hello all, my name is greg, and i am shipping off to boot on feb 7th, once i finish with boot i am off to corpsman school, to be a corpsman (the reason i joined)
recently i have been very interested in SAR (search and rescue) i was just wondering if this was an actual rating in the navy?? or is it a qual like (SW) or (FMF). i have been wondering if it was possible to be a hospital corpsman AND a search and rescue swimmer? how do i get pciked for SAR? would i go to HM "A" school then SAR training? vice versa?
Sar Corpsman Huh? Last time I checked you HM's gotta spend at least 2 or 3 years at a Medical Command and then put in for Aircrew. This means you have to prove yourself that you have what It takes. Try puting in for Fleet Marine Force for Field Medic Skills and get as many skills as possible. HM Sar guys usually get stationed at a Marine Corps Base or Amphib Ship (Gator Freighters) since they are usually treating wounded Marines.
thamks pizza dude, i am just "on the fence" about either staying with the navy or going FMF... i will probably go FMF but i have heard once you go green you stay green, in other words it is really hard to go from green to blue, and i eventually want to do medical work on a helo, (aircrew)
Hey, so about saying with the navy or goin fmf, you will always be navy. I am currently an FMF doc and love it. You need experience before goin aircrew and being a SAR doc. If thats what you want then go for it but FMF is a very distinct honor and a huge pride issue for navy docs.
Things have changed as far as the two years experience before becoming a SAR Med Tech. Because they have merged us with Aviation Medicine Technicians, there is a possibility of getting it straight out of Corps School.
Realize that things are not how they were when it was only Station SAR. Gone are the days of strictly flying. Because of the merger, you WILL be dealing with Medical Readiness. Any Corpsman that tells you he enjoys doing that is full of B.S. You will however fly. I became qualified as a door gunner, hoist operator. In October, I go to Kuwait for six months for an Air Ambulance Detachemen. There is alot to learn, and a large PQS you have to follow.
Do count on being stationed at a Naval Base, not that many Station SAR around. You will not be stationed on an Amphib either. CASEVAC is a totally different animal than what we do.
