Provision to Help Vets Become EMTs Passes House

PUBLISHED: May 28, 2010

A provision to make it easier and faster for veterans who served as medics to earn certification as civilian EMTs was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, which passed today 229-186.

Based on the Experienced Medic Transition (EMT) Act, originally co-introduced by Congresswomen Melissa Bean (IL-08), Jane Harman (CA-36) and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL), this provision calls on local, state and national officials to take military medics' coursework and training into account when developing certification tests and standards.

"With this inclusion, reciprocity between the armed services and states regarding certification for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) will be established," Bean said in a floor speech. "Our men and women in uniform should be able to use their medical training and education in theater to help those in emergencies here at home if they so choose, without the cost and redundancy of retraining upon their return."