Military Branch for Medical

[RFDExplorer]

Howdy Folks:

I know you aren't recruiters, but I'm tired of the bull poop I get from other websites, so I want to get the good info here. Anyhow...

I want to join the military as a Medic. I have narrowed down the services to the Air Force, Navy, and the US Coast Guard. I already talked to the US Coast Guard recruiter, and they aren't hurting for numbers. I have yet to talk to Air Force or Navy Recruiters.

Which branch of the military has the best training while gaining the most experience? From what I heard, any branch with a boat full of people with 1 medic aboard is the best option. Any Coast Guard or Navy Corpsmen out there to help me out? I was going to join as an Air Force Firefighter... but the medical part seems to be more of a benefit to my future Firefighter-Paramedic career.

This is what I want out of the military: I want to be in the most remote of jungles in Africa, giving much needed aid to the indigenous people there. I want to protect my fellow sailors/airmen/marines and to be damn proud of it. That's the attitude I'm coming to boot camp with. I will take medical, and nothing else. Help me pick the branch.

Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to help a future veteran!

Thanks to all that have served before me, giving me the freedom to write this post in the safety and sanctuary of my own home in English, not German.

[FWDbuff]

You should PM FDMHBozz. He is currently a USAF Medical Corpsman at a large USAF base in (Kansas?) I think? Cant remember which one right now. He can give you all the low down. If I remember right he is at the end of about his second year. If I see him on instant messenger I'll tell him to check out this thread.

[rfdmn09]

I spent 9 years in the US Navy. I was not a corpsman (HM but I did date one for a couple years. What I do know is the HM rating has an NEC (Specialty code) for a combat HM. They deploy with US Marines and are the "medic". At some bases, HM's man ambulances. I know they can go to schools for various ALS interventions. On board ship, they assist the doctors with duties. I'm not just talking doing vitals. I have had HM's remove ingrown toe nails and suture my head. Talk to your local recruiter and look for more info in the link below.

http://www.navy.mil

I hope this helps and good luck!!!!

[DennisTheMenace]

With total bias on my part, I say go Navy.

[USAFMEDIC]

Hey,

I am glad to hear that you are interested in joining the military as a medic. I am currently an active duty Air Force Medic stationed in Italy for the past 2 years. In the Air Force our medical technician school is broken into 2 phases. Phase 1 approximately 13 weeks at Sheppard AFB, Texas and you will get your NREMT-B while you are there if you don’t already have it. If you do have your NREMT-B you will be able to skip that portion of tech school and you will be on your way a little sooner as long as it’s current. The medical technician course will go over anatomy and physiology, basic nursing skills, National Registry EMT-B and field readiness training. After the initial 13 weeks of Phase 1. You will start Phase 2 at a large active duty Air Force base hospital for about 6 weeks for on the job training. You will be working in all different parts of the hospital such as: family practice, Inpatient ward, ER, OR, ICU, just to name a few.

Then after technical training you will go to your first assignment which could be stateside or overseas. After I finished technical training my first assignment was in Guam and now I am in Italy. So if you are also looking for travel opportunities, I have had a blast being overseas. But the thing is with being a medic stationed overseas it’s a little harder to get deployed, because they would rather pull Airman from larger stateside bases first. I hope that makes sense to you. I have been trying to get deployed for the last 4 years and I haven’t mostly due to the fact that I was already at an overseas assignment. Don’t get me wrong it’s not impossible just a little more difficult especially if your hospital is a little short staffed.

In the Air Force we have specialty jobs in our AFSC (4N0X1) which you can apply for after you meet certain requirements such as being a flight medic on fixed wing aircraft or be an IDMT which is an Independent Duty Medical Technician. I will not take up allot of space here to write about them you can Google if you are interested. If you are looking to be a Gung Ho hard charging saving machine be a Corpsman in the Navy with a Marine unit. I worked allot with the Navy while I was stationed in Guam and I was always impressed by them and their professionalism. I honestly wished I would have joined the Navy as a Corpsman, but I didn’t.

If you would like anymore info shoot me a PM and I will try to respond back to you as soon as I can. Best of luck and thank about it real hard and don’t let recruiters of any branch BS you. Also in the end it doesn’t matter if you were in the Army, Air Force or Navy. As long as you got off your @ss and did something for your country that’s all that matters. Also when you get discharged as long as you have an Honorable Discharge on your DD 214 that’s what matters if you want to pursue another career outside of the military. Best of Luck

[someguythatisonheretowastetime]

FMF Corpsman, only way to go, no better friend to the Marine! My grandfather was one in WWII. And when I was in we regarded them as longhaired Marines lol. Gotta love the Corpsman.

[MassFireGuy]

Be a real man and join the Navy. Become a Corpsman and save some Marines. FYI: I am bias, but right.

[xxxshiftxxx]

Howdy Folks:

I know you aren't recruiters, but I'm tired of the bull poop I get from other websites, so I want to get the good info here. Anyhow...

I want to join the military as a Medic. I have narrowed down the services to the Air Force, Navy, and the US Coast Guard. I already talked to the US Coast Guard recruiter, and they aren't hurting for numbers. I have yet to talk to Air Force or Navy Recruiters.

Which branch of the military has the best training while gaining the most experience? From what I heard, any branch with a boat full of people with 1 medic aboard is the best option. Any Coast Guard or Navy Corpsmen out there to help me out? I was going to join as an Air Force Firefighter... but the medical part seems to be more of a benefit to my future Firefighter-Paramedic career.

This is what I want out of the military: I want to be in the most remote of jungles in Africa, giving much needed aid to the indigenous people there. I want to protect my fellow sailors/airmen/marines and to be damn proud of it. That's the attitude I'm coming to boot camp with. I will take medical, and nothing else. Help me pick the branch.

Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to help a future veteran!

Thanks to all that have served before me, giving me the freedom to write this post in the safety and sanctuary of my own home in English, not German.

If you want to get dirty and do some medical stuff, I would say either a Navy Corpsmen, or a USAF PJ...


The USAF "Medic" tech is nothing more then a Glorified NREMT-B who can do some I.V stuff and get put through training in PALS and Etc. but in the long run your still just a NREMT-Basic... now, I am not knocking a "base medic" but your a basic... that is all...

the only "medic" the AF has in the PJ... very tough job to make it through all of the training from what I hear...


I am a Firefighter/EMT-I in the airforce... and if you want the dirty medical job, then this is not it... we get our share of medicals, but nothing compared to a civilian paramedic or even a EMTB...

Now, if you want to work in healthcare, the Med Tech job isnt a bad Idea, you would get to see all aspects of the healthcare system, but you wont be a "MEDIC"

good luck with your decision, and you can shot me a PM if you would like any "offline" advise...

[mdcook]

RFDExplorer, other than the Air Force Para-Jumpers, whom I have a great deal of respect for, from my personal experience, if you want to learn all sorts of medicine, the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps is the way to go.
I spent 4 years as a Corpsman, the last two as a combat medic with a Marine Corp Infantry Battalion which meant I did every thing they did, except kill people. If you are looking for the biggest challenge of your life, definately go Fleet Marine Force as a Navy Hospital Corpsman. I went through jungle, desert, winter, mountain and airborne training with some of the toughest people, short of special forces, in our military. You earn a lot of respect as the "Doc" from your men because they know that taking care of you means you're going to be around to take care of them.
The Navy training after boot camp, at least when I was in, was 10 weeks of Hosptial Corps School at Great Lakes Naval Medical Center then another 6 weeks of Field Medic Service School in Camp Pendelton. At FMSS, its the Marine Corps 12 week boot camp compressed in to 6 weeks along with learning how to treat and work while being shot at.
After 2 years with the Marines, nothing else in life seems any where near as stressful, other than maybe doing an interior attack on a fire. When I have been asked at job interviews about handling stress at work, after being shot at, nothing less than that seems to phase me any more.
If you really want the toughest medical job, after a couple of years, become a SEAL. They are always looking for Corpsmen to volunteer. I've been to Coronado and seen their training. If you can survive that, you deserve to be the title SEAL.

[RFDExplorer]

To All That Have Replied:

Thanks for giving me the advice. It seems as though being a FMF/Surface Warfare Corpsman is the only way to go. I am meeting with a Navy Recruiter tomorrow the 23rd, at 10:30am to discuss enlisting. I wouldn't mind wearing a Marine Corps Uniform either.

[someguythatisonheretowastetime]

To All That Have Replied:

Thanks for giving me the advice. It seems as though being a FMF/Surface Warfare Corpsman is the only way to go. I am meeting with a Navy Recruiter tomorrow the 23rd, at 10:30am to discuss enlisting. I wouldn't mind wearing a Marine Corps Uniform either.

Well you don't get the Marine Blues but you do wear the cammies, and can opt to wear the service c/d's.

[gunnyv]

Navy Corpsmen are very special to Marines. Our active duty "Doc" did two tours in Iraq with infantry battalions, and knows his stuff. He's certified as an IDC, independent duty corpsman, which allows him to do all kinds of near surgical interventions in combat. He was just telling me the other day about learning to do IOs, cutdowns, stopping massive hemmorhaging in live (not for long) pigs, clamping off arteries, that sort of thing.

Docs work more than anyone else, except maybe the platoon sgt. When you're on the march and take a break, the Doc is checking feet and injuries. Docs pull their share of watches, go everywhere we do, and many have risked their lives to drag Marines to safety. Once they earn our respect, we treat them like gold.

If you find that the "green side" doesn't do it for you, you can drop back to the hospital or shipboard billets. If you find you do love to spend time in the field, and want even greater challenges, there is the opportunity to go to MARSOC or SEALS.

Best of all, it sounds like the HM billets are available. I know in the Reserves in our area they are putting almost all the open contract folks in the HM field.

[SmokeEater316]

From what I gather reading your post, I think 18D (Army Special Forces Medic) is where you want to be. I would think that any of the special ops medic positions would probably fit the bill though. Or even Navy Corpsmen.

[kazmanff]

FMF Corpsman = Lots of free beer!

[RFDExplorer]

I talked to the Navy Recruiter yesterday, and he said that the HM Rate is very very popular. The sooner I join, the more chances I have of getting that rate. Can anyone comment on this?

I meet with the Air Force Recruiter on Friday.

[DennisTheMenace]

I can't believe there will ever be a time when you can't sign up and get the HM rate. If you want to be an X-Ray Tech, Pharmacist or other sub-specialty you might have to wait, but we will always need Corpsman!

[mdcook]

gunnyv, oo-rah and semper fi. My infantry company may not have ever had the best officers, but the NCO's and the grunts sure took good care of me and I did my damdest to take good care of them. "Charging Charlie Co-1st of the 1st"
kazmanff, hey, even the Doc has to buy a round once in a while just to keep up appearances.
Dennis the Menace is right about the sub-specialities. It is some thing to think about that might transfer to the civialian world. Even has a combat medic, try to get your state EMT certification where ever you get stationed. I sucessfully challenged the Conn. exam when I was at the Groton Sub Base Hospital and got my CT EMT-Basic. It helped since I lived off-base and also volunteered with one of the local VFD's.

[FWDbuff]

I talked to the Navy Recruiter yesterday, and he said that the HM Rate is very very popular. The sooner I join, the more chances I have of getting that rate. Can anyone comment on this?

I meet with the Air Force Recruiter on Friday.

This is the recruiter blowing smoke up your ***. No matter WHAT service you enlist in, no matter WHAT the recruiter says, no matter HOW friendly he seems, no matter HOW MUCH HE PROMISES you......GET IT IN WRITING. GET IT IN WRITING. GET IT IN WRITING.

DID I MENTION GET IT IN WRITING?

Know how a recruiter is bull****ting you? His lips are moving. Tell him to put the ink where his mouth is.

[mjkeck85]

This is the recruiter blowing smoke up your ***. No matter WHAT service you enlist in, no matter WHAT the recruiter says, no matter HOW friendly he seems, no matter HOW MUCH HE PROMISES you......GET IT IN WRITING. GET IT IN WRITING. GET IT IN WRITING.

DID I MENTION GET IT IN WRITING?

Know how a recruiter is bull****ting you? His lips are moving. Tell him to put the ink where his mouth is.

Quoted for TRUTH!!! You're the man

[rfdmn09]

Hey cook,

What years were at the Subase and what dept did you volunteer with?? I was at the base 96-99 and also was a member of City Co 1 with the City of Groton FD from 96-01 when I left Ct and came back to Mn.

Dennis, as stated before, Get it in writing. You may get stuck "in the pit" like I was!! Botton line is, ask him or her straight up. DO NOT sign anything at MEPS until they show you in writing you are guaranteed your HM school in Great Lakes.