the "new guy"

[Navybound1]

DEP recruit Malysa requesting permission to come aboard !

Hey all my my name is Marek, and I swore into the Navy on the 14th of March and leave October 1st 2008. At the age of 26 I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life, and it is to serve my country in the Navy. I joined for numerous reasons, but most of all for the honor prestige, and recognition of knowing I am making a difference in this world, even if it is one life at a time. I have been all over this site and have so many questions regarding being a corpsman, what "A" and "C" schools are and many more. I have the dream of getting into the Navy, going through boot camp, school, and come out as one of the baddest corpsman the Navy has to offer.

My first question is about these schools. I know basic is eight weeks long, and then I have my tech school which is fourteen weeks. Is this considered what everyone is calling "C" school? The more I read on this site, the more I am becoming familiar with FMF, which sounds like a very demanding area to get into. What if someone like myself wants to be put on a ship? What are some of the duties I would be issued while holding the rank of corpsman?

I was also told by my recruiter that if I change my mind and decide not to go on with this, I can back out before my ship date. Is this true?

[8404]

Welcome Aboard:

...and then I have my tech school which is fourteen weeks. Is this considered what everyone is calling "C" school?...

Tech school? Not sure what you mean by that. If you join the Navy for HM Corpsman, then after successfully graduating Recruit Training Command, RTC, http://www.nstc.navy.mil/rtcgl/ you will go next door to Hospital Corps school, located at Great Lakes, Illinois. Hospital Corps school is considered an 'A' school.

'C' schools provide more specialized training and are available to you after you have become an HM Hospital Corpsman. If you do well in Corps school, you could, (no guarantee) be approached about possible openings at a 'C' school.

You can review the following link to gain an idea of what some of the Naval 'C' schools are about:

http://navmedmpte.med.navy.mil/nshs-ps/schools/index.cfm

...What if someone like myself wants to be put on a ship?...

As a Corpsman, that is probably not going to happen out of 'A' school. From what I understand, Corpsman slots available on a ship are taken by more senior Corpsman.

...What are some of the duties I would be issued while holding the rank of corpsman?...

Hospital Corpsmen perform duties as assistants in the prevention and treatment of disease and injury and assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Navy people and their families.

They may function as clinical or specialty technicians, medical administrative personnel and health care providers at medical treatment facilities. They also serve as battlefield corpsmen with the Marine Corps, rendering emergency medical treatment to include initial treatment in a combat environment. Qualified hospital corpsmen may be assigned the responsibility of independent duty aboard ships and submarines; Fleet Marine Force, Special Forces and Seabee units, and at isolated duty stations where no medical officer is available. This is a five-year program.

What They Do:

The duties performed by HMs include: assisting in the prevention and treatment of disease and injuries; preparing/administering medications including injections; caring for the sick and injured; administering immunization programs; rendering emergency medical treatment; instructing sailors and marines in first aid, self aid and personal hygiene procedures; transporting the sick and injured; conducting preliminary physical examinations; performing medical administrative, supply and accounting procedures; maintaining treatment records and reports; supervising shipboard and field environmental sanitation and preventive medicine programs; supervising air, water, food and habitability standards.

Qualified technicians: perform clinical laboratory tests and operate sophisticated laboratory equipment; take and process X-rays and operate X-ray equipment; fill prescriptions, maintain pharmacy stock; serve as operating room technicians for general and specialized surgery; do preventive maintenance and repairs on biomedical equipment; operate sophisticated medical diagnostic treatment equipment. Includes kidney dialysis machines, radiation monitors, hearing and vision testing machinery, heart and lung test apparatus, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and CT scan equipment.

...if I change my mind and decide not to go on with this, I can back out before my ship date. Is this true?...

Did you sign a contract? If the Navy can make good on everything in that enlistment contract, you could run into trouble trying to get out of it. I'll have to ask for additional help here from other members who are more qualified to answer.

Lesson learned: Never sign a legal contract unless you fully intend to carry out what you have agreed to, regardless of what the Recruiters have told you.

[DeeDee]

Tech School as you called it is the training at Corps School - this is "A" School

we called it Tech School in the Air Force - it is the training you receive after boot camp that prepares you to do your actual JOB ;)

[Navybound1]

Say I graduate in the mid of my class after "A" school. What are the chances I can get assigned to a ship? I am not really considering a "C" school right now, too busy thinking about just getting through basic, and then "A" school.

[psencik1950]

I am not an expert on the current Navy and its assignments, but the military is going to give more consideration to requests the higher your scores are.