Photo By Mark Schauer | Spc. John Johnson of the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground Health Clinic shows the...... read more read more
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New Army recruits are the future warfighters U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground’s (YPG) developmental test mission will someday serve.
Most newly enlisted recruits’ knowledge of Army service is secondhand. If they’re part of the lucky few, perhaps a parent or other close relative served. Others know of it entirely from television and movies.
A group of about 30 young people made up of both Army recruits under contract and members of San Luis High School’s Emergency Medical Services class paid a visit to YPG on Apr. 23 to ask questions about Army life in the medical field with medics assigned to the YPG Health Clinic.
Over the years, YPG has supported such visits to the workplaces of virtually every active-duty military occupational specialty (MOS) assigned here.
“It’s a great opportunity for our people to see the reality of what the Army is,” said Staff Sgt. Rigoberto Montoya, recruiter. “The purpose is both to understand what working in an Army clinic is like and the quality of care that is available to all U.S. Army Soldiers.”
Montoya, an Army medic himself, has seen significant interest among potential local recruits in military occupational specialties related to the medical field.
“It is a really popular field in Yuma,” said Montoya. “A lot of students think the only Army MOSs available are combat-related. When they get to see the YPG clinic and Soldiers performing medical tasks, they want to talk to the recruiters about those jobs.”
Attendee Damian Castillo was among the new recruits under contract in addition to being a current student. Enlisted as a 68W Combat Medic Specialist, he will head to basic training this summer after graduating from San Luis High School.
“I have a passion to help people and want to follow in the footsteps of my brother who was in the Army,” he said. “Being a 68W combines the best ofboth worlds. It seems like something I’ll pursue even after my military career is over.”
Like the others, Castillo saw value in the visit.
“Talking to the Soldiers gave me a great insight into things I should expect when I ship out,” he said. “It was a pretty good thing to have beforehand.”
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2026 17:27 |
| Story ID: | 563455 |
| Location: | YUMA PROVING GROUND, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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