Still, the Marines bring their corpsmen because bad things happen in war, just not today.
All in all, it was another quiet day for Nededog. Sure, he served as a faithful ear for a few Marines, handed out some doxycycline (anti-malaria medication), and made sure his warriors stayed hydrated, but no one had a sucking chest wound from a sniper’s bullet, or severed limbs from a mine. No one was screaming, “Corpsmen Up!” Not today, anyway.
Savvy corpsmen learn to savor inactivity.
“Nobody deploys with Marines and expects to be bored,” said Nededog. “But here, where every day could be your last, boring is just fine.”
Still, Nededog is prepared for the worst, and expects it every day.
His grooming began at Field Medical Service School (FMSS) East, Camp Johnson, N.C., one of two Fleet Marine Force (FMF) breeding grounds for Sailors these days. FMSS West, located at Camp Pendleton, Calif., serves as the other source.
There, Marines and Marine-tested Sailors instill the basic skills and instincts corpsmen will need to keep Marines’ minds squarely on their mission.
“Marines fight harder when they have a good corpsman with them,” said Morse. “Then they don’t worry about dying, they worry about the mission and that’s one of the best ways to make sure everyone comes home alive.”
Nededog, according to his platoon, is a good one.
“He’s one of us,” said Marine PFC Oscar Repreza.
And when a Marine says that, any seasoned corpsman knows no better compliment exists.
“First and foremost, you have to have their respect,” said English. “The most important factor in a successful FMF corpsman is to be able to adapt to the lifestyle of the Marine Corps. This means living and breathing every day like a Marine. You PT with them and you don’t fall out. You hike with them, you don’t fall out. On patrols you know the hand signals because you are a Marine, a Marine who just happens to have a lot of medical knowledge.”
All of 3rd Platoon’s corpsmen follow that corpsman code of conduct.
“I was just an E-2 when I reported to my first Marine Corps unit,” said HM2 (FMF/SW/AW) Dennis Astor, Senior Corpsman, Forward Operating Base Torkhem. “I just did what they did. I stood their duties, volunteered for their working parties, etc. If a Marine asked for help, I gave it to them each and every time.”
If you don’t, you’re worthless to them.
“The worst thing a corpsman can do is to betray his Marines,” said Astor. “Drop your pack on a hike, quit or give excuses, or turn down a Marine who needs help and they’ll never forgive you. If you’re a good corpsman, the Marines will do anything in the world for you, but if you’re a bad corpsman they’ll hate you, and believe me you don’t want that.”
There’s nothing but respect for the corpsmen in 3rd Platoon. Their senior corpsmen earned it in another desert.
“In Iraq my convoy was hit by an IED,” said Astor. “We lost several Marines that day, and I’m sure the only reason I didn’t die was because I am so small. The armor on the truck completly covered me.”
Wounded, he still treated his Marines. In fact, he refused orders home and returned to his unit months later to fight with them again. He still carries shrapnel in his head from that attack and is reminded of its presence on very cold Afghan mornings.
“They told me it would do more damage to remove it,” said Astor. “I really feel it with my Kevlar helmet on.”
Seasoned Marines have an even deeper respect for corpsmen.
“Honestly, sometimes corpsmen put Marines to shame because of what they can do,” said Morse. “They carry more weight than us because they carry what we carry, and all of their medical stuff.”
The corpsman, when he’s good, can help Marines with more than medicine. He can be a point of inspiration.
“If a Marine starts to get tired on a hike and sees the corpsman just chugging along it motivates him to keep going,” said Morse.
