Hospital Corpsman
Encyclopedia : H : HO : HOS : Hospital Corpsman
Hospital Corpsmen (HMs) are members of the United States Navy Hospital Corps. They serve as enlisted medical personnel. Corpsmen serve in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships as the primary medical caregiver for sailors while underway, or with Marine Corps units as battlefield medics. An interesting fact is that the Hospital Corps is the only all enlisted Corps in the Navy.
History
The hospital corps has, after a fashion, been a part of the United States Naval service since 1799 when a provision of congress was instituted service-wide to include a surgeon's assistant on all ships of the fleet. The title of this specialty of training, also known as rating in naval terminology, has changed over the years from loblolly boy, surgeon's steward, apothecary and bayman, the latter three all requiring the rate holder to be a recipient of some private medical instruction.On 17 June 1898, by act of congress, the Hospital Corps was established, though the actual name of the servicemen under that rating would change several times (being known as "Pharmacist's Mates" throughout the World Wars) before ultimately becoming simply "Hospital Corpsman". The modern rating abbreviation is HM.
In July 2005, the Hospital Corpsman "A" school began instructing students in dental medicine, and effective 01 October 2005 the Dentalman (DT) rating was merged with the Hospital Corpsman rating. Former Dentalmen may opt to continue to wear the DT rating insignia on their uniform until 01 October 2007 at which time they must begin wearing the HM rating insignia. Sailors in both ratings are required to complete "difference training" which will familiarize them with the specifics of the other rating.
Organization
Due to the vast array of foreign, domestic and shipboard duty stations in which hospital corpsman are called to serve as well as the fact that the United States Marine Corps has no medical personnel of their own, the hospital corps is anecdotally reported to be the largest rating in the United States Navy. That is, the duty classification held by more United States naval personnel than any other.Within the rating of Hospital Corpsman are a number of "C" schools a Corpsman can apply to attend. Each "C" school has an associated NEC (Navy Enlisted Classification) associated with it. The basic Hospital Corpsman training is termed as one of the Navy's "A" or primary training schools, the NEC code for a corpsman who has attended no "C" school is 0000 called "quad-zero". A "C" school is a secondary, usually longer, specialized training. In the case of hospital corpsmen, this training is to prepare the sailor for some more distinct duty such as Medical Laboratory Technician, Radiology Technician, Aviation/Aerospace Medicine Specialist, etc. The day to day duties of a Hospital Corpsman depends largely on what "C" schools he/she has attended and to what sort of unit he/she has been assigned. All Navy rates have "A" and "C" schools and respective NEC codes. NEC is essentially analogous to MOS in the United States Army and Marine Corps, or AFSC in the Air Force.
Of note is Field Medical Service School (FMSS), with locations at Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune, where sailors bound for service with United States Marine Corps operating forces attend to earn the NEC 8404, Field Medical Service Technician. This is specialized training emphasizing physical conditioning, small arms familiarity, and the fundamentals of Marine Corps life to make up for the lack of traditional field training that Corpsmen receive at naval boot camp. As of 2005, this course is seven weeks long.
There are primary NECs, and secondary NECs. For example, a Corpsman could hold the 0000 (General Duty Corpsman) NEC as their primary, while the 8404 (Field Medical Technician) would be their secondary NEC.
Be they assigned to hospital ships, reservist installations, recruiter offices, Marine Corps combat units or functioning as Navy SEALs, the rating of Hospital Corpsman is the most decorated in the United States Navy with at least 22 Medals of Honor (half of all Medals of Honor awarded to the Department of the Navy), 174 Navy Crosses, 31 Distinguished Service Medals, 943 Silver Stars, and 1553 Bronze Stars. [link] There have been 14 naval vessels that have been named after Hospital Corpsmen. A Hospital Corpsman named John Bradley was among the group of Marines in the famous flag raising on Mt. Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
A common description of the 8404 Corpsmen during the late 60's and early 70's was, "A long haired, bearded sailor who would go through the very gates of Hell to tend to a wounded Marine." The origin of this phrase can be traced to a book from the late 70's written by Gene Duncan, Major, USMC(ret), the book is entitled "Green Side Out".
Hospital Corpsman Pledge
"I solemnly pledge myself before God and these witnesses to practice faithfully all of my duties as a member of the Hospital Corps. I hold the care of the sick and injured to be a privilege and a sacred trust and will assist the Medical Officer with loyalty and honesty. I will not knowingly permit harm to come to any patient. I will not partake of nor administer any unauthorized medication. I will hold all personal matters pertaining to the private lives of patients in strict confidence. I dedicate my heart, mind and strength to the work before me. I shall do all within my power to show in myself an example of all that is honorable and good throughout my naval career."External links
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