FRANKFORT, Ky, -- The Kentucky National Guard hosted nearly 200 students from the Arvin Education Center’s nursing, biomedical and sports medicine programs at Boone National Guard Center, Jan. 6.
The event was designed to give students who are considering careers in the medical field an inside look at opportunities in the military, and highlighted the education and various other benefits available through service in the Guard. Students also experienced hands-on learning with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter tour and a “Stop the Bleed” class from flight medic U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Lowe.
The idea for the event began when a teacher from the Arvin Education Center contacted Staff Sgt. Kaidin Dietrich to request a guest speaker. Dietrich, a recruiter in the Oldham County area, knew there was a better way to get the students involved, and reached out to Staff Sgt. Jamie Pungirum, the medical readiness clinic non-commissioned officer in charge, to coordinate the visit.
“My goal for this event was to put subject matter experts in front of students…Service members who talk the talk and walk the walk,” said Dietrich. “I wanted other nursing professionals to speak the nursing language with the students. Since I’m not a 68-series (medical professional), I knew I wouldn’t be able to speak in depth about what these 68 lives look like. The Medical Detachment knocked it out of the park.”
Soldiers from Kentucky’s Medical Detachment and the 1163rd Medical Company Area Support (MCAS) spoke to students at each station about career paths in military medicine, including healthcare specialties that align with civilian medical careers. Students also had the opportunity to ask questions, learn about education benefits, and see firsthand how Guard members balance service with college and civilian employment.
The 68-series is a group of medical military occupational specialties (MOS), covering a wide range of healthcare roles from direct patient care of a combat medic (68W) or practical nurse (68C) to technical and support functions of a biomedical equipment specialist (68A), radiology specialist (68P), and medical logistics (68J). These roles involve critical duties like emergency treatment, lab work, patient administration, pharmacy, and veterinary support, often leading to valuable civilian certifications.
The Arvin Education Center is Oldham County’s career and technical high school, bringing students together from high schools across the county to focus on hands-on learning and career preparation.
“Our primary focus was to help increase the students’ awareness of the vast array of medical capabilities and roles the Guard provides, as many of the students have interest in a healthcare career but said they’ve had little exposure to the military,” said Maj. Timothy Olsen, deputy state surgeon for the KYARNG. “If some developed an interest in pursuing medical opportunities with the Guard that would be wonderful, but strengthening our relationships with community partners is invaluable regardless, as we’re often supporting and collaborating with healthcare organizations across the Commonwealth.”
This recruiting event demonstrated the Guard's continued commitment to community engagement by exposing students to medical career opportunities not found in a traditional classroom. Students learned that military service is not only an option, but it can also complement their educational and career goals in the medical field.
The successful event strengthened the relationship between the Kentucky National Guard and local schools, while inspiring the next generation of medical professionals.
"It was a great event," Olsen noted. "Being the first of its kind, we now have many ideas to make it even more valuable for students in the future."