Help ME!!!!

[navyhmsemt]

Ok redo....nevermind...we are sucking it up and going....everyone is so critical when it comes to asking for advice anyway.

[schirling_rules]

How about SITFU there brother?! In case you haven't noticed, there is a war going on and all. We need 8404s. It she can't physically complete a basic course like FMSS, then maybe she has no business being in the Navy as a Corpsman. It would be nice for everyone to just stay in the hospital their whole enlistments, but how about giving us people that have deployed to Iraq 2,3,or 4 times a break. Quit whining.

Oh, I enjoy your picture. I wasn't aware you could obtain your SW pin on the Comfort.

HM3 Adam Schirling
Senior Line Corpsman
Wpns Co 3/6
Habbiniyah, Iraq

[Da-Chief]

HM3,
Ok slow down bro.. This is not the way you respond to this.. Especially in Public. Do it private. While I understand what your saying (believe me!) Those who have not served in your shoes may not. There a bunch of them still out there who are going by the "OLD WAY".

I will leave up your post, you can edit it as I don't like to change anyones words, but I can tell you brother, "TACT" is a big thing about being a leader, and you are Senior to him, LEAD, TRAIN!

V/R
HMC

[old navy]

I don't know if this will help you but it'll make me feel better.

Here are the problems we have. 1: She is on meds that disqualify her from training but she got put on them after her overseas screening

Old navy says: What does an overseas screening have to do with this? Does she have orders overseas after FMSS?


2: Her detailer is being an ass

old navy says: Detailers can seem that way sometimes. They have billets to fill. I was once told by a detailer that he would hold the embassy in London for me long enough to call and discuss it with my wife. By the time I got back with him 2 hours later, he said, "London, that billet's gone." Was he being an ass? Maybe. But I ended up with orders to Florida. One of the best tours of my career.


3: She cant run for crap (runs like a chicken, but I love her anyway)

old navy says: If she is on meds that keep her from training and if she runs like a chicken, maybe she should ask her physician if a med board is warrented. That would keep her where she is until the medical condition is resolved or she is medically discharged. She would be doing FMSS a favor.

Does anyone know the 8483 detailer? I dont want to mention this particular Chief's name on here seeing as there are a bunch of you. But if anyone can help, I dont know...make a phone call or hell write a letter I would appreciate it and we will name our first child after you. So hit me back if you have any ideas. Thanks ya'll.

old navy says: Has she tried her chain of command? Who do you suggest that a letter be written too?

HN (SW) COHAN
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, MD

[Da-Chief]

Thanks Old Navy!! I was hoping the HM3 would stop and think and change his wording.. I remember when I used to shoot from the hip!
:-)

HMC

[navyhmsemt]

I totally deleted what i wrote before. I give up. Advice is so hard to come by anyway.

[schirling_rules]

I apologize Chief. The question just made me a bit heated. Let me try again.

HN Cohen,

Perhaps with a medical condition that might exclude your fiance from duties with the FMF, she might look into a limdu or possible medboard. Be sure to utilize your chain of command fully on this issue. yes, the detailers can be "asses". But they have a difficult job and unfortunantly cannot appease everyone 100%. You have probably heard this before, but don't believe the Navy until they give it to you in writing. Congratulations to your fiance for finishing SurgTech school, and just keep being persistent. If you stay on top of it, but respectfully, you usually get what you want. Best of Luck!

[old navy]

I totally deleted what i wrote before. I give up. Advice is so hard to come by anyway.

What the heck are you talking about? I thought I had some decent advice and I asked questions that you didn't provide answers for. I even threw in a detailer story of my own. There is either more to the story than you are telling or you don't want her to go to FMSS more than she doesn't want to go herself.
Just like when I questioned you on your ESWS pin, you start ranting and raving and the rhetoric got in the way of what might be valid concerns. If you open up personal issues on the Internet, you need to be ready for responses like these. She's on meds and she runs funny. Your words, not mine. She's an O.R. Tech but works at the front desk. Hmmm! She got screwed on her orders. She's not the first or last. You want someone to make a call or write a letter for her. To whom I asked.
Truthfully, my first thought was to say something along the lines of Doc Schirling, but I decided to try and help. After 26 years, 4 ships, 3 tours with the Marines, and 4 knee surgeries, I'm so broke up it ain't funny. But I'd give anything for 1 more chance to strap it on and play Doc again. Three years into retirement and my uniform is still hanging up with all the stuff on it and my seabag is packed. God, I'm pathetic. But I'm also near 50 years old and work out every day. My cholesterol is 20 points lower than at retirement and I'm still at my fighting weight. Why, you ask. 'Cause thats what I did for 26 years. That's what I was ordered to do. Yeah, I was pulled off sea duty once. I was already in my 40's and f'ed up my knee again trying to keep up with young Marines and Corpsmen. I was a burdon to the special response unit I was with and they put me on a med board. That's why I was able to advise about the med board for your woman. Been there. I recovered and got orders to a high level job at a headquarters command, was awarded an MSM, and did good.
And then you write forget about it, everyone is critical when asking for advice you say. You just didn't hear what you wanted too. Toughen up. Your lady will probably do O.K. at Camp Johnson. I was stationed at LeJeune during the 70's, 80's, and 90's. It's lovely in March.

[navyhmsemt]

So I am an idiot. Your right I over reacted with everything. Everyone has been real helpful with advice. There are too many factors that come in to play with this. Your right OLDNAVY, HM3 and Da-Chief. We will make the best of it and proudly serve. Like I said before, I am out in a few months and will play the role of dependent. Thank you all for your help. I greatly apologize for my reaction.

V/r

HN(SW) Cohan

[old navy]

I don't know if this makes you an idiot. I'm always writing stuff on forums that I look back and say, "WTF, over" but whatever, I'm half crazy anyway. Seriously though, if she has medical stuff going on, she needs to get it taken care of. She might not be able to attend FMSS. If she has to though, good luck. And relax and take it as it comes. You're too young for hypertension.

[navyhmsemt]

So how do we go about it? She reports on March 13th and that isnt too far away. Her and I talked about it and we dont mind going. We were just wondering what would happen if she got down there and they found out about the meds. Anyway...I started talking to real estate agents today and they are helping me find a home. In the mean time...any suggestions?

[old navy]

First, another question. Where do her orders take her after FMSS? Field Med School is only 5 or 7 weeks. Can't remember which. Also, if you don't get out until later in the year, you are stuck in Bethesda. She will live in the barracks so your worry about real estate can wait a few months. When you are able to join her, finding a place won't be a problem. There are many places to live but as in any new town, choose the neighborhood wisely.

If she is on medication that keeps her from training like you previously mentioned, she needs to discuss this with her physician. Hopefully is was prescribed by a military doc. If not, she needs to see one and be evaluated. I don't advocate getting put on LIMDU just to get out of orders, but if it's needed, it's needed. I was a 40 something year old Senior Chief when I got med boarded. The physician can determine if the condition would keep her from completing a course of instruction at FMSS. That school belongs to the Marine Corps by the way. It's best that this issue be taken care of prior to March 13th. No surprises.

[schirling_rules]

HN Cohan,

While you are looking for real estate, be advised about something. Unless you are married AND you live there in Jacksonville with her, when she gets there, they will make her live in the barracks and she will lose her BAH. It happened to me, despite what Bethesda PSD assured me. So just be careful before committing to a lease or mortgage.

[old navy]

Great advice from Petty Officer Schirling. Check jdnews.com and google things like Jacksonville, NC real estate, etc.

[navyhmsemt]

So even though she is a 3rd Class, she will lose her BAH? Damn...see we didn't want to just get married because of this. I know it sounds corny but marrying for love seems a lot better to me. So basically when she gets done training we are SOL? HMMMM well this sux donkey butt.

[Da-Chief]

Unless she makes HM2 prior.. They are right and these are "NAVY" rules. Quite a few commands don't follow them then wonder why they are broke.
V/R
HMC

[hm1park]

Can I join the HN hazing party? Just teasing. I don't fully understand either from the entire discussion, however, I do gather these things.

1. You want to be with your fiance
2. You plan on getting out of the Navy
3. Her medical condition has changed since her overseas screening

I would say first of all her obligation is to notify her primary care physician about this overseas screening conflict. There is nothing more irritating than having someone show up at your command with issues that are unresolved and improperly screened at their previous command. The other irritating thing is when patients omit medical history (UCMJ) in order to affect their career to further it. This happens often with Marines who "suck it up" for long periods of time because they think they will get kicked out of a school, set back in training, or be ineligible for certain duties. Then years later, they complain how medical never took care of them properly. How could they if they were constantly omiting information? (Sorry, just venting there about some of MY Marines)

You want to be together. I reallllly want to be together with my wife too whom I haven't seen in over five months. Several more to go! I would recommend if she does execute these orders and go through field med, for you to not go along with her. She will be quite busy there and doesn't need home life distracting her from the course. After she moves on to her duty station, you'll have plenty of time to do the housekeeping thing.

Just my two cents and hope your future plans go well

[navyhmsemt]

HM1, thanks for the advice. Everyone has been more than helpful with this. It will be an uphill battle that I will probably lose but what the hell, its worth a shot. E-4's...well they dont like to give BAH to them regardless of household goods and/or previous BAH. What a tease. Ok, i'm done complaining....its definitely been fun getting hazed...hehehe j/k. So my next step is to work on me and my medical retirement before I even worry about anything else. She will be in training for a few weeks anyway. BTW her PCM is the one that prescribed the meds to her....hmmmm. Oh well i'm smart, I will figure this out.

[puckmedic]

You want to run that by me again? You still got all your stuff ready to go? Dude you got problems. I couldn't find my dress blues a week after I got back to the states. I grew my hair and beard out. I just couldn't see not doing it.

I miss it too, but no way would I go now. I'm too broken. I volunteer as a DOC on PGR rides, and events. I patch a few road rashes, splint an ankle etc, still called DOC by everyone I know. It's enough, I had my time.

I'm just DOC Hippie now I guess. Last time I grew a beard there was red black and brown in there, now it's almost 100% white. Anyone got any Grecian Formula? Spray paint?

[old navy]

You want to run that by me again? You still got all your stuff ready to go? Dude you got problems. I couldn't find my dress blues a week after I got back to the states. I grew my hair and beard out. I just couldn't see not doing it.

I miss it too, but no way would I go now. I'm too broken. I volunteer as a DOC on PGR rides, and events. I patch a few road rashes, splint an ankle etc, still called DOC by everyone I know. It's enough, I had my time.

I'm just DOC Hippie now I guess. Last time I grew a beard there was red black and brown in there, now it's almost 100% white. Anyone got any Grecian Formula? Spray paint?

Dennis, you didn't state who you were talking about, but it looks like it has to be me. On a 2 page thread where an HN is whining about his girl friend having to attend FMSS, not getting BAH, wondering how to find a place to live, and they aren't even married, plus there are responses where people chew him out, give him advice, molly-coddle him, and you pick out a statement where I write that my shit's still packed and ready to go and say "Dude you got problems." I'm sure you didn't really mean that in a bad way 'cause you don't know who I am and probably wouldn't remember if I told you who and that we were stationed at Cecil Field at the same time.

But just in case you think I got problems, I'll further explain my comments and advice to HN(SW) Cohan. I had to retire at 26 years and 20 days because of high year tenure. Probably would have made E-9 except for the LIMDU board. I'm O.K. with that. There's only so much room at the top. But when I left I was in my prime and ready to do more. My first response to him was in more of a quite counseling tone and then he came back and said forget about it, advice is hard to come by or whatever. He was responding to someone else jumping on him but I took offense and jumped on him as well. That's where I wrote about what great shape I'm in and my bags are packed, etc. I also still get my hair cut and shave. The only grey I have is at the tip of my sideburns and of course that goes away in the barber's chair. My advice was that the girl either needs to get out of the orders due to her medical issues or go and do as she is told. She would be doing FMSS a favor by not showing up with medical issues. Nothing used to peive me more than someone trying to get out of deployment. IDC's especially. "Oh, Senior Chief, I have class on Tuesday and Thursday night, I can't do that TCAT for you" I would hear from some of my HM1's. "Dang, Senior Chief, I'd jump on that chance to do drug ops and be the only military member of a squad of operatives from a 3 letter agency and go to that un-disclosed location but, (fill in the excuse)." Are you kidding me? The last time that I was at LeJeune, I was one of the most deployed MF's there. People started pretending to be mad that I was getting all the good ops. In reality, they were happy they didn't have to go. Not everyone. There were butt-loads of HM's that wanted to deploy and did so without giving you a ration of crap.

Anyway, I'm on the retired list now, no longer Fleet Reserve so I'm thinking of hanging my seabag in the basement to use as a heavy bag (punching bag). Seriously, I am. I don't think that wanting to go out and do it again means I have problems. Maybe it does. I do miss it though. Mean time, I have a good life. A great wife of 22 years, great kids who are now great young adults, and a cat who is as cool as a polar bear's toenails.

[navyhmsemt]

Ok so this is what I've gathered so far. Everything I have said has offended at least one person. I know it sounds like i have been whining and i apologize for that. I know I have only been in for 3 years and a few days but it seems like a life time. I love my job and I love the Navy. Most importantly I love this country more than life itself. Hell I even went nuts and have 2 Sailor Jerry tattoos on my body. There is one word that I am willing to die for and that is FREEDOM. That is tattooed on my chest set in front of a bald eagle. I wish everyone would see my side of the story. Here comes the Jeff being corny as hell side, ready? I'm frickin 25 years old and I am in love with a spectacular woman. She is an 8483 and we met on deployment. Now what are the chances of 2 people deployed together falling in love and keeping it going? We have a 70% divorce rate in the military and I will be damned if I let that happen. Everyone is entitled to be happy some time in their lives. Yeah we are both in the military and we have to suck it up, but damnit i'm human just like everyone else. I know it seems like i change my story around going from asking for advice to saying never mind. Look i'm frickin scared alright. I'm getting booted out because I got injured and can no longer be a US NAVY CORPSMAN. Now what the hell am I supposed to do? Yeah i'm gonna finish my nursing degree but being a Corpsman is what I do best. Hell ask anyone who deployed with me and watch the Discovery Channel Special "Comforting Katrina; Comfort in the Gulf". Now I am going to be a dependent. WTF. I am now ready to try to provide for my future wife, like all good men should. Thats going to be a little hard if she is in the barracks all the time. So it seems that now I really do just need to suck it up and move on. Play the hurry up and wait game. Being an HN really sux cuz I get ragged on all the time like i don't know anything. Ok now I'm done ranting. Thanx

[old navy]

HN Cohan, you don't need to keep apoligizing. I really wasn't offended. I just said that for effect. I was just kinda curious as to why you didn't acknowledge my first gracious offer of help. Things were made better after that. Nothing wrong with being a dependent husband or asking for advice.

In my last post I was responding to puckmedic's statement that I have "problems" because my seabag is still packed in case they call me back. Maybe I am a little disturbed, touched in the head, psycho. I'm glad he advertised that fact on the Internet. I just now came up from the basement where I hung my seabag and beat the crap out of it. Didn't take anything out or add anything. It worked good. Really good wokout. I feel better. A lot better.

Nobody questioned your patriotism by the way. What you and your shipmates did for the Katrina victims was huge. Maybe I missed it but where does your girlfriend's orders take her after field med school? I remember the overseas screening being mentioned but with you talking about a place to live in Jacksonville, I figure she has orders to a unit there. Which one if you don't mind me asking.

[navyhmsemt]

2nd Med Batt after she graduates FMSS

[old navy]

O.K. Thanks.

[puckmedic]

no offense intended fer sure. I was reminded of a Marine SGT MAJ here in the local area. I met him and he showed me his office at home. Locker full of uniforms in the prescribed manner, everything where the Marine Corps said it should be.

I told him the same thing and he laughed and said "yep". You would be surprised what I remember so toss me a name.

I read the whiney post and all the other replies, I simply felt like he wasn't worth cutting since a few already had. No sense clinbing on him ewhen he really needed guidance etc.

If you knew me at Cecil, you know that I love to flap lips and have a good time. You also hopefully remember that being a doc meant everything to me, and I always got packed off because I was AC op det.

I'm with ya on the wanting to go do it still, but that isn't going to happen. We would just get in the way.

[puckmedic]

Or did you know me when I was there in 96-98? VFA34? no offense, really.

I didn't advertize anything- I was making a joke. If you couldn't see the humor behind it,then that has to be on you.

Hopefully my explaination here was enough, if not well...

[old navy]

It's cool. No offense taken. Like I wrote a few posts ago, sometimes I look back and wonder WTF? when I see some of the stuff I write. It's usually all true though.

I was at BMC Cecil from '92-'95.

[puckmedic]

well we are a strange odd lot so 'tis to be expected. you gonna tell me who I'm talking to now?

Or do I have to squeeze it from you? Do you remeber Jeff Dell? Caught up with him in San Diego when I was out processing. Tony Rock? Last I knew he retired and ws in P cola still.

Here's a name from both times I was at CF-- Brien Hackbart. Still in contact with him, probably will be forever.

[old navy]

LCPO in sick call. Took over as LCPO from Hesslink(?sp) for ancillary services when he left. I'm drawing blanks on names (others, not mine). I'll send you a PM later.