Looks Like I struck a Nerve with the HM3 FTS community..”GOOD”

Here is the email I recieved.. I will block the name as… It was sent direct to me.  Kudo’s to him for starting this conversation, he has “GUMPTION” not smart’s but Gumption.. I will post his email then I will post my response..

Da-Chief,

Not to sound rude, and correct me if i’m wrong, but I beleive you made a major unfounded insult to the FTS community with the following post:

“I am really “DISSAPPOINTED” in my FTS Brethren.. Other then the HM1’s, The biggest Majority of Folks are in the E-5 Range for FTS, “ONLY 38 PASSED THE EXAM??????”!!!”!”!”!”
It is time to open the books folks!! You should be scoring as high as your A/D brothers and sisters. You bring shame upon the FTS HM community by not studying for the advancement exam as well as to yourself.
Good Luck Folks!
Da-Chief”
If you look at the spreadsheet on the advancement site you would see that 37 people took the exam and every single one of us passed. So, I’m pretty sure we studied for the exam. I would appreciate it if you would re-examine your post and try to be a little more accurate next time before you start saying we are bringing shame to the community. How about addressing the 53 HM2 failures in the USN community?
We should be building each other up, not tearing them down.
Very Respectfully,

Ok Fine.. I just wish the newer sailors would get facts prior to shooting with their Pea-guns.. here is my response.:

Ok so your telling me there are only “38” HM3’s who took the exam??

WRONG, buddy, get your facts straight yourself..

HM2 is the biggest RATE and Rank in the FTS program, There are more then 38 Folks who took the exam for HM2.

Please, Please Come to me when you know what your talking about.

I was in the FTS program for 24 years. I “DO” know what I am talking about and have served in NOLA at HQ etc… I have many Friends who are HM3’s in the program, and there are more then 38 who took the exam…

You see I am a proponent of the FTS program, But if this keeps up I can imagine, and probably will see the program abolished just for USN.

Here is the Breakdown shipmate..

Out of the entire TAR FTS program, only “38” passed the test.. of which only 15 were advanced. Look I cannot say anything about the reason for the low numbers for the actual folks getting Advanced, what I can tell you is that there were more “A LOT” more than 38 Folks taking the HM2 Exam.

Give a Phone call to the Enlisted Leaders Office.. If you want I will get you the phone number, I correspond with them weekly.

D/C

So you see, I struck a nerve, I honest to god hope so. For “YEARS” When I served with folks at a joint USN/FTS Command, We would see USN folks not get advanced who were scoring “60’s” and above and we had folks in the FTS program getting advanced with 37’s, or low 40’s.

If it were up to me, I would have the FTS folks have to meet the same cut off as the A/D folks. This way we know, especially now that they can’t sit on their keesters only at a Reserve Center, That they will know what to do and hit the ground running if they are deployed.

FTS Sailors are “SAILORS” and should act like our A/D counterparts.

JMHO
D/C

Attack of Da-Chief Episode #31 Live tonight!

Attack of da-Chief tonight!!! 2100 EST (9:00 EST for you Civ’s) Listen here : http://is.gd/14KA
Hope to see/Hear from you!
Come join in!!

Listen here : http://is.gd/14KA

Da-Chief

FORCM For Navy Hospital Corps update for 11 August 2008

Files can be found here:  forcm_11_aug_2008_files

“From the Desk of the BUMED FORCE MASTER CHIEF”

and Director of the Hospital Corps

11 August 2008

1. FY-10 ENLISTED SELECTION BOARDS

The FY-10 E8/E9 Enlisted Selection Boards for Navy Reserve personnel will convene on 2 Mar 09. The FY-10 E9 and E8 Selection Boards for Active Duty personnel will convene 30 Mar 09 and 20 Apr 09 respectively. For more information please review the attached NAVADMIN 214/08.

2. MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

     The popularity of motorcycles is rising. Some ride motorcycles because of the increases in the price of gasoline. Some ride because they enjoy a sense of freedom. Some ride because they are under the mistaken impression that motorcycles, sport bikes in particular, are easy to operate and maneuver.  Whatever the motivation, if you choose to ride a motorcycle, you must realize that there is little protection between you and what you hit.

Sport Bike accidents are rising and our men and women are dying on our highways because in many cases they are being careless or have not been properly trained. Since October we have lost 21 Sailors in motorcycle accidents. In all of last year we lost 18 Sailors. We have safety courses and attendance is mandatory, but I need you to engage your Sailors now. It is imperative that you stress the importance to all riders to take a motorcycle safety course. Stay on them and consistently remind them of safe practices, situational awareness and caution on the roads.

3. CHIEF FITNESS REPORT

The Chief Fitness Report is the final step in MCPON Campa’s initiative to integrate the CPO Guiding Principles as performance expectations across the fleet. For more information on this please review the attached RHUMB LINES.

4. RIGHT TO VOTE

The Presidential Election is fast approaching. It is our duty as leaders to ensure that every Sailor and their family members, particularly those deployed overseas our made aware of the process necessary to cast a ballot so their voices can be heard. For more information please review the attached NAVADMIN 215/08.

5. ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM FOR INDEPENDENT DUTY CORPSMAN

Please review the attached info sheet on Saint Francis’ online degree program for Navy IDCs. The Point of Contact for this is HMCM Tommie Thompson who can be reached at (202) 762-3472 or via e-mail at tommie.thompsonIII@med.navy.mil

6. FORCE MASTER CHIEF/CPO SELECTEE RUN

As we rapidly approach this year’s Season of Pride, my office has begun preparations for the annual FORCM/CPO Selectee Monument Run to be held on 29 August 2008. All Command Induction Committee Chairpersons are encouraged to contact HMCM(SW/FMF) Doug Glascoe or HMCS(SW/AW) Jose Esquilin for further information and roster development. Their contact info is listed at the bottom of the page. For lodging information please contact HMCS Rafael Felipe at (301) 319-8704 or via e-mail at Rafeal.Felipe@med.navy.mil.

Director of the Hospital Corps
POINTS OF CONTACT

HMCM(SCW) Jim Menke                                                                   HMCM(SW/FMF) Doug Glascoe
Deputy Director of the Hospital Corps                                           Hospital Corps Planner/From the Desk
(202) 762-3139                                                                              (202) 762-3147

NCCS(SW/AW) Marco Soave                                                             HMCS(FMF) Matt Lubold
Navy Medicine Force Retention                                                       Hospital Corps Planner/HM Monthly
(202) 762-3173                                                                               (202) 762-1682

HMCS(SW/AW) Jose Esquillin                                                           Ms. Evelyn Burford
FORCM Executive Assistant/Scheduler                                           Exec. Secretary/Ret. Ltrs/Travel Mgr.
(202) 762-3137                                                                              (202) 762-3030

Pvt. Andrew Jon Shields U.S. Army KIA 31 MAY 2008 in Afghanistan

I hate days like today.

It breaks my heart every time I post one of these stories. Andrew was doing the Nations bidding helping our Armed Forces Hunt those who started this war back in 2001.

Andrew was 19 years old.

19 years ago he was a baby in his mothers arms.

At 19 years old Andrew could not buy a beer but could give his life for his greatful Country, the United States of America.

Andrew, we at corpsman.com, “the Doc’s Site” Salute you and your family and friends.

We grieve for your loss brother, As all Doc’s who are your brothers and sisters, we grieve for you.

Taps has been sounded.

Da-Chief

Flags fly at half-staff for medic

VANCOUVER — Flags in Battle Ground are flying at half-staff in honor of Pvt. Andrew Jon Shields, a U.S. Army medic killed Saturday in Afghanistan.

Shields, 19, was the 120th member of the military with ties to southwest Washington and Oregon to perish in conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kuwait. He is the 13th from southwest Washington.

He was a 2007 graduate of Battle Ground High School and a former member of the Clark County Fire & Rescue cadet program. He was appointed a battalion chief shortly after joining the program his senior year.

“His leadership qualities were immediately identified and that’s why he rapidly rose to be a leader in his class,” said Battle Ground Mayor Mike Ciraulo, a division chief with Clark County Fire & Rescue. “He was morally and ethically superior in his standards and beliefs. He was well respected by his classmates and the instructional staff.”

Shields was the son of Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Shields. The younger Shields served with the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Bamberg Germany, according to the U.S. Army.

The U.S. Department of Defense said he and another soldier died May 31 in Jalalabad City, in eastern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

His family asked for privacy.

In a statement, the family said Shields joined the Army while in high school. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; the combat medic course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and basic airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga.

While at Fort Benning, Shields met and became engaged to another medic, Loren Elizabeth Combs, who is serving with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

While attending Battle Ground High, Shields played football. He enjoyed his family and friends, competitive shooting, hunting and fishing.

Ciraulo said Shields visited the firefighter cadet program a month or two ago, after completing his basic training and just before deploying to Afghanistan. He shared his experience with the cadets and said he was soon heading to Afghanistan, Ciraulo said.

“He was trustworthy and could always be counted on to do the right thing,” Ciraulo said. “This is a hard one. He was a standout.”

As mayor, Ciraulo said he ordered city flags to fly at half-staff, likely until Shields’ funeral.

Shields is survived by his mother, Wendy Campbell; father and stepmother, Jon and Carol Shields; sister, Ryleigh Campbell; and other extended family members.

Following is a link to Shields’ MySpace page: www.myspace.com/CowboyUp.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Researcher Lynne Palombo contributed to this story. Holley Gilbert: holleygilbert@news.oregonian.com

Army Medic Pvt. Erick Rodriguez Awarded Bronze Star

Bravo Zulo to Pvt. Erick Rodriguez!! You did your unit, yourself, and the Doc Community Proud!!

Pvt. Erick Rodriguez, a medic in Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, receives a Bronze Star with Valor, from Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, March 20, on Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Without regard for his own injuries or safety, Rodriguez provided medical care to injured Soldiers after an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle, Dec. 12.

Photographer: Pfc. Amanda Mcbride, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

You can comment on this manual or ask questions of the staff in our Scuttlebutt Forums.