Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.) wants to make it easier for combat veterans to obtain EMT licensing and other medical certification, by waiving certain training requirements in light of courses and experience they’ve already had through the military.
Cassidy is a doctor himself, and believes expediting the process would benefit both veterans and the medical profession. “Veterans trained as emergency medical technicians in the service should not have to repeat the training that they’ve already had,” he said in a statement.
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The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians backs the bill, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 12,000 EMT and paramedic jobs are added each year. “When someone who has served has been taught to be an emergency medical technician, why wouldn’t he or she be certified as an EMT when they return stateside?” Cassidy asked.
“It’s ridiculous that we’re telling combat medics who have dealt with gunshot wounds that they can’t come home and be school nurses without training,” Navy SEAL and Missouri Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens told the Washington Free Beacon.
The House has passed the bill twice in the past, only to have it die in the Senate. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, (R-Ill.) sponsored the House version, and said, “I look forward to working with him to send this bipartisan, common sense solution to the President’s desk so that veteran medics and EMTs are able to continue to protect our communities.”
