Alejandro (Alex) Labrada, United States Army

Alejandro Labrada enlisted in the U.S. Army immediately after graduating high school at the age of 18. He had originally planned on joining the Marine Corps, but discovered they didn’t staff their own medics, a role he wanted to pursue. Since being at sea for extended periods didn’t appeal to him either, the Army made the most sense. During his seven years of service in that branch, reassurance after reassurance proved that this was the right decision.

Labrada became a healthcare specialist, better known as a combat medic, and he saw combat duty in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom between 2011 and 2012. He was honorably discharged after deciding to focus on his growing family, and transitioned to civilian life more easily by leveraging the skills he learned as a medic in the Army. He had met many people in the EMS field over the years who spoke highly of AMR. It seemed like an interesting new adventure, so Labrada decided to apply. He currently serves his community as a paramedic and field training officer for AMR in Modesto, California.

“I do believe that my experiences in Army medicine helped lay the foundation for my EMS career,” said Labrada. “To hold the position of healthcare specialist, I first had to attain my EMT certification, and the Army provided the training. Additionally, the critical-thinking skills I learned in the military help me make decisions daily while working on the ambulance.”

Rank Attained
In his seven-year career with the Army, Labrada attained the rank of healthcare specialist, administering emergency medical care in the field, both in combat and in humanitarian situations. He was trained as a first responder, able to triage injuries and illnesses to save lives.

What he Misses About the Military
“The thing I miss the most is my friends, or battle buddies, that served with me,” said Labrada. “It's a different kind of bond you forge with someone when you quite literally rely on them to protect you and they look to you to get them home safely. I've made a good number of friends that are all scattered to the winds now, but I know I could reach out and they'd be on the next flight.”