Medic finds place working on engineer team

PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Not far from the gate of Forward Operating Base Rushmore, engineers with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), perform final checks on a convoy preparing to embark on a route clearance mission -- among the most hazardous jobs in Afghanistan.

Because of the risks inherent in the detection and removal of improvised explosive devices, Spartan engineers are diligent to never treat any mission as "routine" while also ensuring medical assets are available for any emergency -- which is why medic Spc. Patricia Cisneros often finds herself traveling on the dusty roads between FOBs.

But Cisneros said she and her team of medics have fortunately not had to spring into action thus far. She said she realizes that her team's professionalism and thorough knowledge of their duties have gone a long way toward preventing needless casualties.

"The whole process can be pret-ty tedious, but everyone is really good at their job," she said. "Luckily, I haven't had to do my job yet."

When Cisneros is not on mission, she performs her duties as a team leader, training her team for their tough missions ahead.

"It's been interesting -- definitely an experience," Cisneros said. "It is much different from being in garrison; there?'s a lot more training involved. It?'s a lot more strenuous."

Her squad leader, Sgt. Robert Fluellen, said he knows he is fortunate to have a Soldier like Cisneros on his squad. Fluellen said he sees her courage, enthusiasm and strong work ethic as qualities he would like his other Soldiers to emulate.

"She's not scared of any kind of training we do," he said. "She'll jump right in and is constantly willing to learn.

"In a company full of men, she is always willing to do anything we do," he added.

Along with being the platoon medic, she's also a team leader with three Soldiers.

"She's our platoon medic and does a lot of medical training with us, which is really big in our field," Fluellen said.

Cisneros came into the Army after completing enough of her education to be well on her way to achieving her goal of becoming a medical doctor. With the need to pay for the rest of her education, she decided to join the Army, and, with her educational background, her occupational specialty choice came naturally.

"Becoming a medic just seemed appropriate, since I wanted to do something in the medical field," Cisneros said.

Basic combat training and advanced individual training followed, and soon, she found herself where she is now -- on her first deployment, a valued member of a close-knit team, experiencing what being a Soldier in a combat zone is like.

Cisneros credits her mother for giving her the courage to find her path in life as well as her work ethic.

"My biggest role model is my mom, because she's always been a really hard worker," Cisneros said. "She's always worked for everything she had. She taught me to be independent and to do whatever makes me happy."

Training other medics and caring for her fellow Soldiers are the main reasons she has come to love being an Army medic.

"It's always really nice to help other people, especially when they don't know what's wrong," she said. "I especially love teaching."

Having come to love being a medic and working with fellow Soldiers has caused her to consider changing what kind of medical professional she wants to be upon completing her education.

"I am considering submitting an application packet to become a physician assistant after this deployment," Cisneros said. "I really enjoy being in the military, and I do want to keep working in the health care field."