Hospital Corpsman

[VooWho]

I have joined the United States Navy as a Corpsman and I hope to become a Corpsman for the Marines and I just want to know if there are any former or current Corpsman out there that might like to give me some good tips or advice for A school and the Marine training. My contract is five years but I hope to stick with the Corpsman longer. Thanks for any tips or advice!

VooWho
(aka: Draken)

[wrongwayric]

  Well i'd start running if your going to be a combat corpsman. Marines run 3 miles just for there P.T. tests and most run a lot farther on there own. I ran 5 to 7 miles every other day while i was in the Marines. You might take some ribbing for being a Squid , but there ain't nothing prettier than a corpsman when you need one.
Best corpsman i ever knew while i was serving was actually a former Marine who got his training in school after hours while in the corps then got out and went navy. He breezed through the navy training and said it was like morning warm ups.

[VooWho]

Yeah a former seal goes to my church and he said that Navy boot camp is pretty easy. If I'm going to be along the side with Marines I do need to be able to run +3 miles. I can barely run a mile now. Got some hard work to do.

[wrongwayric]

Here's a trick, plot out 2 miles, then run your mile. Each time though keep going even if you have to walk the last mile till you do the full 2 mile course. Try to run a little farther over your mile each time before you have to walk. Don't get in the habit of getting to your 1 mile mark and saying "whewww i can walk now", push yourself farther everytime!

It's all about physical and mental conditioning of your body. You have to condition both of them with the mental will/strength and physical ability to be able to accomplish your goal. Personally i always hated running, but i knew i had to do it and i made myself do it, once i made my mind up and got into a habit of it i actually missed it when i was forced to stop doing it.

[VooWho]

Thanks for the tip 

[rpm]

Just an FYI. Way back in the olden days when I went to USCG Boot Camp, we ran 5 miles did 15 min PT then ran 2 more miles. After that we marched to morning mess. But we were Coasties not Squids. 

I'd work on that running ASAP.

[BlueJ1]

<<< Active duty Navy now. Went to boot in Dec 06. You got any questions about that let me know. Or any your parents have. Im a AE so I dont know to much about yalls rate except two things. One, your advancement sucks. Your percentage for making 3rd is pretty much nil. And your A school is in Great Lakes. So after boot you get to spend a couple more wonderful months in Great lakes..... 

My biggest tip to you... It gets better. Ive been in for almost 2 years. I got the 2nd biggest shaft the Navy could give you next to kicking you out and I still LOVE my job.

AEAN John Mowins
HSC-2 Norfolk Va. 

[NavyOne1978]

Dont know a ton about Corpsman, but i do have to agree with comment posted above.  Run, Run, Run.. Marines are hardcore PT types.. and boot camp isnt that tough. I went through 8 years ago, but just got back from great lakes in May where i was in school for 4 months, and I talked to some of the new kids over there.  Boot Camp is almost ridiculously easy now.. Your galley (chow hall), classroom, and barracks are all in the same building now, so theres minimal marching, and all PT is done in sneakers now, no boots.  And the RDC's (drill insstructors), cant be as mean now as they used to be.  (political correctness). But I do not regret being in.. The navy has been good to me..
As far as being a combat corpsman, or as the navy calls it, Fleet Marine Force, its a single tour, as far as i know, meaning after you have done an enlistment, or a few years there, you will be rotating out and back to the regular fleet, or one of the navy hospitals.  Actually, if you wnna know details, call one of the navy hospitals, and ask to speak to one of the FMF corpsman there. Just tell them what you wanna do, and im sure they would be happy to tell you aout it.  Portsmouth Naval Hospital, or Bethesda, etc..

[VooWho]

Thanks for the advice everyone 

[alskahawk]

Yeah a former seal goes to my church and he said that Navy boot camp is pretty easy. If I'm going to be along the side with Marines I do need to be able to run +3 miles. I can barely run a mile now. Got some hard work to do.

Ya I got out of shape in navy boot. And that was 30 years ago when it was tougher.

 Little note; a large chunk of the MOH's awarded have been awarded to Corpsmen. Most of the writeups are real John Wayne stuff.  !

[LePaul]

Tell me, RPM, did you fight for the North or South?   

[rpm]

Hey, the Russkies stayed outa Alaska on my watch.

[JB88]

Tell me, RPM, did you fight for the North or South?   

 

zing!

[IronDog]

I think the longer your out of the service,the longer the runs were,and the tougher boot camp was.In my outfit we had several great Navy Corpsman,and they would tighten your jaws on long runs and marches,by offering to take your load off your hands!I was packing a  flamethrower at that time,and the offer was tempting!Get your self in decent shape,and you will do fine.I seen Navy Corpsman brave enemy fire to tend to wounded Marines on several occaisions.If you get into the Fleet Marines,you will be joining a long tradition of brave young men!
IronDog

[AquaShrimp]

<<< Active duty Navy now. Went to boot in Dec 06. You got any questions about that let me know. Or any your parents have. Im a AE so I dont know to much about yalls rate except two things. One, your advancement sucks. Your percentage for making 3rd is pretty much nil. And your A school is in Great Lakes. So after boot you get to spend a couple more wonderful months in Great lakes..... 

My biggest tip to you... It gets better. Ive been in for almost 2 years. I got the 2nd biggest shaft the Navy could give you next to kicking you out and I still LOVE my job.

AEAN John Mowins
HSC-2 Norfolk Va. 

Hows it getting better, they are sending you to Afghanistan to do the second most dangerous job in the military (convoy escort)?

Not to be taken out of context, I applaud and appreciate your service.