Jeremey Shumaker, Army and Army Reserve Veteran

Regional Director, American Medical Response

Jeremey Shumaker grew up in a military household. His father had served in the National Guard, following suit of his uncle and grandfather. When Shumaker joined the U.S. Army in 1997, he served first in a ground ambulance unit at Ft. Lewis, Washington, then as a Combat Medic in the Iraq War. Ironically, while deployed in Iraq, he was attached to the same division as his uncle (Vietnam) and grandfather (WW2), the 3rd Brigade 1st Armored Division.

In January 2003 when Jeremey’s tour was up and he was supposed to return to civilian life, he was required to stay in the Army for two more years under what’s known as a stop-loss order, where an enlisted man’s time of service is extended. When he got out in 2005, he was ready to leave the 3 a.m. physical training, eating MREs and having people shoot at him.

Jeremey went back to his hometown of Riverside, California, where he joined the local AMR base. He had previously worked for AMR in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, while in the Army Reserves in 2002. Working his way up the ranks, he now serves as the Regional Director for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and CALSTAR in Santa Maria.

“I am confident that I would not be where I am today without the experience I gained in the military,” said Shumaker. “As a combat medic, the military is where I gained training and experience in EMS. I worked on an ambulance, as well as in hospitals and clinics. But beyond EMS, while in the Army I learned a lot about leadership. I had great examples of what a great leader looked like as well as examples of leaders I did not want to emulate.”

Rank Achieved

In his eight years of service, Shumaker attained the rank of Sergeant. Sergeants typically:

  • Lead a team or a section
  • Are first-line leaders who have the most direct impact on soldiers
  • Oversee soldiers in their training and daily tasks

Area of Service

  • Ft. Lewis, WA
  • Ft. Riley, KS
  • Baghdad, Iraq

Favorite Military Memory

“When I joined the Army as a medic, I assumed my job would be to treat my fellow soldiers,” said Shumaker. “When we got to Baghdad, we quickly found that the people living in the area around our base has no access to medical care. One of the most memorable experiences of my life was having the opportunity to run daily clinics for locals who needed care ranging from minor wounds, to surgery, to dental care. We got to know the community and were able to build trust with them.”