Berkeley County EMS Apprenticeship Program Benefits Veterans and Community Public Safety
By: Jenna-Ley Walls, Berkeley County Public Information Officer
From the front lines of combat to the front lines of community emergencies, transitioning from the military to civilian world is no easy task; but it’s a challenge many in our communities are facing. This is especially true throughout the Charleston region, where the military sector is a prominent part of the area’s history and fabric.
Capitalizing on this reality and the desire to meet the needs of both our veterans and community members, Berkeley County worked with state leaders to craft a unique pilot program for its Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
The EMS Military Apprenticeship Program places military combat medics on a fast track path to career success as paramedics with Berkeley County EMS. Hired veterans endure a rigorous 22-week training course, rather than the 13-month industry standard.
“This expedited training allows veterans to utilize all the advanced training and experience received in the military to the benefit of the people in their communities,” said state Rep. Sylleste Davis (R-Berkeley).
Todd Cowley, Berkeley County EMT and U.S. Army reservist, echoed the state legislator’s thoughts.
“It provides a great job opportunity for military medics getting out of the military,” he said.
It also pays apprentices throughout their training, allowing them to still make money while they study, and preserves their GI Bill for later use.
“Because we’re paid our full-time (EMS) salary while we train and study, we don’t have to worry about whether we have time to also work a job,” Cowley said. Cowley is one of three Army medics hired through the state grant to complete the program, which benefits veterans and community safety as well as agency staffing and morale. By offering this training program in-house, Berkeley County EMS continues to meet its goal of strengthening a homegrown pipeline for EMS recruitment and retention—a strategy the county implemented in response to a critical staffing shortage the agency faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Even though we’ve kind of recovered from the staffing shortage of four years ago, if we don’t keep doing new things to get new qualified people, we won’t be prepared if and when that were to happen again,” said Berkeley County EMS Chief Michael Shirey.
Rep. Davis has long been an advocate of the military and veterans’ affairs. As the mother of an active-duty service member, Davis knows firsthand the challenges veterans face in many sectors of society—workforce included.
“Once I learned that finding meaningful employment after service was sometimes difficult for our new veterans, I began trying to find ways to utilize the unique skill set and experience acquired in the military, especially military medics,” Davis said.
This knowledge, along with her leadership role as chairwoman of the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee, prompted her to start working on the pilot program with the county more than two years ago.
“I mentioned my effort to support military medics, and Chief Shirey immediately began to work on a way to create and implement a trial in Berkeley County,” Davis said.
County Council and county leadership, worked with the state to ensure the success of this program.
“We knew this concept, unlike anything else of its kind offered across our state, would be transformational for our county, communities and EMS agency,” said County Supervisor Johnny Cribb. “As the backbone of our county and country, our veterans and first responders deserve all the respect and resources they need to flourish. This apprenticeship program is one meaningful way we can give back to those who’ve willingly sacrificed their own needs for others.”
After $270,000 in state funding was approved—to cover the cost of the course and the new hires’ salaries—Shirey developed the pilot project with help from the South Carolina EMS Association and National Registry of EMTs. Last year, Cribb and County Council gave the program the official greenlight after first partnering with the state on the idea nearly two years prior. Apprentices were then hired, and in early February 2025, their training officially commenced.
“We are exceedingly proud of the opportunity to pilot this program for other counties and agencies across the state to potentially emulate,” Supervisor Cribb said. “Thank you to our county council, state legislative delegation, and EMS officials for uniting on this unprecedented endeavor, pushing for its implementation and providing the proper funding and logistics to get it off the ground.”
In addition to Cowley, former Army combat medics Anderson Umana and Jaden Pirkle are enrolled in the program.
Umana, who expressed his passion for helping people, said he couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity he’s been given through Berkeley County EMS.
“(The program) sounded great, too good to pass up—one of those opportunities in life that you can’t really say, ‘No,’ to,” he said.
The Costa Rican native moved to the U.S. in 2014 and joined the Army in 2022, following in his family’s footsteps.
“My grandfather was a doctor, and some family members joined the medical field, so I decided I wanted to make my grandpa proud, and I wanted to join the medical field,” Umana said.
He also expressed his gratitude for the positivity and support he’s felt thus far from coworkers and agency leadership and understands the critical role he’s been hired to fill.
“Everybody in here is great,” Umana said. “They care a lot about us and make us feel appreciated and needed. We have to do our part and make sure we’re worth the investment.”
Initially interested in a nursing career, Pirkle viewed Army combat medic as a similar option and joined the service in 2022 after needing a change from his then-job as a sous-chef. During his Army stint, Pirkle provided medical aid to recruits in Army Ranger School.
Whether military service member or first responder, Pirkle said he thrives on the fast-paced, lifesaving work of both career fields and welcomes any challenge to help others and improve himself.
“I feel like if I’m not doing something to better myself, I feel bored,” Pirkle said. “Getting my paramedic (license) and being able to provide premiere care, becoming the best at my job—that satisfaction – that’s really what I’m looking for.”
The apprentices are scheduled to graduate from training in early July and be promoted to a starting paramedic salary of nearly $70,000 with Berkeley County EMS, made possible by Berkeley County Council’s continued investment in public safety and commitment to excellence in the care of its growing population of residents.
“I am always looking for ways to support the needs of our veterans, our active-duty military, and their families,” Davis said. “Their service mattered then and their service matters now.”