Juan L. Obregon Jr., a combat medic, assigned to Headquarters, and Headquarters Company, 25th CAB, 25th Infantry Division, serves as part of the medical team for the Region 2 Border Transition Team.

This small team of Marines, Soldiers and interpreters is responsible for Region 2, the largest of the Department of Border Enforcement's five regions.

Much like the BTT's challenges, Obregon enjoys pushing himself to his limit.

"I love this job," said Obregon of being a combat medic.

"Healthcare specialists and combat medics are the same MOS," he continued, "but you kind of unofficially get separated (in advanced individual training) and you basically know whether you're going to wind up being a hospital medic, which is the healthcare specialist, or being a line medic, which is your combat medic where you get to be side by side with the infantry. That's what I live for."

Obregon has been in the Army a little over two years and this is his first deployment. He is a native of Texas, having grown up all over the state from Edinburgh to Denton. He eventually enlisted from Denton, Texas.

However, it wasn't into the Army.

Obregon initially enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was injured during boot camp and was eventually sent home and not allowed to return due to medical issues.

An opportunistic Army recruiter was waiting and asked a single question as Obregon relates with a laugh. "So you want in?"

Obregon's journey to become a combat medic began that day.

Now he speaks freely about the most rewarding and gut-wrenching parts of his job while serving with the BTT, where he is sometimes affectionately referred to as "Doc" or "Obie."

"I love working with these guys and knowing that I've actually helped somebody in a way very few people get to."

He also spoke about the realities of being a combat medic.

"We've rolled up on a few incidents. The toughest part is knowing that if I'd been there maybe about two or three minutes earlier I could have saved somebody's life," said Obregon. "It's just something we have to deal with."

However, this hasn't stopped him from being a dedicated professional and understanding the delicate balance of his job.

"In the Army we are all Soldiers – bottom line. Our job is to put rounds down range. But I think the combat medic is one of the few jobs there is in this world where we can take a life or save a life within 10 minutes."

Once he's done saving lives in Iraq, "Doc" Obregon looks forward to returning to Hawaii and being with his wife.

"Hawaii itself is beautiful. I love hanging out with the local people. It's just that being from Texas, I'm used to driving three and half hours and getting to the next major city ... in Hawaii I'll drive two and half to three hours and go around the entire island!"

He also spoke of his goals both in life and the Army.

"One of the goals I'm hoping to attain is joining the (physician's assistant) program," said Obregon. "I'm hoping to get some college in and apply for the PA program. That way I improve my medical knowledge and it gives me the ability to do more for my Soldiers."

"One thing I've always enjoyed doing is helping out my Soldiers, he continued. "As an officer, I'd have a greater ability to do that."

"As far as the Army goes, my goal is to definitely get my Ranger tab," Obregon said. "I want to get to every possible 'hooah' school and retire, hopefully, after 30 years of service to the Army. I love this stuff."

With service members speaking their minds on the current missions around the world, Obregon left no doubt about his patriotism.

"You're fighting for the guy next to you, bottom line," Obregon concluded.

• Date Taken: 03.26.2007
• Date Posted: 03.26.2007 15:27
• Story ID: 9631