Navy Corpsman.

[lohki13]

Is anyone here a Navy Corpsman or been one.

If i don't qualify to be a Loadmaster in the Airforce(eyes) i really don't see myself joining the Airforce so i have been looking at the other branches.

And the Navy has some jobs i am interested in.

Corpsman
Master At Arms
Gunners Mate

My only real question is what does a corpsman do? I understand they are Marine Combat Medic but is that their only function i would rather not be a nurse. But would love to be a combat medic.

Any info on the others would be great.

Cameron Owens.

[358 winchester]

lohki13
Go to a Navy web site and read up on each job I will try to get some sites for you a little later today, I am getting ready to go shoot this morning.
Ron

[lohki13]

I read up on them, but i have a theory they candy coat the description being as they are trying to recruit. Have fun at the range.

[Pistolenschutze]

All military medical corpsmen have at least one thing in common: They give injections with large, square needles!

[lohki13]

Sounds like fun, combat medic sounds better.

Even though i don't plan on anything involving medical if i get out.

[358 winchester]

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

All military medical corpsmen have at least one thing in common: They give injections with large, square needles!

You forgot "DULL"

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by 358 winchester

You forgot "DULL"

Agreed, Ron, very dull! I suspect they were previously used as fence post nails.

[cohoskip]

Corpsmen serving with the Marines are primary targets for the enemy.
At least that's the way it was in WWII and Korea...

[USMC-03]

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

All military medical corpsmen have at least one thing in common: They give injections with large, square needles!

Pistol,

While I have the usual inter-service rivalry friendly contempt of the non-Marine Corps services, and truly believe that about Army and AF medics; DON"T MESS WITH DOC!!!

All medical personnel and chaplains serving with the Corps are sailors and held in the highest regard. And truly, the fleet doc's give the least painful shots I've ever had.

lohki13,

If you become a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, you may technically be in the Navy, but you will be integrated into a Marine unit, live with marines, train with marines, wear Marine Corps uniforms, take care of marines and be taken care of by marines. You would be one of us. Plan on living up to the same physical standards, crawling through the mud, eat at the same lousy chow halls and being called "Doc". For all practical purposes you would be a jarhead.

If you can play the games with a smile and take care of your platoon, I will guarantee every one of them will lay their lives on the line for you if needed.

If you have any specific questions, just ask. There might even be a fleet corpsman lurking around here too.

Good luck.

[charagrin]

My grandfather David L. Grieve, Was a Navy corpsman in Vietnam. He served on the LST Hampshire County. He got his leg screwed up when while unloading under fire, A shell exploded nearby and knocked a corner of a crate, Into his knee.-Char

[lohki13]

What standard of PT do i need if i can be FMF Corpsman.

What do i have to do to get to be FMF Corpsman.



This is all still on the board i am still undecided what i would like to do.

[Bruce FLinch]

About 7 of the next 10 most growing job fields are in Medicine. If you get thru 4 years of being a corpsman, then you would have no problem finding employment for the rest of your life!

If I was going to do it again...Gunners Mate!

[lohki13]

Originally Posted by Bruce FLinch

About 7 of the next 10 most growing job fields are in Medicine. If you get thru 4 years of being a corpsman, then you would have no problem finding employment for the rest of your life!

If I was going to do it again...Gunners Mate!

That is still on the top of my list. Weapons

[Frank2357]

lohki13,

As a former sailor, I was not a corpsman, MAA, or gunner's mate, but I served with all of them. Some brief insights from personal experience (I got out 15 years ago so YMMV):

1) FMF Corpsman: I was stationed at the Naval Hospital - NAS Jacksonville in 1987/88 and USMC-03 is totally correct. If you have a fondness for your limbs and internal organs, you DO NOT F#*K with a Doc serving with FMF. They are some of the best trained corpsmen in the service when it comes to trauma care and they are well respected and taken care of by the Marines they serve with. If you think a career as an EMT or Paramedic sounds fun, this is a great place to start.

2) Master-at-Arms: Twice in my career I was assigned temporary duty with Master-at-Arms: once on shore and once on-board USS America. It's an interesting job with some cool work. In those days (1983 & 1991) it was required that you enlist as some other rating and advance to E-5 before being allowed to cross over to the MAA rating. The issue with that was always that most ratings were more critical to the service than MAA was and you wouldn't be allowed to change. And spending enough time to make E-5 in a rating LESS critical would be considered sub-optimal.

3) Gunner's Mate: Little guns, big guns, guided missiles, what's not to like? The rating used to be split between Guns and Missiles, but I don't know if they still do that. Both ratings get training in mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems, just in different proportions depending on their specialty.

Here's a sea-story about a Gunner that I served with: Back in 1990, on one Friday every month, the 5-inch guns at the Naval training center in Dam Neck, VA were test fired. The interval between shots was left up to the lead instructors for the classes going through the school, but always seemed to be really long, on the order of 4-5 minutes or more. I had been previously stationed with one of the instructors so I asked him why they did it that way. After he stopped laughing, he told me that it was so the car alarms all over the base had time to reset and stop alarming before the next round set them all off again. Ahhh, the simple pleasures are always the best.

Whatever you choose, lohki13, have fun, keep your head down, and make friends, you'll remember them for the rest of your life.

Apologies to all for the long post.

[lohki13]

Originally Posted by Frank2357

lohki13,

As a former sailor, I was not a corpsman, MAA, or gunner's mate, but I served with all of them. Some brief insights from personal experience (I got out 15 years ago so YMMV):

1) FMF Corpsman: I was stationed at the Naval Hospital - NAS Jacksonville in 1987/88 and USMC-03 is totally correct. If you have a fondness for your limbs and internal organs, you DO NOT F#*K with a Doc serving with FMF. They are some of the best trained corpsmen in the service when it comes to trauma care and they are well respected and taken care of by the Marines they serve with. If you think a career as an EMT or Paramedic sounds fun, this is a great place to start.

2) Master-at-Arms: Twice in my career I was assigned temporary duty with Master-at-Arms: once on shore and once on-board USS America. It's an interesting job with some cool work. In those days (1983 & 1991) it was required that you enlist as some other rating and advance to E-5 before being allowed to cross over to the MAA rating. The issue with that was always that most ratings were more critical to the service than MAA was and you wouldn't be allowed to change. And spending enough time to make E-5 in a rating LESS critical would be considered sub-optimal.

3) Gunner's Mate: Little guns, big guns, guided missiles, what's not to like? The rating used to be split between Guns and Missiles, but I don't know if they still do that. Both ratings get training in mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems, just in different proportions depending on their specialty.

Here's a sea-story about a Gunner that I served with: Back in 1990, on one Friday every month, the 5-inch guns at the Naval training center in Dam Neck, VA were test fired. The interval between shots was left up to the lead instructors for the classes going through the school, but always seemed to be really long, on the order of 4-5 minutes or more. I had been previously stationed with one of the instructors so I asked him why they did it that way. After he stopped laughing, he told me that it was so the car alarms all over the base had time to reset and stop alarming before the next round set them all off again. Ahhh, the simple pleasures are always the best.

Whatever you choose, lohki13, have fun, keep your head down, and make friends, you'll remember them for the rest of your life.

Apologies to all for the long post.

thanks for the info. Well after doing some research yesterday i am leaning more towards MAA mainly because i love law Enforcement;even though i have been told my first enlistment will probably be all gate duty,My theory is i better do something i enjoy if i want to try to retire out of the military.(plus my associates degree is in CJ).

May i ask what your Rate was?

[islenos]

Originally Posted by cohoskip

Corpsmen serving with the Marines are primary targets for the enemy.
At least that's the way it was in WWII and Korea...

That's the prime reason why they took the big red cross off the helmets.

[Frank2357]

Originally Posted by lohki13

May i ask what your Rate was?

I spent 6 years as an Electronics Technician and another 5 as a Data Systems Technician.

[Marlin T]

That is funny Lohki, a nurse?????? No no no, that is not the job description that I would put on what I did when I was with the Marines! I don’t think there are too many nurses that would have to cut open their buddies, then sew up any bleeders, pack out the patient if needed to an LZ.

To put it the job description into a civilian category, that would be a paramedic that is specialized in combat wounds. Gunshot wounds, blast wounds (concussion), burns, broken bones, and the overall health of those who are there to keep you safe in a combat situation. Not to mention the fact that you have to be a specialist in killing in order to protect yourself and those you care for. In short, you are more of doctor than anything else.

Yes you better be in shape. The most likely best bet, is to be in better shape than those who you are serving with incase you have to pack one of those big SOB’s out on your back.

That job, if one so chooses, has to be one of the most important and holds the most responsibility of any on the field.

Been there and done that.

[lohki13]

Originally Posted by Marlin T

That is funny Lohki, a nurse?????? No no no, that is not the job description that I would put on what I did when I was with the Marines! I don’t think there are too many nurses that would have to cut open their buddies, then sew up any bleeders, pack out the patient if needed to an LZ.

To put it the job description into a civilian category, that would be a paramedic that is specialized in combat wounds. Gunshot wounds, blast wounds (concussion), burns, broken bones, and the overall health of those who are there to keep you safe in a combat situation. Not to mention the fact that you have to be a specialist in killing in order to protect yourself and those you care for. In short, you are more of doctor than anything else.

Yes you better be in shape. The most likely best bet, is to be in better shape than those who you are serving with incase you have to pack one of those big SOB’s out on your back.

That job, if one so chooses, has to be one of the most important and holds the most responsibility of any on the field.

Been there and done that.

The only reason i said nurse is because the description on navy website showed corpsman also doing hospital work that a nurse would do.

http://www.navy.com/careers/enlisted/medical/

I didn't mean any disrespect by the remark though.

What was training like. I don't think medical training would look bad on a my resume (sorry i look at all angles.)
So i should be be in marine shape okay sound like i need to get busy if i want to be ready by the end of next year.

Even if i decide to go for a different rate wouldn't hurt to be in a good a physical shape i can be.


EDIT***** I was just found http://www.corpsman.com/forum/vbnews.php.

After going to the FMTB section it seems a lot of people can get it in their contract. plus right now a 20k sign on bonus.(to bad i can't join yet and don't want to go reserves).
So any advice would be great i guess on what i would need to do to prepare.(still have a year but i like to think ahead.)

[delta13soultaker]

One of my best friends from home joined the Navy to be a Corpsman, like his dad, the same time I went in the Army. One of my first cousins also was a Corpsman before he became an officer later, just like his dad lol (most of my family is navy/marine by some unspoken tradition).

My cousin...he had an awesome time. Did most time with the fleet. Was for all practical purposes a Marine. Went to crazy places also, did crazy stuff, has some far out stories etc etc. We used to mail pictures to each other and back home. Our family likes to compare and point out things in common...like we either were both appearing to be faking looking happy/not exhausted/not bored in some wilderness, or very drunk in some dive in most of the photos.

My friend...he never got with the fleet. He was stuck at aid stations/hospitals and got out of the Navy ASAP with all the terminal leave he could acrue lol

If it helps any, lots of people don't initially get offered what they are hoping for when they first join...and they still fall in love with their profession. If not...that's why your re-enlistment office can get you reclassed in your first tour

[lohki13]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

One of my best friends from home joined the Navy to be a Corpsman, like his dad, the same time I went in the Army. One of my first cousins also was a Corpsman before he became an officer later, just like his dad lol (most of my family is navy/marine by some unspoken tradition).

My cousin...he had an awesome time. Did most time with the fleet. Was for all practical purposes a Marine. Went to crazy places also, did crazy stuff, has some far out stories etc etc. We used to mail pictures to each other and back home. Our family likes to compare and point out things in common...like we either were both appearing to be faking looking happy/not exhausted/not bored in some wilderness, or very drunk in some dive in most of the photos.

My friend...he never got with the fleet. He was stuck at aid stations/hospitals and got out of the Navy ASAP with all the terminal leave he could acrue lol

If it helps any, lots of people don't initially get offered what they are hoping for when they first join...and they still fall in love with their profession. If not...that's why your re-enlistment office can get you reclassed in your first tour

I come from a military family every one of my uncles served in a branch. My uncle who was a Marine retired after 20 years as a gunnery sgt.. My mom was in the marines for four years but got medically discharged.

The reason i am saying all this is to point out that i already know recruiters lie. Meps is going to try to give you a job the branch needs not what you want. That you can tell them that you will jsut come back when they have an opening.

I did my first run last night made it about a mile in 15 minutes. Not bad for a slightly over-weight person.

[catfish83861]

20 plus years United States Navy here. Let me run a few facts by you quickly.
1, More Corpsmen have earned the Medal of Honor than any other rate in the Navy.
2. Yes FMC individuals are indeed Marines in every respect. They are thought of and dealt with as a brother.
3. If you are truly interested in Law enforcement later, I suggest the Air Force A.P. program. You enlist as a A.P. and are sent to school to be a Law enforcement Officer. The Army also has a good program in law enforcement.
4. No matter which career you chose I want to thank you for starting it with our fine men and women in the United States Military.

Good Luck and Oh Yea, Don't believe what any recruiter tells you unless you have it in writing, also watch out for those marines in Texas as they once in a great while come up with a good comeback,as far as those Missourian individuals well, Just sho Me. catfish

[Marlin T]

"Survival," U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-05.70, May 2002 (676 pages in an extremely large 45 MB PDF file): http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-05-70.pdf

Here is something that you will know if you get to go with the Marines. Even if you don’t, it is full of very useful information.

Sure, part of the job description would include what a nurse does. However, if you specifically request and sign up for FMF, this time is limited due to your time humping around the desert, or where ever, with the Marines. (IE Camp Pendleton or some other place like that.) Not to mention the second basic training that you would have to go through learning about combat wound procedures. Kind of like this,
"Multiservice Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Treatment of Chemical Agent Casualties and Conventional Military Chemical Injuries," FM 4-02.285, September 2007: http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm4-02-285.pdf

But don’t forget that the Navy has their special forces, and so do the Marines. Depending on how motivated you are, and what your skills are as a corpsman, you could find a niche with them and most likely never again spend any more time doing sick call (except for your guys) or working in the ER.

One the same note, you will have to learn all that stuff that a nurse does in order to be a competent corpsman. The school is quite mentally challenging, as they don’t spend a lot of time in any one section of their teachings IE: Drugs. If you consider, that to become a pharmacy tech in the civilian sector, it takes longer than the entire A school to the best of my knowledge. So to sum up the school, it is a very intense time learning how the body works. But if I can do it, anyone can!

My suggestion would to be, find a recruiter that is a corpsman and get further information directly from them.

As far as getting in shape, swim. That gives more a total body workout than running does.

Yes I very much enjoyed the time in the Navy, especially the time while I was attached with the Marines.

[lohki13]

Originally Posted by Marlin T

"Survival," U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-05.70, May 2002 (676 pages in an extremely large 45 MB PDF file): http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-05-70.pdf

Here is something that you will know if you get to go with the Marines. Even if you don’t, it is full of very useful information.

Sure, part of the job description would include what a nurse does. However, if you specifically request and sign up for FMF, this time is limited due to your time humping around the desert, or where ever, with the Marines. (IE Camp Pendleton or some other place like that.) Not to mention the second basic training that you would have to go through learning about combat wound procedures. Kind of like this,
"Multiservice Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Treatment of Chemical Agent Casualties and Conventional Military Chemical Injuries," FM 4-02.285, September 2007: http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm4-02-285.pdf

But don’t forget that the Navy has their special forces, and so do the Marines. Depending on how motivated you are, and what your skills are as a corpsman, you could find a niche with them and most likely never again spend any more time doing sick call (except for your guys) or working in the ER.

One the same note, you will have to learn all that stuff that a nurse does in order to be a competent corpsman. The school is quite mentally challenging, as they don’t spend a lot of time in any one section of their teachings IE: Drugs. If you consider, that to become a pharmacy tech in the civilian sector, it takes longer than the entire A school to the best of my knowledge. So to sum up the school, it is a very intense time learning how the body works. But if I can do it, anyone can!

My suggestion would to be, find a recruiter that is a corpsman and get further information directly from them.

As far as getting in shape, swim. That gives more a total body workout than running does.

Yes I very much enjoyed the time in the Navy, especially the time while I was attached with the Marines.

Thanks for the info.
I think i really want to try for it after reading a ton last night about the job.
I figure as long i can put my head to i can do it.(cheesy saying i use).

As for the getting in shape i have till April 13th 09 to be ready to join the navy(after that i have to start paying rent)

Weights and cardio have helped me lose 100pounds i think it can help me lose 50-75 more.

[22WRF]

a recruiter that is a corpsman

Corpsman is one of ratings that can not get Recruiting Duty.

As close as they get is working at an AFFES