At this time last year, Emporian Dan Rahe was a normal high school kid, going to school, hanging with friends and working part-time. After spending the last four months training in the United States Navy, he is now referred to as Seaman Rahe.
Rahe left for basic training in Aug. 8 after finishing high school in the delayed entry program through the Navy. He arrived in Great Lakes, Ill., Aug. 9. He described basic training as “stressful.”
“It was constant yelling,” he said. “If you messed up, you knew immediately you messed up. Group punishment for one person’s mess up.”
He also said it was important to be detail-oriented.
“Attention to detail was a big thing with the Navy because of being on aircraft carriers and just how dangerous shipboard life is,” Rahe said. “One little thing misplaced can cost someone’s life.”
The littlest details could cause a fatal error on a flight deck.
“You’re not supposed to have anything in your pockets,” Rahe said. “That can get sucked up into a jet engine and blow up the engine and kill everyone around it. Or if you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing, you can get blown off the side of the ship from the back blast from the jet engine. Just the different hazards aboard the ship are numerous.”
Spending nearly two months in basic training, Rahe graduated Oct. 7. After basic training, he went to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio for Hospital Corpsman A training. He arrived there Oct. 8. Rahe is set to graduate from the training Feb. 15.
“It’s the equivalent of an Army combat medic or Air Force medical technician,” Rahe said.
In the Hospital Corpsman A training, Rahe is learning life-saving skills.
“We just finished an (Emergency Medical Technician) basic course,” Rahe said. “Our first course was a basic life-saving course which is (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). When I go back, we are doing the corpsman fundamentals, which is kind of more of the battlefield side. It’s a little taste of the battlefield side for what we need to know. Then we have a basic nursing and an intermediate nursing. We learn how to start IV’s, draw blood and give shots.”
In March 2012, Rahe will start Aerospace Medical Technician School in Pensacola, Fla.
“That puts me with an aviation squadron, whether it be a Navy or Marine corps squadron,” Rahe said. “Most of what we do is keep track of medical records. Make sure pilots stay in flight duty status.”
Rahe is uncertain what all is entailed in the Aerospace Medical Technician School, but knows some of what he will learn.
“There’s an advanced study of the ears, nose and throat for the anatomy of that and how it’s affected by space flight,” Rahe said. “How that is affected by any aviation flight.”
The Aerospace Medical Technician School will take 10 weeks. Upon completion, Rahe is unsure where he will be deployed or what he will do.
“Stand-by to stand-by is what the Navy is good for,” Rahe said. “I get orders to wherever I go next, whether it be a Marine Corp, Navy Squadron to an air base or an air station, carrier, any ship with aircraft on it.”
spensanity (anonymous) says...
Great article about "Dan-the-Man" Rahe!! So proud of you!! Too bad they misspelled your name in the printed version of the paper!
December 27, 2011 at 8:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bubbadleroy (anonymous) says...
Anchors Away!
Navy experience, it is a hoot, and enjoyable if you let it.
Many times I wish I had stayed in and retired.
I worked on the F4 Phantom hydraulics systems, just like the one out at the airport entrance, during Vietnam, 1964.
Take care and thanks for your service you are about to give.
December 27, 2011 at 10:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Thanks for your service, Dan Rahe. It is so refreshing to hear about a young man doing something positive with his life instead of what some do with theirs.You will love this time of your life. And what a great field to be in too. Very gratifying. Bless you.
December 28, 2011 at 6:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
As a former Navy "squid", I thank you for your service to the country.
Part of that group punishment for one persons mistakes is one of the most important parts of boot camp.
In the military, one persons screw up can affect the whole units safety and well being. So group cohesion is drilled in from the start.
You may have some hard times during this service, but believe me, you will look back on this time of your life with pride.
Once again, THANK YOU.
December 28, 2011 at 7:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
How about a weekly story about our other local soldiers? There are many more. My hat is off to all of the fine young citizens volunteering to serve our country in these unstable times. Their willingness to do so proves to me that we are going to be okay.
December 29, 2011 at 10:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )