United States Navy Hospital Corpsman

United States Navy Hospital Corpsman

A Hospital Corpsman (HM) /ˈkɔərmən/ is an enlisted medical specialist for the United States Navy who serves with Navy and United States Marine Corps units. They are the only enlisted corps in the United States Navy. The Hospital Corpsman works in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships, and as well as the primary medical caregivers for sailors while underway. Hospital Corpsmen are frequently the only medical care-giver available in many fleet or Marine units on extended deployment. In addition, Hospital Corpsman perform duties as assistants in the prevention and treatment of disease and injury and assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Sailors and their families. They may function as clinical or specialty technicians, medical administrative personnel and health care providers at medical treatment facilities. They also serve as battlefield corpsmen with the Marine Corps, rendering emergency medical treatment to include initial treatment in a combat environment. Qualified hospital corpsmen may be assigned the responsibility of independent duty aboard ships and submarines; Fleet Marine Force, SEAL and Seabee units, and at isolated duty stations where no medical officer is available.

Hospital Corpsmen were trained at Naval Hospital Corps School, Great Lakes, Illinois until the 2011 Base Realignment and Closure Bill caused Hospital Corps School to be relocated to the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at the Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. As of 28 July 2011 (2011 -07-28), Naval Hospital Corps School, Great Lakes, Illinois has been officially closed and operations moved to San Antonio, Texas.

The colloquial form of address for a Hospital Corpsman is "Doc". In the U.S. Marine Corps, this term is generally used as a sign of respect.

Read more about United States Navy Hospital Corpsman:  History, Training, Organization, Rate/rating Structure, Badges, Ships Named in Honor of Hospital Corpsmen, U.S. Navy Enlisted Medical Personnel Killed in Action, Decorations of Valor Awarded To Hospital Corpsmen, United States Maritime Service Hospital Corpsmen

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