# Corpsman vs 68W



## Fizzle (May 26, 2009)

Now I do not intend for this thread to be one of those "which is better" type of threads because that always means one is inferior to the other and I've actually met some of those people in person and they (appear) to know their stuff. 

Which is better as far as promotions and extra schools go?

Whats the Army's version of an IDC?


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## CBTech (May 26, 2009)

I guess the better one is............... whichever one happens to be present at the time you need your ass fixed.


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## CBTech (May 26, 2009)

Fizzle said:


> Which is better as far as promotions and extra schools go?



Take it from a Navy guy with a brother in the Army, Soldiers go through the ranks faster than Sailors. Period. 

If you are looking to save lives and be a Doc and want to make rank as fast as you can to make military service monitarily "worth it" (none of us do this for the dough) go Army. However, I don't think you'll ever get the loyalty and respect that a Marine will give his Corpsman.


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## Muppet (May 26, 2009)

I am a former U.S. Army Paratooper and line medic with an Airborne unit. With that being said, Army medics are trained to the EMT-B level and I believe the corpsman are not (I am taking that from another site I belong to/Corpsman.com.) To the "respect" thing, all line medics or corpsman EARN the respect of their respective units (Infantry) by being the best they can, learning and educating themselves and the unit and displaying the same attitude of the men they serve with. There are other more recent Army medics on here that can elaborate more regarding pay scale and training but in my eyes, all medics and corpsman are trained to the level neccessary to ensure our men and women come home alive.
    In response to the I.D.C. question, the similar level is S.F. Medical Sgt. (18-D) which there are a few of them rolling around here. Listen to them, they know. I had a Batt. surgeon who was an 18-D and I learned alot from him.:2c:

F.M.


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## HeloMedic1171 (Jun 2, 2009)

CBTech said:


> However, I don't think you'll ever get the loyalty and respect that a Marine will give his Corpsman.



i disagree wholeheartedly - it's the same on both sides.  Being a medic, I can walk anywhere into a crown of marines, and everyone there has my back once the words "dude, he's a 'Doc' "  come out of someone's mouth.  On the same token, any one of my Joes - past or present, would lay a nut on the chopping block if it meant keeping me safe and sound.  I've been Evac, Line, and Aid Station, and invariably, I have PLT SGT's fighting over who gets to have me as their medic.  it's not so much a Corpsman/68W thing, as it is who takes better care of there people.  if you work hard, learn, and constantly strive to improve your medical/tactical knowledge, your charges will walk through hell for you and enjoy the trip.



Firemedic said:


> I am a former U.S. Army Paratrooper and line medic with an Airborne unit. With that being said, Army medics are trained to the EMT-B level and I believe the corpsman are not (I am taking that from another site I belong to/Corpsman.com.) To the "respect" thing, all line medics or corpsman EARN the respect of their respective units (Infantry) by being the best they can, learning and educating themselves and the unit and displaying the same attitude of the men they serve with. There are other more recent Army medics on here that can elaborate more regarding pay scale and training but in my eyes, all medics and corpsman are trained to the level neccessary to ensure our men and women come home alive.
> In response to the I.D.C. question, the similar level is S.F. Medical Sgt. (18-D) which there are a few of them rolling around here. Listen to them, they know. I had a Batt. surgeon who was an 18-D and I learned alot from him.:2c:
> 
> F.M.



FM is right.  When you suck the same shit as your grunts and put up with the same BS, all the while taking care of them like they were your kids, and making sure they have whatever they need before you do, there comes a point when your grunts won't let you do anything outside the scope of medicine.  need some water?  "take mine, Doc, I ain't thirsty."  hungry?  "Doc, here's half my ration, you're lookin' thin."  tired? "Doc, catch a nap, I'll wake you up for guard later."  (only to find that another Joe took your spot so you could get a continuous 4-6 hours once you wake up.)  There is no job I would rather do in the military than be a medic, because no where else can you find a bond like that of grunts and their 'Doc'.

the IDC goes to the same SOCM course as the 18D.  as far as pay goes, paygrades are paygrades.  if you plan on being a lifer, it's the same either way, but you will more than likely go through the ranks faster in the Army.  However, you will GENERALLY see nicer places in the Navy, vs the Army.  I like being an Army Medic, and I plan on being in Army Medicine in one capacity or another for a long time.  do some research, talk to both groups, see what you like.  Do you even like water?  if not, the Navy ain't for you, bud.


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## x SF med (Jun 2, 2009)

IDF medics go to SOCM, and at a later date (E-6, E-7) may be tasked to do a portion of the remainder of the SF medical course.  SF medics have a different reason for a large part of the "SF only" portion, mainly the UW/FID mission.


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## HeloMedic1171 (Jun 2, 2009)

thanks for the adjustment, X.


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## x SF med (Jun 2, 2009)

HeloMedic1171 said:


> thanks for the adjustment, X.


 
No problem, I'm sure you're distracted with all the sand in your shorts, and other places...


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## 7point62 (Jun 2, 2009)

CBTech said:


> I guess the better one is............... whichever one happens to be present at the time you need your ass fixed.




A-freakin-_men_


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## 7point62 (Jun 2, 2009)

HeloMedic1171 said:


> i disagree wholeheartedly - it's the same on both sides.  Being a medic, I can walk anywhere into a crown of marines, and everyone there has my back once the words "dude, he's a 'Doc' "  come out of someone's mouth.  On the same token, any one of my Joes - past or present, would lay a nut on the chopping block if it meant keeping me safe and sound.  I've been Evac, Line, and Aid Station, and invariably, I have PLT SGT's fighting over who gets to have me as their medic.  it's not so much a Corpsman/68W thing, as it is who takes better care of there people.  if you work hard, learn, and constantly strive to improve your medical/tactical knowledge, your charges will walk through hell for you and enjoy the trip.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




A-_double-freakin-men!_ My Corpsman is _still_ my Corpsman. He was the spiritual center of my Combined Action Platoon, mother-hen, father-confessor, crabby-assed squid bastard who never gave up on my ringworm...and lifelong friend. I owe him more than I can ever repay. Nobody fucked with our Docs. Nobody. I've always thought it perfectly fitting and symbolic that a Corpsman was immortalized among Marines raising the flag on Iwo.


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## Nasty (Jun 2, 2009)

I feel that I need to jump in here and "testify" on behalf of the AF IDMT. Big blue requires an IDMT to attend the course and be an EMT-B. AFSOC requires IDMT plus EMT-P. Navy IDC course is longer that AF IDMT but AF is required allot more OJT before attending the course. As far as the Army goes, I know that the 18D course is probably the best trained (trauma, sick call...of all branches, at least when I retired in '03) of all three branches. HOWEVER, you must prove yourself first or no one will want you.


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## Muppet (Jun 2, 2009)

I have never been so proud to be a medic as I am right now. I miss MY grunts. I treated them like MY loved ones and I still talk to a few today on Facebook. Good conversations here men.

F.M.


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## x SF med (Jun 2, 2009)

It just hit me the best way to answer your question: 
What uniform do you like best?
If you are going to be a Corpsman or a Medic - worry about those schools, the rest will come later - you are no good to anybody if your PRIMARY JOB is lacking because you want to be a badgefinder/ shiny suit guy... your primary job is to save your friends lives, period, no further discussion - if you never get any other schools and you are the best medic in the world, that is an accomplishment beyond most people's wildest dreams.


As far as I can tell - you are using this post as your intro.
Are you still in HS?

The reason for an intro is so that we know with whom we are conversing, and your profile tells me nothing. 


If so - that's your goal - finish HS.


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