New Corpsman here!!

[madeofdeadskin]

i enlisted as a Navy Corpsman back in Feb and i am leaving for basic April 24th. The main question i had was when i leave for basic is there time in between basic and A school or do i go right into it? Also, after A school do i get any liberty to come home or i do right off and get stationed somewhere.? Plus, ill my wife get to go w/ me if i get stationed somewhere? Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to get a heads up before i leave :)

[sharkbomb]

Congrats on the enlistment - I'm leaving for recruit training on April 18th, so we'll probably cross paths at some point. I'll probably be able to recognize you, assuming your username is a literal description.

[DeeDee]

Congrats on your enlistment :)
You will go straight from Boot Camp to "A" School (Down the road across the street) - after "A" School you can get some leave days before you report to your next duty station. If you are a reservist I don't think you can take your wife with you.

If you have any questions between now and leaving for Boot Camp post 'em here and we will do what we can to answer them.

DeeDee

[HM Tomlinson]

There may be a brief (a few days) hold after boot camp but you will go directly to NHCS across the street. After boot camp it is a nice change of pace!

Most people are authorized up to 14 days of leave after completion of A school. You will not have that many days banked but most people are authorized to go in the hole with their leave.

There's a program where you can work with your recruiter for 5 days. The trade is you work for the recruiter for those 5 days and you can take 14 days for the cost of 9. If you live near your recruiting station it may be a good deal for you, but they will go over all of this in boot camp.

I am fresh out of boot so feel free to pick my brain.

Good luck.

[mestup3117]

Your boot camp division will be one of two possibilities: 1.) You'll be referred to as a "grad and go" division. Once you graduate from boot camp, you'll report directly to NHCS that day or the next. I was in a "grad and go" divison. 2.) You'll be placed on hold at boot camp for a few days and then report to NHCS. As far as I know, most divisions are like that. You're RDC will inform you when you get there what kind of division you'll be.
Doc Hopeful is referring to HARP Duty. It's a good deal. You'll want to save up as many leave days as possible, so I would highly suggest looking into it, as you'll only leave boot camp with 5 days of leave on the books anyhow.

[Arkengate]

Hey! Madeofdeadskin whats your name? I just enlisted like a few weeks ago, i go to basics on april 24th as well, and im a corpsman as well!

It'd be good to know at least one person going in =) Hopefully we be in the same division or w/e =)

The more the marrier! Congrats on joining up!

[puckmedic]

Hold up a second yung ens
You may not refer to yourselves as Corpsmen. You have not earned that title. Right now, you are simply seamen recruits who have Corpsman A school.

I understand the whole excitement, but until you step away from the School house with that Caduces on your shoulder you are not a Hosptial Corpsman.

Once you get where you are going, it will be some time before you earn the right to be called DOC.

When you're 45, two years out of the bag, and you look back, you'll realize that being a DOC was the single most important thing you ever did in your life.

Enjoy the new experiences, and remember if some of us made it, you can to. It will require work, perserverance and discipline. We're here to lend a hnad, put a boot in ya, what ever to keep you moving to becoming JUST LIKE US ONLY BETTER
Now go forth, remain focused on the now and the later will roll up on ya soon enough.

I just found my AVT school picture and my FMSS pictures - how young I was then!!!

I wouldn't trade a single grey in this beard for anything, except five more minutes in a ship sick bay. Only five lest anyone thinks of recalling me!!

[DeeDee]

Well said puckmedic -
I see lots of MySpace pages of young sailors who have just finished "A" school calling themselves "Doc" and it makes me cringe - you don't call yourself "Doc" - Your Marines give you that title when they are good and ready and you have EARNED it. Just as you aren't a Corpsman until you finish "A" School.
Sorry if I piss off anyone - I'm just venting my thoughts

DeeDee

[puckmedic]

I still remember the day I "earned " that wonderful 3 letter name. I was getting ready to leave San Diego (NAVMEDREGCNTR) in a few weeks. I volunteered to be a camp medical person for a boyscout camp up in Julian.

One of our kids in my first week( I did two weeks) fell and banged up his shoulder. Little guy, maybe 12yrs old. We took him into town, saw a Doctor, who told me the kid was going to be a little bruised but that's what camp is all about.

The camp director wanted to call the family, I said "no let the kid stay, this is going to be a great week for him. I wouldn't want his mom and dad freaking out over nothing, it's a bruise. I'll ice him down three times a day. "

Well I did that. When mom and dad arrive on Saturday, the father comes to me (I'm in cammies from my fleet hospital training--- side note, my FH class was the first to put the whole thing together, an entire unit! 1986 )

He's all pissed, his wife is talking law suit and I figure I'm screwed. so I explained why in my best medical judgement I did not call them. I also explained that it was just a bruise and I did not want to first of all worry them and second ruin what turned out to be a great week for their son.

If he left he would not have been able to finish four merit badges and move up to first class scout (2 below scouting's highest rank)

The father sw my uniform, looked me dead in the eye stuck out his hand and said "Well since you're a corpsman, I guess that's a good enough reason. I appreciate what you just told me DOC. " Turns out he was a company gunny for a grunt unit at Pendleton.

Fast forward to 1993 February- That same Marine was an instructor at FMSS when I went through and he recognized me. I saw him one more time a year and a half later, in NYC. I was with VMFA 251 on the USS AMERICA and he was back with a MEU on baord a Gator Frieghter.

[puckmedic]

Our ships were in NYC as part of Fleet Week

[DeeDee]

excellent story puck - thanks for sharing it with us

DeeDee


we should start a forum page for these kinds of stories ;)

[popsie]

Puckmedic, I Liked the sea story and your replys to the future corpsman. I like you feel the terms corpsman and DOC. Are earned. I've been out for almost 3 decades. Being a Navy Corpsman and called DOC are the most cherished of my Accomplishments. In the civilian world still in EMS . I get annoyed with paramedics and EMT's just getting their cert are thinking their SH#T HoT. Today some paramedic students have never been in a Ambulance till their internship. I feel with most careers earning the certification is Part of it. But EARNING THE RIGHT is all of it.