Question with HM program

[Cheatham]

i enlisted last july, i went in and all i wanted to do was be a corpsman. i was offered the job as HMDA my recruiter told me to take it and that it could easily be changed so i can go to just HM. i want to go green. he said we can request a change before i leave for basic. he also said if i dont get it changed before i leave it will be easy to change once out of basic. he said that everyone wants to "trade" im not sure what to think since he is not a Corpsman, i need some real advice will it be easy to switch once there i dont want to be a dental assistant its not what i want to do in the navy for 20 years. thank you for your help,

Dep Recruit Cheatham

[dvldocjoe]

Changes can be made before you ship out although right now with the "Needs of the Navy" it will be very hard to do. Once out of boot, its very hard to do since your orders get cut while in boot for school.

[8404]

Originally Posted by ;61262

You only have to stay Dental side till you are E-4.. once E-5 you can put in for any C-School for HM etc.. because you are a DOC. You can go to IDC school or FORCE RECON or what ever.

Also you don't have to wait to be promoted to E-5 once your first tour is over hell ask for RECON or whatever you want..

what ever you do, look at the whole picture..

Click the following thread links and read some already posted answers to the questions you've poised.

• Anything i could do?
• HMDA Question
• So I enlisted, but I think I was to hasty...
• My introduction
• Trying to drop DA

[Corpsman_Billy]

Originally Posted by Cheatham

i enlisted last july, i went in and all i wanted to do was be a corpsman. i was offered the job as HMDA my recruiter told me to take it and that it could easily be changed so i can go to just HM. i want to go green. he said we can request a change before i leave for basic. he also said if i dont get it changed before i leave it will be easy to change once out of basic. he said that everyone wants to "trade" im not sure what to think since he is not a Corpsman, i need some real advice will it be easy to switch once there i dont want to be a dental assistant its not what i want to do in the navy for 20 years. thank you for your help,

Dep Recruit Cheatham

Ohmanohomanohmanohman. Not good at all shipmate.

There were a couple of people a met at Corps School who were told this by their recruiters, and sure as S***, they were wrong. There were also a few people in my class forced to take HMDA if they wanted Corpsman period.

The good news here is they have field Dental Corpsman. My friend is one right now. I believe it's 8704, but I could be mistaken.

[8404]

Click this ===> 8702 Expanded Function Dental Assistant

Additional areas of HMDA:

• 8708 Dental Hygienist
• 8752 Dental Lab Technician (Basic)
• 8753 Dental Lab Technician (Adv)
• 8765 Dental Lab Tech (Maxillofacial)

[Cheatham]

so most likley im going to stay HDMA and not get to go FMF?

[indy]

For your initial tour, the answer is more than likely you will remain an HMDA. There is a possibility that you can get a greenside billet as an HMDA, it'll all depend on whats available at the time you select orders.

[Cheatham]

i have my recruiter working on getting it switched right now he said he will try everything he can but he said i still might go in as HDMA. so after i am an E-5 i can switch to FMF as a corpsman?

[indy]

Not sure where you got the E-5 from, but if you ship with an HMDA (HM - Dental Assistant) contract, then you will fulfill that requirement. There are dental billets with the FMF (Fleet Marine Force) that may be open for you at the time you select orders. If you want to change after you have already shipped, then you will have to normally complete your first tour (first set of orders) before looking into something else.

[hme.else.edmarc]

hey im new to the forum site... i was wondering is someone could lead me to the forum thread on how to become a FMF Corpsman... i am a new DEP recruit and will leave for bootcamp this april 20, 2010... any help is appreciated...