TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Navy corpsmen stationed at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms are stepping out of the hospital and into the field, gaining critical hands-on experience through a new partnership with local first responders.
The innovative program pairs corpsmen with civilian paramedics from the Morongo Basin Ambulance Association (MBAA), a nonprofit EMS service based in Joshua Tree, according to the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Through ride-alongs on emergency calls across the region, participating corpsmen experience the fast-paced, unpredictable environment of prehospital emergency medicine, a vital training ground before encountering trauma care in combat or operational deployments.
It is the first initiative of its kind in the Mojave Desert region to link military medical personnel with civilian EMS providers for on-the-job ambulance training, according to the Navy.
For Hospitalman 2nd Class Jeness Rein, a respiratory therapist and emergency room corpsman at NMRTC Twentynine Palms, the ride-along program offered more than just a chance to sharpen her clinical skills; it reignited her passion for field medicine.
“I already held an EMT license from when I lived in Fallon, Nevada,” Rein said. “I signed up for the ride-along program here to gain more medical experience and just to be out there, learning more from every call.”
Rein emphasized that working in the back of a moving ambulance challenged her to think on her feet, make do with limited resources and deliver care in cramped, constantly shifting conditions — skills she says are essential in both military and civilian medical settings.
“Even with all the training we do in the Navy, nothing prepares you like the real world. Working in the field makes you realize how much you can do with so little,” she said. “I’ve picked up some clever tricks from the paramedics that I can bring back to the ER.”
For Navy Medicine, which emphasizes operational readiness, the program serves as a vital step in preparing corpsmen for the demanding conditions of field medicine before deployment. It builds their confidence and adaptability in delivering frontline care, both critical in combat and disaster response scenarios.
Craig Bell, operations chief at MBAA, noted that the partnership not only sharpens corpsmen’s clinical skills but also contributes to stronger emergency response capabilities throughout the region.
“This partnership allows us to provide the corpsmen with a different civilian EMS experience, which furthers their care and knowledge base,” Bell said. “Additionally, the program also benefits our communities through having more medical professionals on scene for better patient care and outcomes. Having an extra set of skilled hands on scene will always help us to provide a more cohesive patient care experience. This can work by dividing the workload between clinicians to allow for a more rapid addressment of potential life threats, or by providing assistance for more advanced skills being performed by our paramedics.”
Looking ahead, leaders at NMRTC Twentynine Palms and MBAA hope the program becomes a nationwide model. For now, it stands as a powerful example of how military-civilian collaboration can enhance patient care and readiness.
