FORT KNOX, KY. – A gentle breeze blew through the air as Cadets assigned to 10th Regiment, Advanced Camp learned different medical skills. There were four lanes where Cadets received instruction on what care to perform and immediately after, they were tested on it. 

They had two chances to correctly execute each station, transport a casualty, stop bleeding, call a nine-line medical evacuation and restore breathing. If they did not succeed, they received a no-go. 

It’s nerve-wracking for a lot of Cadets, but not for Sam Morginstin, Virginia Military Institute, because he is a certified EMT. Having that background knowledge makes the medical lane testing easier for him, but it’s not as helpful as it may seem. 

“Here, you’re supposed to dump everything you’ve learned and just do exactly what they tell you,” he said. 

It was not hard for Morginstin to leave what he learned in the past and open his mind to what the cadre instructed. Forgetting the specifics of his EMT skills for the medical lanes was no different than being on the range and overlooking how he previously learned to shoot a weapon.

“You can still kind of utilize it,” he said, “But, it’s better to just do exactly what you’re told to do.”

Last summer through his school, Morginstin took a four-week course to become basic life support certified. Everything in the class was new to him. The group spent eight hours each weekday learning, then on the weekends they rode around with local EMS to gain more hands-on experience. 

Since his school paid for the class, Morginstin has to work as an EMT for them for a little while. At the start of last year, he worked during his school’s “rat week.” It’s like basic training for freshmen at the school. It’s physically demanding with rifle runs, obstacle courses, rappel towers, ruck marches and a bayonet course. 

Due to the nature of the events, injuries are not uncommon and medical services have to be present at all times. It gave Morginstin real, practical experience working as an EMT. 

“It really taught me how to act on my feet and not get worried and not be stressed,” he said. 

That week, he had to treat someone with a dislocated shoulder and someone who accidentally stabbed themselves in the foot with a bayonet. 

“At the end of the day, you’re helping someone,” he said, “You’re helping save lives.” 

Helping people has always been important to Morginstin. Both of his parents have dedicated their lives to it. His dad is an oncologist and his mom is a preschool teacher. 

“They were my inspirations of wanting to live a life of service,” he said. 

Morginstin’s older sister also motivated him to devote his life to helping others. She has a cranial facial bone disease. To correct it, she had lots of surgeries growing up. For a while, she had a metal plate on her head to rectify her different bone structure.

“She just looks different than everyone else,” Morginstin said. “Being that young and having that on, kids can be really mean.”

His sister is an inspiration because she did not let her medical challenges stop her from achieving her dreams. She ran track and field at Chestnut Hill College and was even the team’s MVP one year. Now, she runs at least six miles a day and is training for a marathon. 

His sister’s cranial facial bone disease was not the only major medical issue that Morginstin’s family had to deal with as he was growing up. When he was a senior in high school, his mom was diagnosed with cancer. He had to pull away from his friends to be there for his mom and whole family. 

“It was really rough,” he said, “but in the end, it really made us all closer.” 

Growing up with a family that was facing such serious medical issues made Morginstin want to spend his life serving others. Morginstin did not always plan on being an EMT to help others, but he did always plan on spending his life helping others by being in the Army. 

Ever since middle school, he felt a calling to serve in the military. 

“I’m just really happy to be here,” he said.