Dept. of Veterans Affairs | Office of Public Affairs: Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center
Veteran Returns Home to Serve Others
by Christina Mascarenas
ALAMOSA, Co. (May 15, 2018) - September 11 was a turning point in the lives of many Americans. Soon after the deadliest terrorist attacks in American history, Brandon Snow, then an 18-year-old from a small town in southern Colorado, joined the military. He was a Corpsman in the Navy and was embedded with the Marines as a medic. Snow completed Felt Marine Force training battalion and was deployed twice. The first time to Iraq and then to Afghanistan.
Snow was a member of the Combat Trauma Management. His goal was to save
lives by putting himself in the mix of it. “To be on the front line taking care of
my Marines.” As a medic, Snow said he learned to blend in with his unit, since
the military learned their lesson during Vietnam when Corpsman were “picked
off first since they were a higher value target.” Snow’s mission was to bring back his Marines. “Every Marine [brought home] was a success for me, for America.”
During Snow’s time in Afghanistan his convoy was hit by an IED which caused
some memory loss. After 12 years of being away from home, seven years in the military, he said he couldn’t wait to get back to Alamosa. He is currently a Telehealth Tech at the San Luis Valley Veterans Affairs clinic in Alamosa.
He conducts clinics for doctors in other cities by interacting with patients and doing their exams while the doctor watches them on Skype.
Snow said he will eventually earn a nursing degree. As a medic he learned skills in combat zones and knowledge that nurses wouldn’t be allowed to perform in the states.
He uses his medical experience to serve fellow veterans at the VA clinic. As a veteran Snow bridges the gap by explaining the VA process.
Since leaving the military Snow missed the comradery, high of deployment and adrenaline. He found a connection as a member of the Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue team. He uses his combat trauma training to sustain life that depends on him when looking for people in the mountains for rescues or recovery’s.
Snow said, he appreciates the care he’s received from the VA. He’s never had any complaints and has always been taken care of. He’s heard stories, but he has been blessed. Snow connects with his veteran patients since he is one of them. His goal is to help other vets in all branches just like when he was working with his Marines.
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Snow was a member of the Combat Trauma Management. His goal was to save
lives by putting himself in the mix of it. “To be on the front line taking care of
my Marines.” As a medic, Snow said he learned to blend in with his unit, since
the military learned their lesson during Vietnam when Corpsman were “picked
off first since they were a higher value target.” Snow’s mission was to bring back his Marines. “Every Marine [brought home] was a success for me, for America.”
During Snow’s time in Afghanistan his convoy was hit by an IED which caused
some memory loss. After 12 years of being away from home, seven years in the military, he said he couldn’t wait to get back to Alamosa. He is currently a Telehealth Tech at the San Luis Valley Veterans Affairs clinic in Alamosa.
He conducts clinics for doctors in other cities by interacting with patients and doing their exams while the doctor watches them on Skype.
Snow said he will eventually earn a nursing degree. As a medic he learned skills in combat zones and knowledge that nurses wouldn’t be allowed to perform in the states.
He uses his medical experience to serve fellow veterans at the VA clinic. As a veteran Snow bridges the gap by explaining the VA process.
Since leaving the military Snow missed the comradery, high of deployment and adrenaline. He found a connection as a member of the Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue team. He uses his combat trauma training to sustain life that depends on him when looking for people in the mountains for rescues or recovery’s.
Snow said, he appreciates the care he’s received from the VA. He’s never had any complaints and has always been taken care of. He’s heard stories, but he has been blessed. Snow connects with his veteran patients since he is one of them. His goal is to help other vets in all branches just like when he was working with his Marines.
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