Navy Corpsman Questions?

Question

I was wondering when you enlist in the Navy as a Corpsman can you get in your contract that you want to go greenside. I have heard that you can go Division which I guess is greenside. Ive been talking to a recruiter and they tell you what you want to hear. So I want to hear it from real corpsman. Ive been thinking about either going reserves or National Call to Service. I really want greeside because I want to be Marine Doc. Also when you do go greenside how do get to go out on patrol because ive known corpsman that were greenside that ran a clinic in Iraq on a marine base. Do you volunteer to be a grunt corpsman or do they put you there. Thank you

Answer 1

I am not sure how you become a "Devil Doc" but I can tell you this. When and if you are assigned to a Marine unit, you train right along side them. You must be able to keep up with them and prove yourself to them. You are asking them to trust you with their lives, and you must earn their respect. Once you do that, you will be accepted as one of them. One of the cardinal rules of the Fleet Marine Force-DO NOT PISS OFF THE CORPSMAN!! I've seen more than one guy who's shot record came up "lost" and it was always right before we had to deploy!! And personally, I believe Corpsman are some of the bravest, most unselfish individuals walking the earth. I owe everything I have to one. Good luck to you and I hope you make it.

Answer 2

DO NOT GO NCS!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, I say, DO NOT GO NCS!!!!!! trust me, the program isn't all it's cracked up to be and you will lose out on a LOT of benefits in the long run that Regular Reserves and AD get automatically. check out the NCS thread in the Navy section of the mil.com Forums.

As a male, you probably won't have a choice in the matter you WILL go Greenside. Currently ALL male HMs in the Reserves are being sent Greenside. and the chances are very High on the Active Duty side as well.

BTW: whcwarrior: LTJG is a rank, not a rating. and O2s are NOT Docs. HMs are ENLISTED. oh, and it's written BUD/S.

Answer 3

Being a corpsman isn't as high up on the medical career chain as the Navy makes it seem. Depending on what you study in C school being a corpsman will take you to the level of pharmacy tech, dental tech, nurses aide. If you want to be an EMT look up the requirements for the state/county you want to be an EMT for and work towards meeting those requirements. If you want to be a pharmacist you have to go to pharmacy school. Navy A school and C school credits will not count towards your pharmacy degree. The bright side is that while serving in the Navy and afterward you can go to college and the military will pay for it.

Answer 4

Navy corpsmen that are attached to Marine units are not the same critter as the one in a sickbay duty berth.
These guys are Marines in all but name.They must meet the same requirements as any Marine must.As a former Marine
I can tell you that the respect they have among the Corps
is truly deserved and a good "Doc" is worth his weight in gold
and then some.Do not think you just get put there.The school
is long and intense and not many can accomplish this.
Should you succeed, I wish you well.

Answer 5

You volunteer in school for FMF, Fleet Marine Force. I have not heard of anyone getting that guaranteed in their contract.

whcwarrior_10, I would love to know how you managed being an LTJG (Leutentant junior grade, 0-2) holding the HM rating. HM's are ONLY enlisted, so please, enlighten the world on how an OFFICER was doing an ENLISTED persons job.

Answer 6

I was a Corpsman, at the rate of LTJG. I was assigned to a special warfare team, and underwent BUDS, just like everyone else. You go where you are needed, The Marines use our medics to patrol with them, so you very well may find yourself attached to a patrol unit. You have to remember that you are a soldier first, and a Corpsman second. I also was assigned to various patrols in which navspecwar and marines colaborated on different objectives.If you want specwar, you will need to pass the qual. during basic, and apply for BUDS. if not, they will assign you where needed.