View Full Version : Any Navy Corpsman here?
parishioner
05-24-09, 13:57
I have been debating with myself for a few months now about joining the military. I posted here a little while ago asking if now is good time to join. Anyway the thought crept back into my mind recently and since I have two years left on my nursing degree, if I joined, becoming a Navy hospital corpsman could be a fitting and worthy goal for me. Im looking to gain insight into their world to give me an idea if it is something I would like to do. If any are here or if anyone has good information on them, I'm all ears or eyes I guess I should say. You can PM as well.
Thanks
I have been debating with myself for a few months now about joining the military. I posted here a little while ago asking if now is good time to join. Anyway the thought crept back into my mind recently and since I have two years left on my nursing degree, if I joined, becoming a Navy hospital corpsman could be a fitting and worthy goal for me. Im looking to gain insight into their world to give me an idea if it is something I would like to do. If any are here or if anyone has good information on them, I'm all ears or eyes I guess I should say. You can PM as well.
Thanks
They probably still offer E-4 off the bat for your nursing or EMS experience... Navy Corpman are prob. the best of all the services as far as training I would say... This comes from a ARMY trained Medic and Civilian EMS supervisor of 11+years.
SeriousStudent
05-24-09, 15:51
Gutshot John was a FMF Corpsman, if I recall correctly. You might contact him.
Thank you for your desire to serve. If you do chose to become a "Devil Doc", and you are a good one, you will find your Marines to be a fiercely loyal and protective bunch.
No one messed with our Doc. No one.
I can only agree with the above. The Corpsman assigned to our teams are treated very good. I think the green side HM's are probably held in higher esteem by their charges than the blue side.
parishioner
05-24-09, 16:50
I think the green side HM's are probably held in higher esteem by their charges than the blue side.
Pardon my ignorance, but could you explain the above?
They are, in spite of the ribbing they get for that eternal "Drink water, take Motrin, rub dirt on it..." approach to all maladies from a simple headache to rickets to a subdural hematoma. They take crap from their Marines, but the Docs get full backing from them when the rubber meets the road. They know that that's the guy who's maybe gonna be patching them up some day.
One of the guys I work with spent his whole Doc career on the hairier side of the FMF. ANGLiCo, First Force Recon, MARSOC Det 1, finished with a stint at DevGrp. Did the Army's 18E (have I got that right? the SF medic course) training, and while he might not have killed more people than cancer, he may very well have killed more than hepatitis.
ARMY SF Medic MOS Code is 18D. But "E" is close... You get door prize for being so close...lol
parishioner
05-24-09, 17:06
So is there a difference between a Navy Hospital Corpsman and a FMF corpsman?
Im also reading something about SOCM corpsman and how all of them are FMF corpsman but not all FMF corpsman are SOCM.
Gutshot John
05-24-09, 17:35
All Navy Hospital Corpsman go through the same "A" school for a 0000 NEC. FMSS - Field Medical Service School is run by the Marines for Corpsman who will be serving with the FMF as 8404 NEC. Not all Corpsmen go to FMSS. "Recon" Corpsmen would be selected from FMF.
Corpsman who go with SeALs would be different than FMF though some might well have been with the FMF.
jman,
What I was trying to say is that the Corpsman are treated with a little different approach on the green side. Meaning the ones assigned to the USMC, the high speed units, the Seabees, riverine units, or even smaller ships, etc. The Corpsman in the green side unit play a more active role in the day to day life of a unit in the field than they do in the fleet. If they are the ones that are going to patch you up if you have an extra hole or be the only medical care you have for many miles or hours, even if you're badly wounded or very sick you are going to treat them with a little reverence. I'm not saying that they are not as worthy in other units like squadrons or ships. Just that they are treated differently. Most Corpsman will do tours with several types of units.
As far as a difference between Corpsman and FMF Corpsman there are several on this board that might be able to give you a better explanation of the differences. But on a basic level, all Corpsman will attend Navy basic and then "A" school. A school is where they learn their job. After graduating Corpsman "A" school they are what we call quad zero's or 0000. This means they are basic Corpsman without any specialized training. When they go to more specialized training they will get NEC's. These NEC codes designate things like dental techs, X-Ray technician, or FMF(which I think is 8404). This would be a field medic vs. a medic that works in a hospital ward. After this they if they reach E-5 they might attend IDC school, which is a year long and is basically a P.A. These guys will be assigned at remote bases and smaller ships and medical clinics. They do everything from stitch you up, give you antibiotics, to even prescribing narcotics. As an enlisted Sailor this is where you could end up. A deployed Navy Corpsman does things in the military that they would never be able complete in the civilian world. While deployed in Iraq the team doc or an IDC was what we usually saw if we were sick, had a skin infection or needed a few stitches.
So is there a difference between a Navy Hospital Corpsman and a FMF corpsman?
Im also reading something about SOCM corpsman and how all of them are FMF corpsman but not all FMF corpsman are SOCM.
SOCM is the first half of the 18D course, basically all recon docs go through it. After they've been in for a while or if they're crazy lucky and can get a seat then they can go through the whole 18D course. It's part of the pipeline for becoming a SARC (Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman). Here's a link of what all that pipeline entails:
http://www.2dreconbn.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=2
Basically after all of this you'd be one of the best trained trauma/combat medics in the world. Our doc was THE MAN when it came to any kind of medical and he was a damn good operator too.
parishioner
05-24-09, 18:51
Our doc was THE MAN when it came to any kind of medical and he was a damn good operator too.
So your Doc was a SARC?
dookie1481
05-24-09, 19:30
Not a lot of people Marines respect more than their Corpsmen, for what it's worth. All of our Corpsmen ended up becoming some of my best friends and they were some of the toughest men I've ever met. If I had to go into the Navy (fag :D) that's what I would do.
Jay
parishioner
05-24-09, 20:08
So if you go through FMSS, you will be assigned to a marine corps unit? Or are there other possibilites like being assigned to high speed units, the Seabees, or riverine units like seb5 said?
Doc Amentler
05-25-09, 14:06
Green side Doc here. Best job in the world.
After boot camp you go to Corpsman A school coming out as a 0000 Corpsman. After that depends on what you had in your contract and, more importantly, needs of the Navy. FMSS (Field Medical Service School), now called FMTB (Field Medical Training Battalion) is a great time. You will have Navy and Marine advisors and will learn how to do things on the "green side" of the house.
Be prepared to do everything that your Marines do and also your job as a Doc. Do everything that you can to excel at YOUR job, meaning medical, and you will have the respect of your Marines and then they will include you in many of the things that they do as Marines.
Any specific questions feel free to PM me.
parishioner
05-25-09, 19:01
I see that not all corpsman go to FMSS or FMTB according to gunshot john. Can you go if you want to or do you have to do what the Navy says?
Doc Amentler
05-26-09, 01:30
I see that not all corpsman go to FMSS or FMTB according to gunshot john. Can you go if you want to or do you have to do what the Navy says?
That is true. There have been whole classes that have been sent to Field Med and some that have not. In my class there were some that wanted to go to FMSS and were not chosen and some that most definitely did not want to go to FMSS who had orders to do just that. I would suggest that when you see your recruiter attempt to get it in your contract. However, needs of the Navy...
Gutshot John
05-26-09, 12:00
If you don't get selected for FMSS right out of Corps School, it's not a big deal or at least didn't used to be.
When you get your first fleet assignment and talk to your detailer/BUPERS they should have FMF billets available. If you haven't gone to FMSS by then, and you select an FMF billet, you will get orders for FMSS before you get to your fleet billet.
parishioner
05-26-09, 12:55
So its kind of like if you dont get asssigned to go at first you can get permission later on relatively easy?
Gutshot John
05-26-09, 14:29
So its kind of like if you dont get asssigned to go at first you can get permission later on relatively easy?
When I was in, you had to do a year at a hospital (I was NAVMEDCTR San Diego) before going to a Fleet Unit. Towards the end of that year you talk to a detailer who lets you know what the existing openings are for your rate/rank. I'd make sure you select Marine "Division" (as opposed to "FSSG" aka "Group") to do more of the high speed stuff.
Assuming there are FMF billets available and you select one, they will then send you to FMSS (FMTB). Most of the open FMF billets used to be in Okinawa. K-Bay was very difficult to get.
It shouldn't be too hard to get permission. If nothing else you can always fill out a Special Request Chit to go earlier if you want.
Smuckatelli
05-26-09, 15:24
Anyway the thought crept back into my mind recently and since I have two years left on my nursing degree, if I joined, becoming a Navy hospital corpsman could be a fitting and worthy goal for me.
Thanks
First off, there ain't no better animal than a Devil Doc.
Finish your degree first. It will leave options open for you.
So your Doc was a SARC?
Yep, one of the best guys I ever had the priveledge to serve with. If you choose that path you will never regret it. I'm going to school for Pre-med now because of what I learned from him and other doctors and Corpsmen.
My first duty station was Naval Hospital San Diego. then I did about a year and a half at Naval Air Station North Island Medical Clinic (which is in San Diego). Then I went through FMSS at Camp Pendleton. Then I went to Okinawa with 3rd MarDiv 4th Marines for a year and a half. I did one (sea) deployment with the Marines. I have to say I learned more and had more fun with the Marines. It has been posted several times already, but if you take care of your Marines they will take care of you. I'm just glad I was never stationed on a ship. Joining the service was probably the best decision I have ever made. I would have to say "do it", you won't regret it.
Gutshot John
05-27-09, 18:38
My first duty station was Naval Hospital San Diego. then I did about a year and a half at Naval Air Station North Island Medical Clinic (which is in San Diego). Then I went through FMSS at Camp Pendleton. Then I went to Okinawa with 3rd MarDiv 4th Marines for a year and a half. I did one (sea) deployment with the Marines. I have to say I learned more and had more fun with the Marines. It has been posted several times already, but if you take care of your Marines they will take care of you. I'm just glad I was never stationed on a ship. Joining the service was probably the best decision I have ever made. I would have to say "do it", you won't regret it.
4th MAR? Damn buddy we worked the same RAS. When were you there?
Smuckatelli
05-27-09, 18:59
4th MAR? Damn buddy we worked the same RAS. When were you there?
I know it wasn't directed toward me but; I was the Plt Sgt for the 4th Mar Scout Sniper Plt from Jan 86 to Jun 90. We initially stayed in the Dickey Barracks until we took over the flat top next to the Regt CP.
Also, I'm originally from Penn Hills:D
4th MAR? Damn buddy we worked the same RAS. When were you there?
Camp Schwab, end of '93- begining of '95.
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