Corpsman School and diving certification?

[Forever Mom]

My son is currently in corpsman school at Great Lakes. He is doing well and now has stated he may try to become a corpsman/diver and he is planning on testing within the next week or so. Does anyone know why a corpsman would want to be a navy diver and corpsman? What kind of assignment might he get? Cleaning the bottom of a ship?
Forever Mom

[BethFromNJ - Doc's Mom]

Hi Forever Mom - my name is Beth and I'm the Mom of a land-based Corpsman. Joshua is currently serving with the 3rd Marines out of Okinawa - deployed to Afghanistan since 4/1. I don't know anything about Navy Divers, but Google is my friend and I looked it up for you ...Go here for more info: http://www.navydiver.org/NDSTC/default.html
In the middle of the page you'll find this:
Diving Medical Technician (DMT) is a 119-day course designed to provide qualified Hospital Corpsman (HM) with the training necessary to perform surface-supplied diving as a team member/diver and to understand the responsibilities and duties of a diving supervisor. Instruction includes advanced diving physics, medicine and underwater physiology to enable the hospital corpsman to understand the effects of pressure on the human body and the treatment of diving related injuries such as the bends (DCS) and gas embolisms (AGE). There is particular emphasis on the use of Navy standard decompression tables. The prerequisite is qualification as Hospital Corpsman and since all US Navy Diving Medical Technicians (DMTs) are trained in all aspects of diving, the first 20-weeks is the same as the Diver Second Class training.

Good luck to your Sailor and thank him for his service.

[AngieH]

Forever mom, my son is also in Corpsman training now and leaning in that same direction. He will have test three this week, what about yours, how much longer does he have? I did all the google search stuff when he first mentioned it and found the information below also, I finally reminded myself that this is the Navy and nothing is for sure until they have those orders, so i MADE myself stop!! I can make myself crazy trying to find out all the details about everything, i have to make myself stop!! So maybe together we can figure it out!! I would love to hear from someone who has a son in that field already, that would be great!!

[Ruth VH]

Forever Mom,
There are lots of reasons that they would want to do this. The rate pays better and there are lots of opportunies as what to do. I think you need to ask your son why he would want to do this...my son is a diver but not a Navy diver...he loves the challenge, in fact he still wants to go Special Ops. If he is a Corpsman and then makes Navy diver, I don't know if they would clean the bottom of a ship, because he is in the medical field...but you don't know what can become of choices...remember...if he tries for Navy diver, it doesn't mean he will become one. It is a very hard course and not everyone can do it. You just have to be supportive of your hopefully soon to be Corpsman. Don't worry about what may come, you have to take it day by day and try to be positive with your son, encouraging him as much as you can. It's hard to be a Mom with some of their choices...that's why we call this the roller coaster life...lots of unexpected turns and ups and downs, but eventually reaching the end of the course, only to start another one. Hope this is of help...you might try and ask some of the Moms on one of the Navy Diver groups.

[ruthella]

My son is a SF corpsman, he is a Marine Combat Corpsman and is very proud of this accomplishment. Being a diver and there are several different kinds of divers is not a crappy job but a rate that is coveted and respected. Does he want to be a hard hat diver, combat diver or what? Find out and there are sights on the web that are helpful for you to get a feel for and understand some of their jobs. Anytime a corpsman is attached to a certain group such as diver he is the corpsman for that group of guys but he has to become a diver also, so he holds 2 important slots, diver and corpsman. Being a diver and corpsman opens up good jobs for him in the civilian world if he ever gets out of the Navy. It's a good thing mom....

[Rhonda]

Hello. I'm finding myself looking for the right groups to be in a lot, lately. My son-in-law was in pre-buds, buds, and, for some time now---it just seems as if he's been a floater---lol He left for and arrived back at GL today, my understanding is he will be there for 12 days and then go to Jacksonville, FL and remain there until Sept. 10 and then Va Beach VA for a year. I believe he said his official titles are apprentice corpsman and search and rescue swimmer. As of now, he is determined to re-do, re-try everything all over again for seals, but, he has to wait 2 years for that to happen. A lot can happen in 2 years, and, maybe he will really go for it again or become happy and settled with something else.

Basically, I'm just looking and scouring various groups to see where I might fit in at, and, then hopefully begin to learn more about what's he actually doing. Thanks.

[ruthella]

H20 he is first and for most a Corpsman and any and all things he does from now on will be added to him being a corpsman. I am the mother of a corpsman who's been in for 8 years. We have a great group of corpsman mom's here with son's in different stages of their enlistment. The mom's are well seasoned and very supportive. It's Carol's group for Navy Corpsman mom's and Dad's. We would love for you to join us, ask any all questions you have and some one will be able to answer you...