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386th NEWS

Rock Solid Warrior: Staff Sgt. James Raper

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zachary Kee
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

I’m Staff Sgt. James Raper, a 386th Expeditionary Medical Group aerospace medical technician. I am deployed from the 96th Medical Operations Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. I joined the Air Force because I grew up with both of my parents serving in the Air Force. The Air Force has always been in my life.

As an aerospace medical technician, my job is very broad. I check patient’s vital signs, draw blood, administer immunizations, and perform intravenous therapy. I am also a first responder for medical emergencies. When it comes down to it my job is to ensure Airmen are fit to fight so they can carry out their mission. The best part of my mission is taking care of people. I like being able to turn an individual’s bad day to a better day, anytime I can do that it’s an accomplishment in my book.

Some of the challenges we face in our mission is that our supplies, equipment, space, and manning is more limited than back at home station. We overcome these challenges by reaching out to other facilities for help as they do us. We also adapt and find new ways and solutions to make a little go a long way.

My professional goals are to eventually become an independent duty medical technician and go to Air Forces Special Operations Command to be become a special operations forces medic. I also want to further my medical career by becoming a physician’s assistant. Another thing I do want to do with my Air Force career is become a first sergeant so that I can continue taking care of people and be a positive mentor for the new generation of Airmen. My personal goals are visit a different country at least once a year, and I want to learn how to read, write, and speak Arabic.

Some of my hobbies include going to the gym, grilling out with friends, taking road trips to random or new places, running, watching movies, camping, and coming up with new workouts.