Army Medic vs. Navy Corpsman?

Question

Should I join the armed forces as an Army Medic or a Navy Corpsman? Please say why you chose either one.

Answer 1

Navy Corpsman. Corpsmen have a very broad base of training available to them. My experience with the Army is that although medics are very well trained, they are well trained within their own speciality. Corpsmen can specialize too (x-ray tech, physical therapist), but can become Independent Duty Corpsmen, in which they master all manner of medical skills, and in a year, learn what a physician's assistant goes to school for two years to learn. IDCs serve with the Marines, on small ships, and are vital to the submarine force.

Answer 2

Navy--all the way. And yes, I'm partial to the Navy, but I also believe they offer the best and most varied oppotunities. You could work anywhere from Iraq--maybe with the Marines, maybe not--to a ship, to Bethesda Naval Hospital, to a variety of other hospitals and clincs on the different bases. How about a sub? Our son is on a Fast Attack. There aren't any physicians onboard. It's a Corpsman who's the sole caretaker for the 130+/- sailors when they're underway. It's a lot of responsibility. Can you imagine the poor Corpsman on the USS San Francisco when they ran into the sea mount? There were something like 90 injured. Most were only minor, but there were some that were much more serious. MM2 Joey Ashley died. And even though they eventually flew help to them, for a good period of time, he was on his own.

Either way you go, it's an honorable choice.

Good luck!

Answer 3

It depends on you. Most people who are ready for a tough bootcamp would choose the Navy Corpsman. Those who want an easier time in bootcamp pick Army medic. In the Navy you could end up on ship duty - is that something you want? Well, in either case - there are no guarantees and you have to go to bootcamp - do really really well and try to get the school you want. You can't sign up to be something and expect to get it for sure. Most military people I know would choose Army medic because the Navy tends to be more brutal overall than the army.

Answer 4

Navy corpsman. Quality of life is better, you can work with numerous Navy units or the Marines. The Army/Navy training is probably very similar though.

Answer 5

I would say both would be fine but a Navy Corpsman would have more choices of duty stations as they are stationed with both Marine or Navy personnel. For that reason I would go Navy.

Answer 6

First of all you can't join as a corpsman or a medic, you have to go through the schools.

Second, how much combat are you willing to tolerate, if any at all.

Third, are you physically and mentally tough?

Fourth, if you can hack it, you might want to look into Air Force Pararescue.