For National Athletic Training Month in 2022 we are exploring the theme “Providing Health Care Everywhere” and we can’t think of a better way to do that than to showcase some of our own outstanding athletic trainers. We’ll spend the month sharing with you the inside scoop from athletic trainers who are working in emerging settings and unique positions. So read on and enjoy!
Adam Hausmann, MS, ATC, LAT, PES
School:
I graduated Mercyhurst University, in Erie, PA. with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, and a Minor in Exercise Science. I then completed my Master’s Degree in Exercise Science from the California University of Pennsylvania, with a focus of Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement.
Current AT Setting:
Military: US Army, Ft. Benning, GA. Airborne Ranger Training Brigade (ARTB), 1-507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Training Battalion’s (RTB’s)
Employer:
Chenega Reliable Services LLC
Years at Current Job:
4+ years
Who are your “athletes”?
I provide athletic training services to a variety of service members across Airborne Ranger Training Brigade.
Airborne School: Students attending this school come from all of the branches of the DOD. This is a three week course that conducts basic paratrooper training for the US Armed Forces. Airborne School also instructs and qualifies Pathfinders and Jump Masters, which are more specialized airborne training. The most specialized “athletes” I work with at Airborne School are parachutists with the Silver Wings jump team. Their mission is to perform live aerial demonstrations in support of the US Army.
Ranger School: Students attending Ranger School put themselves through 3 months of grueling training in order to earn the US Army “Ranger Tab”. Training varies from woodland to mountains to swamp environments, each one with its own physical and mental demands.
My main task is to determine if a student is safe to continue training if they sustain a musculoskeletal injury. These are both physically demanding schools and I have the opportunity to evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries not commonly seen in traditional athletic training settings.
Although Airborne and Ranger School students provide the majority of my encounters, I also provide care for cadre (instructors and support staff) assigned to each of these specialized schools. These athletes present with chronic injuries/dysfunctions that lead to higher complexity evaluations and plans of care. In addition, I also treat service members from the following:
1. Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course (RSLC)
2. Air Ambulance Detachment & Ranger Flight Company (Helicopter pilots and crew)
3. Riggers (Service members that pack the parachutes used in airborne operations)
What’s your schedule like?
My schedule varies depending on the training calendar and what high-risk events are going on. I am limited to 40 hours per week. A typical day starts at 05:00 for morning sick call at Airborne School, this is when students come in for evaluations, treatments and rehabilitation. I then drive across post to Ranger School to conduct sick call there at 09:00. After seeing students at both battalions I then see cadre for their appointments and follow-ups. Typically my day ends at 13:00 once I have completed paper work and injury tracking.
A non-typical day usually occurs during Jump Week at Airborne School, or RAP Week, “Hell Week,” at Ranger School. During these weeks I have the ability to flex my hours to allow me to cover RAP week events and/ or be at the DZ during airborne jumps. Hours during these weeks can vary from starting at 03:00 one day and ending after 23:00 the next.
What does your facility/ ATR look like?
I have two official offices, one at Airborne School and the other at Ranger School. Peney Aid Station at Ranger School is also staffed with a PA and a team of medics. Both facilities are fully stocked with treatment tables, rehabilitation equipment, GameReady, and Normatec Recovery Systems.
Have you been to any exciting locations/ events with this job?
I have the opportunity to provide athletic training coverage for drop zone (DZ) events. DZ events are airborne operations conducted both day and night, which consist of about 350 service members parachuting out of airplanes. Other DZ events include helicopter jumps and free-fall jumps.
I have also had the opportunity to organize athletic training coverage for the Army’s Best Ranger Competition. This is a grueling 72 hour competition for airborne and ranger qualified service members that measures competitors physical fitness, technical skills and marksmanship. Competitors are challenged with a buddy run, obstacle courses, 20+ mile foot march (60lbs ruck sack), rifle/ pistol/ machine gun marksmanship events and no programmed sleep during the competition. These are some the most elite athletes from across the DOD.
What do you like most about your job?
I love the population I work with and am able to provide care to. I get great satisfaction from serving those who serve and helping them achieve combat readiness after an injury. This mission drives me to be a better athletic trainer every day and continue to learn new techniques and skills so I can provide the highest level of care possible. I love the team approach with the PAs, PTs, medics, and fellow athletic trainers. The inter-collaborations between healthcare professionals truly makes it about the patient.
Any advice for an AT who wants to work in this setting?
· Make any job you have “the big time.” You might not be at your dream job yet, you might have a few setbacks, but if you show a good work ethic and are constantly developing your skills, you will get to your dream job.
· Be a team player. The Army is hiring a substantial amount of athletic trainers in the next 2-5 years to support their Holistic Health & Fitness (H2F) initiative. These teams will consist of athletic trainers, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nutritionist, strength and conditioning coaches, as well as a behavioral health specialist. In order to provide the best care, you need to be a team player.
· If you want to work with the military, and once you obtain that goal of being hired and get to your assigned unit; be willing to learn as much as you can, not just about the military setting and the differences between it and a traditional AT setting, but learn the physical demands of the different jobs performed by service members within that unit.
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