"Doc" 101

[vettespace]

“Doc” 101

“Doc” is a colloquial term of respect given by Marines to Navy Corpsman serving in the Fleet Marine Force.  Upon graduating the Field Medical Service Technician course currently administered at either Camp Pendleton or Camp LeJeune the Navy Corpsman earns a Shield.  The following excerpts are from the FMTB Camp Pendleton Graduation Ceremony pamphlet:

Commanding Officer’s Message

“We are a nation at war and each of you are now a full up round having earned the title of “FMF Corpsman”.  Many of you will be sent into harms way sooner than later and the impact you will make is great.  Marines and Sailors injured on our battlefields will now look to you to preserve both life and limb.”

Shielding Ceremony

“ The Shielding Ceremony is a time honored tradition which concludes the General Duty Corpsman’s transition to the Fleet Marine Force Corpsman.”

“Sailors bound for service with the Marine Corps attend Field Medical Training Battalion and upon completion earn the Navy enlisted classification 8404 and are presented their Medical Shield.”

The following poem is included in the pamphlet:

 

http://www.docslocker.com/poem.html

Sometimes, “FMF Corpsman” is confused with Navy Corpsman who have earned the Navy Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Specialist Pin.  This Pin is highly sought after.  The following is the qualification criteria:

 

 

 

http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-400%20Promotion%20and%20Advancement%20Programs/1414.4C.pdf

[TexasDocMom]

The Making of a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman

From the Link: "For seven boot camp-like, rifle-toting, blister-breaking weeks down south at Camp LeJeune, N.C., the Navy and Marine Corps team up at Field Medical Service School (FMSS) East to mold standard Navy-issue corpsmen into Sailors good enough for the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). The good ones will earn the Marines’ respect. The great ones earn the title, “Doc.”

“There are corpsmen and then there are ‘docs,’” said Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Richard Lister, an advisor at FMSS East. “A doc is someone you can count on. He’s someone in your platoon that when something happens to one of our fellow Marines, you can call on him and not have to worry. He’s your buddy, a comrade in arms, a person who you count on to cover your back, to lay down fire, dig fighting holes or do whatever the hell Marines are doing. That’s who a doc is.”

That’s why FMSS exists – because Marines need docs on the battlefield.

“If they [students]don’t look like Marines, act like Marines and talk like Marines,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF) John Buchanan, “the Marines aren’t going to like them, and worse, they aren’t going to trust them.”

And to the Marines, a corpsman they can’t trust is a corpsman they’d rather not have. "

 

As the mother of an FMF Corpsman, who is now an instructor, I can assure you that our pride in our FMF corpsmen is justified. Congrats to all who make the grade!!

[NanZam]

WOW...Thank you for the great information...My son is headed for Camp Pendleton by the end of this week...I'm nervous, and of course worried for him...another boot camp...I know that I took it hard not seeing him while he was away at boot camp...And then finally being able to see him at graduation was the best...and shocking at how much weight the kids lost...I hope this time around will be better for me...LOL...I know that a Corpsman job is very important, and also dangerous if they're out in the field...So I'm happy to read the Navy for Moms blog for advise, and encouragement....Thank you everyone for your advise and thoughts...

[NanZam]

Congrats on your son being an instructor...This is exciting encouraging news...I know that Camp Pendelton is going to a hard place to be, but I know that my Son will be alright...Just being a mom and worried for him...again thanks for all the great info...

[docs mom]

TexasDocMom, I always love your posts. This one actually brought a tear to my eyes. When I met the Doctor that my son served with in Iraq, he came up to me and shook my hand and told me my son was one of his best "docs", He was older and maybe just a  little more mature. He said that he always knew when my son called him with a problem that whatever my son told him of the injury was spot on and that what ever instructions were then given would be folllowed to the letter. It made me extra proud.

I hope someday my son will want to leave the field and maybe be an instructor like your son.

Again - thanks for your wonderful posts!

[vettespace]

TDM, thank you for corroborating my information.  For the newer moms, FMSS (Field Medical Service School) is synonymous with FMTB (Field Medical Training Battalion)  as it relates to teaching FMST (Field Medical Service Technician) courses that create "docs" for the Fleet Marine Force (FMF).

[TexasDocMom]

And a reminder that FMTB (or FMSS) is training, that generally follows A school...and FMF is a Marine qualification, specifically for those serving greenside (with Marines), earned over a period of time (generally in the first year with the Marines).

[Devil Doc Mom 661]

What a terrific post. It completely explains why my Son wants more than anything to earn the title "Doc" from his Marines. He has made it through FMTB and was deployed with 30 Marines and 1 other FMF Corpsman on the 28 July 2011 to Afghanistan. He feels so honored to serve beside the Marines. My only worry is if he should loose one of "His" Marines. My Boy is going to take that real personal, too personal. He will feel like he failed to do his job and I don`t think he will ever get over it. This is truly my greatest fear. I made him promise me that no matter what happens, he needs to talk to me about it. I reassured him that nothing he could do will ever change my love for him. I would love him just as much if he were Hannibal Lector. It is my belief that the more they can talk about a really traumatic experience, the less power it has. ( I could be wrong about that too ) This last 2 weeks has been hell. I stay as busy as I can, nights are the worst. He is now a highly trained warrior and I trust his decision making ability and his training. I just dont trust the Taliban!