Do medics in the military use weapons?

Question

can they use a rifle? if not then why?

Answer 1

As a medic currently in Afghanistan you can forget all the goofy pistol answers or staying in the backgound crap. Army medics carry and are trained on the same small arms weapon's all other combat soldiers carry. Doctors, PAs carry 9mm pistols. All other line medics carry, M4s or M16s, and if they are in good units they have been cross trained on the other weapons in that unit. If you watched the news last weekend you saw where 4 soldiers were killed in Afghanistan. Two of them were medics from my unit. One female, one male. Trust me they were trained and armed and not in the background when they died. The real thing isn't like M.A.S.H. reruns.

Answer 2

Yes, medics do carry some sort of weapon. Most medics will carry either an M4/M16 or a 9MM pistol. Some carry both. Like a previous person said, superior firepower. You want everyone to be able to engage and destroy the enemy as possible. The medic will engage in a battle as necessary until the time that he/she is needed as a medic.

The only people who do not and are not allowed to carry a weapon are the Chaplains. The only other are conscientious objectors who will still do their jobs (most are medics) but will not carry a weapon. The vast majority of these are good people who are allowed to stay in and do their jobs.

Answer 3

through the regulations of conflict a Medic or Corpsman is talked about through the pink bypass and is permitted to carry guns for self protection and the protection of his sufferers (study the M9 pistol) or bypass unarmed and by no skill be a target for the different side. because the superb semi-civilized conflict we fought that the warring parties for the most section said that rule became the ecu Theater in international conflict 2, maximum medics/corpsman in the field carry known M-16/M-4's and positioned themselves in the combatant class-no longer fairly any distinction as in Vietnam the aims were the radioman, corpsman/medic, then officials or senior enlisted throughout ambushes and that i rather positive the insurrgents do no longer play through the regulations both. most of the rfile's I knew carried a pistol (Colt 1911 then), M-16 and took the pink bypass "aiming factors" off at the same time as on patrol even with the undeniable fact that did comprehend one which took off the aiming factors yet refused to carry a weapon as he became a pacifist, very gutsy and patriotic pacifist who did no longer ought to serve in accordance at the same time with his beliefs yet chosen to and then nevertheless stay through his beliefs. Braver then i became because i'd not bypass uunarmed there.

Answer 4

Yes, absolutely. In my four combat tours (as a medic) with an Infantry Battalion I carried a 9mm pistol, M4 rifle, and a pistol grip shotgun. You are not a medic until the need arises.

The best combat medicine is superior firepower.

Answer 5

Everybody uses a rifle.

Answer 6

Yes as a last resort... Medics are usually placed in the background and that way they are "out of harms way" but yes they do use weapons.

Answer 7

yes...generally a sidearm.

P.S. It's not that they can't or don't use a rifle...at times they do but generally (at least navy corpsmen) have their hands full in combat....you'd have to see it to understand....things are happening fast and there just isn't time usually for a corpsman to assume an offensive role. He is watching out for and treating wounded marines around him.

Answer 8

A field medic's bag in the Army includes a 9mm pistol.

Answer 9

No because of the convention which was signed by most countries which state that a medic should be unarm and technically enemy soldiers should not shoot at them.

Answer 10

Mostly they don't engage in combat, but they are in harm's way. So, they need a side arm to defend themselves if threatened.