Friday, January 27, 2017
Answering the Call: The Juan Ramos Story
Fri, 27 Jan 2017Asa Keimig | LUCOM Marketing and PR Coordinator
It was a clear Tuesday morning in New York City, on September 11, 2001, and it seemed like any other day in the Big Apple. It quickly turned into a day of terror as millions of Americans watched in horror as two hijacked jets crashed into the Twin Towers. It became a day that is forever remembered in American history. For student-doctor Juan Ramos, Class of 2020, it was a day that would change his life.
Then, at age sixteen, Ramos was planning to attend college for a degree in music with his backup option to join the military. The terrorist attacks of September 11 ultimately served a large role in his motivation to enlist. “The day after my enlistment physical, my music teacher, who was my main motivator and mentor in music, died,” said Ramos. “Once he passed away, I knew the military was where I was supposed to be.”
He enlisted in July, 2003, finished basic training and was deployed to Iraq in January, 2004.
Returning to the U.S. in March, his skill sets and physical abilities began to stand out. Ramos made the decision to put himself through a rigorous selection process and in June, 2005, he began Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS); previously a standout soldier, he was now average among the rest of the Special Forces (SF) candidates. After he passed SFAS, he began the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC), also known as Q-Course, in October, 2005. As he progressed through training, he felt a desire to become a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, but instead chose to be a Special Forces Medical Sergeant with a personal ambition of challenging himself in the hardest field. In November, 2007, he finished the 45-week Q-Course, donned his Green Beret as a Special Forces Solider and joined his team at the 3rd Special Forces Group. In April, 2008, he married his wife, Raychael, who would serve as his backbone of support during his next three deployments and throughout his entire military career. Five months into his marriage, in September, Ramos left for an eight-month deployment to Pakistan. His next deployment to Pakistan lasted March through May, 2010. Two months later, he left for Afghanistan for what would be his final deployment that lasted from July, 2010, until April, 2011.
As a Special Forces Medical Sergeant, Ramos was charged with the care and medical readiness of a 12-man detachment that would deploy to austere or remote environments for one-to-ten months at a time. He was responsible for ensuring that all members of his detachment were trained in combat casualty care and prepared to put it into practice any combat situation. He was also tasked with maintaining preventive medical practices in the austere areas of operation in order to keep not only his detachment healthy but also the local national force. He was responsible for his detachment of 12 men, local national forces of 20-30 soldiers, a Special Forces battalion of 300 men and women as well as $750,000 worth of medical equipment and $20,000 worth of controlled narcotics. During his final three years in the military, Ramos was given the opportunity to serve as the Senior Medical Sergeant for a Special Forces Battalion, where he was responsible for managing a clinic that provided primary care for over 300 soldiers, ensured that all medics were current in certification and that medical training was planned and executed. Being a part of Special Forces required that he be flexible and able to adapt to changing situations at the drop of a hat.
One of the greatest challenges he faced as an Army Medic came in the final few years of his military service. He was plagued by back and neck injuries and struggled to keep up with his peers. “I served with giants and to keep up with them meant I had to be 100%,” said Ramos. “My injuries were a roadblock that kept me from being at the same level as my peers and I had to find a way to make sure that I was still as effective as before my injuries.” It was challenging at first, but he eventually was able to maintain a high level of effectiveness and gained respect for the determination that he put into his work.
For 13 years, the military was home for Ramos. He made great friends and had experiences that he wouldn’t have been able to through any other profession. “I was part of an organization where every day I walked beside giants,” said Ramos. On July 28, 2016, he accepted a medical retirement from the United States Army. “It was a hard day to hang up my uniform, but I put my faith in what God had in store for me, which made the whole experience a little less bitter.”
On Monday, August 1, 2016, he became a student-doctor in the Class of 2020 at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM). He had grown tired of seeing people not be able to receive adequate medical care because of how expensive it had become. “Medicine has unfortunately turned into an industry where too many doctors are out to make a buck rather than heal their patients and community,” added Ramos. “My goal is to help change access to medical care and while I may not change it at the national level, I will do my best to change it at the community level.”
Ramos recalled an experience on his final deployment to Afghanistan that led him down the path of becoming a physician. “Everything can change in the blink of an eye,” said Ramos. “It doesn't matter what plan I have or how easy the task is, it can always change and become the most difficult and daunting task.”
His detachment had a sister team that needed a re-supply of fuel, food, and water. Ramos was given command of the element that was tasked to conduct the routine mission. A mission that should’ve only taken a couple hours, at most. His team loaded their vehicles and went out to meet the sister team (Ramos was in the lead vehicle), followed by a second vehicle, with three more support vehicles to his left and right. He remembers arriving at a certain spot in the route when an explosion rocked his vehicle. After ensuring that everyone in his vehicle was okay, he went to survey the damage. He soon realized it wasn’t his vehicle, but the vehicle behind him that had been hit. Ramos was in charge of the element; trying to call in medical evacuation, emplacing security, and giving medical treatment. He was able to stabilize his friend and fellow soldier, Bashir, so that he could be evacuated to higher medical care, but Bashir ended up dying two days later. Ramos was faced with telling his soldiers that Bashir was not coming back.
“There were a lot of things that we changed tactically,” said Ramos. “Personally, I began looking at life completely different.” Ramos wanted to help those in need, specifically veterans, as much and as often as he could. Being at LUCOM and a part of the Pat Tillman Foundation are providing him with the opportunities to do just that.
Ramos is a Tillman Scholar, a program that was created by the Pat Tillman Foundation in 2008 to help support active-duty service members, American veterans and spouses of military members by providing financial support with their higher education and by investing in their future. Ramos’ good friend, Erasmo Espino, was awarded the same scholarship and encouraged him to apply. Throughout the application process Ramos experienced excitement at the thought of receiving financial assistance with his education and as the process proceeded, he began to learn more about Pat Tillman and the Pat Tillman Foundation. “He was an amazing man,” said Ramos. “He was given a second chance, and did good with it and after learning more about Pat and the foundation, the money was only a fraction of the reason I wanted to be accepted into this foundation.” After meeting with leaders from the organization, he forgot about the money altogether. “I am now part of an organization of people that are not only changing their own lives but are making an impact worldwide,” he said.
“Out of 3,000 applicants only 60 were awarded the 2016 scholarship and I am humbled that I am among that number. The stories and accomplishments of those in the class of 2016 are simply amazing,” added Ramos.
The scholarship not only provides financial assistance for the Ramos family during his four years of medical school but also allows him access to a network of like-minded veterans and veteran spouses that are moving mountains and doing great things both nationally and internationally. “This scholarship allows me to be a part of a legacy started by a man that gave up an amazing life, so that he could serve his country,” said Ramos.
Just like in the military, Ramos knows if he wants to be successful, then he must come up with a routine that will ensure his success. Studying is one of the challenges that he currently faces, in addition to, balancing his life so that he can give priority to his wife and four children. “My life in the military and the experiences that I have had, have prepared me to succeed at anything as long as I put hard work and dedication into the task,” he said.
At times, he finds medical school to be stressful, but looks to God for guidance through it all. He knows that in order to be successful in both the short and long term, it will take a large amount of perseverance, understanding and patience. He knows that in order to achieve his goal of helping change veterans’ access to medical care, he will work with other physicians, with the community, and ruffle a lot of feathers in the process. At the end of the day, he knows the reward will be well worth it. “It won’t be easy, but doing the right thing never is. My success is only measured on how I will impact the lives of others through my journey,” said Ramos.
Regardless of the task at hand, Juan Ramos is committed to answering the call.