.SARC questions

[NathanRSF]

Hello everyone,

I am looking into the SARC career field. I've been on reconcorpsman.com and others, but can you submit a packet in HM "A" School? Or possibly at FMTB? I'm fine with waiting but I dont want to be stuck for my entire enlistment not doing what I joined for. Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Scubadew]

There is a program you can volunteer for in A-School called SOCP. If you you impress you may get orders to BRC, otherwise you will be putting in a package from your first command.

No offense but you should be prepared to not be a SARC. It's an awesome goal and I'm rooting for you, but be ready to do your part wherever you end up in the Navy/Marine Corps family. A Corpsman is a lifeline and nobody wants the guy who is disgruntled because he is "stuck for my entire enlistment not doing what I joined for".

Best of luck to you.

 

[x SF med]

The best advice for any medic in the military... be the very damn best you can be, you are the first line of care - be it in a hospital, a troop clinic, or in a field company. Know your stuff, be able to do your job in the dark, in the rain, in snow, under fire, and any other crappy condition you can imagine. Even if you get tasked to a hospital, go out and practice TCCC on your off time, stay in stellar physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, be better than the rest of the guys/gals - because you want to be the guy they come to for care because they trust you, not "That guy" that always has the fingers pointed at him for being a tool.

Go forth and conquer, if you want to be a SARC, you have to be the best medic out there, and be able to be an infantryman when needed.

 

[NathanRSF]

Thank you gentlemen for your reply. Also, Thanks for the encouragement.

Scubadew, thanks for clearing that up! My main goal is Ranger Medic but I have been seeing SARC pop up here and there and i still had lots of questions about it. Corpsman is definitely an amazing carrer field, special operations or not. Like you said, they are the lifeline. I plan to rise to the occasion SOF or not. MUCH respect for all the Corpsman out there!

x SF med, great advice. Rather I'm SOF or not, I will strive to be the best Medic and provider as humanly possible. I've also seen alot of other forums and your words are truely inspirational and true at that. Somewhat of a Mentor in a indirect way. So thank you!

Side note: Love this website and the comunity. It is truely a blessing that we even have this here. I bet most of the Mentors or verified SOF did not have this to prepare for selection. Or even to sway their decison one way or the other. Much respect for all of you out there! Couple days early but.......THANK YOU VERTERNS!! Your's and all of your brother's sacrifices will NEVER be forgotten. **SALUTE**

 

[NathanRSF]

Been Reading a lot on the site. Thought a lot about all of the information. You guys are definitly right. I've seen the one post that the guy joined to become a SARC and couldnt get his foot through the door because of color blindness. Very humbling. I think FMF/SARC is the way to go for me. Still love the idea of Ranger Medic though. I've also read some books about hospitial duty (Clinical), and those men and women saved lives. In the end thats all that matters. I hope to keep the PT high intensity for a year or so, and then make plans to enlist. Thank you men for toning me down a noch. SOF is not always about the cool guy hardcore stuff. Sometimes it just comes down to following orders in order for your moment/opportunity to come. That could be a raid or just treating a locals foot. My point is, I will not rush my way into SOF, whichever route I may choose. Quality over quanity.

 

[Scubadew]

Wow.

 

[NathanRSF]

Roger that.

It'd be an honor to serve.

 

[Branderson]

I know this thread is a month old but just throwing in my two cents of personal experience:
If you get a chance to grab an NEC as a HM then take it while you still can, they are becoming few and far between due to overmanning. Like wise for any FMF tour available once you finish A-school. As Scuba said you can always volunteer for SOCP while in A-school and FMTB. However don't fret if you don't get orders at that time either.
I would personally suggest seeing how you enjoy being a line corpsman while FMF to see if you have a passion for the field. I had the opportunity to do 4 years of hopping around infantry battalions in 1STMARDIV and didn't realize how much I loved the world of emergency and ditch medicine until then. A lot of people I was around who wanted to be a SARC or even just line corpsman discovered that they hate it and would rather be in a clinic setting, which there is nothing wrong with either. While I was in 1STMARDIV it was actually quite easy to 'transfer' to the SARC pipeline providing you can put down the PST scores. Due to my own mistakes though I've ended up surviving two NJP's now which leave me temporarily ineligible for the pipeline. It will be harder to secure orders to SARC while at a shore command, but again it is NOT impossible, that is what I'm doing right now.
I waited an entire enlistment plus more to find my self eligible again for SARC and just finished my package, 5 years later Don't think of it as wasting time, think of it as more time to develop yourself into the most success-bound person you can be. I got NJP'd for that very reason when I got to the current command I'm at. Thinking, "Fuck this place and everyone here, I'm stuck here folding towels this isn't what I was made to do." That mindset had me Angry at everyone and ultimately in trouble with The Man. Like Scuba said again; no one looks for that mindset in a SARC or even line Corpsman.

Bottomline what I'm trying to say is there is always a way to streamline yourself to the Pipeline if you show a desire for it once you are in. Good luck man.

 

[NathanRSF]

I know this thread is a month old but just throwing in my two cents of personal experience:
If you get a chance to grab an NEC as a HM then take it while you still can, they are becoming few and far between due to overmanning. Like wise for any FMF tour available once you finish A-school. As Scuba said you can always volunteer for SOCP while in A-school and FMTB. However don't fret if you don't get orders at that time either.
I would personally suggest seeing how you enjoy being a line corpsman while FMF to see if you have a passion for the field. I had the opportunity to do 4 years of hopping around infantry battalions in 1STMARDIV and didn't realize how much I loved the world of emergency and ditch medicine until then. A lot of people I was around who wanted to be a SARC or even just line corpsman discovered that they hate it and would rather be in a clinic setting, which there is nothing wrong with either. While I was in 1STMARDIV it was actually quite easy to 'transfer' to the SARC pipeline providing you can put down the PST scores. Due to my own mistakes though I've ended up surviving two NJP's now which leave me temporarily ineligible for the pipeline. It will be harder to secure orders to SARC while at a shore command, but again it is NOT impossible, that is what I'm doing right now.
I waited an entire enlistment plus more to find my self eligible again for SARC and just finished my package, 5 years later Don't think of it as wasting time, think of it as more time to develop yourself into the most success-bound person you can be. I got NJP'd for that very reason when I got to the current command I'm at. Thinking, "Fuck this place and everyone here, I'm stuck here folding towels this isn't what I was made to do." That mindset had me Angry at everyone and ultimately in trouble with The Man. Like Scuba said again; no one looks for that mindset in a SARC or even line Corpsman.

Yeah man I was definitely thinking about going FMF for a while to get some expirience behind me, as well as mature. Getting that contract is going to be tough. Would EMT experience help me get it faster instead of a kid out of high school? Definitely humbled though. Just shows that you don't have to do the 'cool guy stuff' in order to make a difference. Although it may suck getting stuck folding towels I'm sure it was a life lesson for you. The more I read this website the more I feel I grow as an individual. I was in the mindset that I had to do Tier 1 hardcore ops and ect ect ect... My new mindset is like, whats the rush? You can't rush making a good Special Operations Medic/Corpsman. It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort. THANK YOU for the informantion and thanks for the heads up as well. I wish you the best of luck as well. If you don't mind I do have a couple of questions.....

Can you drop a packet whenever you're ready or does it have to be at a specific time? How long did it take you to get your packet done and to drop it off? Can you practice swimming while you're an FMF Corpsman?

Thanks again man. Good Luck and Merry Christmas.

 

[Branderson]

I'm glad you understand!! Sorry for the late reply, was out for some training but to answer your questions:
You can indeed drop a package to go at anytime as a corpsman, and like I said a lot of times they will sweep you right up with the right PST scores, due to their short manning. It is harder when you are at a shore command though, found that out first hand.
It took me about a month start to finish to finish a package. This varies, and I happen to have a dive officer in the same building as me, but expect it to take somewhere around the same time if you do a little searching around.
As far as swimming though, you definitely have to make the time for it, especially as a line Corpsman. Due to Ops tempo and such, it can be hard to find a steady schedule. I deployed three times in three years with plenty of work up training in between but that was when they were whoring Corpsman out from battalion to battalion.
Hope this is helpful insight man!!

 

[Devildoc]

I would personally suggest seeing how you enjoy being a line corpsman while FMF to see if you have a passion for the field.

To coin a phrase often used, everyone wants to be a corpsman until it's time to do corpsman shit. Wanting to be 18D/SARC/PJ is all well and good when you are processing your wants on the computer in a climate-controlled room, far different when you are mile 20 (and not even halfway done) under 130+ pounds of deuce gear/ruck/weapon/ammo/water/medical kit/etc in cold rain and mud, awake for 48 hours......

 

[x SF med]

everyone wants to be a corpsman until it's time to do corpsman shit.

Spot on... and remember the line corpsman shit is your CEC, clinical time, retrain, update, inventory/control/Code R&Q accountability, and normal unit stuff... on top of your in the field duties... People rely on you to be doubly or triply squared away in all aspects... it really looks bad if your medic falls out on a ruck march...

 

[Gunz]

Good Corpsmen are sacred in the Marines. I think the same holds true for the Army and its Combat Medics. They are the spiritual center of a small unit in the field. There are a very few shitbirds among them...because they don't last long.

 

[NathanRSF]

I'm glad you understand!! Sorry for the late reply, was out for some training but to answer your questions:
You can indeed drop a package to go at anytime as a corpsman, and like I said a lot of times they will sweep you right up with the right PST scores, due to their short manning. It is harder when you are at a shore command though, found that out first hand.
It took me about a month start to finish to finish a package. This varies, and I happen to have a dive officer in the same building as me, but expect it to take somewhere around the same time if you do a little searching around.
As far as swimming though, you definitely have to make the time for it, especially as a line Corpsman. Due to Ops tempo and such, it can be hard to find a steady schedule. I deployed three times in three years with plenty of work up training in between but that was when they were whoring Corpsman out from battalion to battalion.
Hope this is helpful insight man!!

Thank you. This helps a lot man!

To coin a phrase often used, everyone wants to be a corpsman until it's time to do corpsman shit. Wanting to be 18D/SARC/PJ is all well and good when you are processing your wants on the computer in a climate-controlled room, far different when you are mile 20 (and not even halfway done) under 130+ pounds of deuce gear/ruck/weapon/ammo/water/medical kit/etc in cold rain and mud, awake for 48 hours......

Spot on... and remember the line corpsman shit is your CEC, clinical time, retrain, update, inventory/control/Code R&Q accountability, and normal unit stuff... on top of your in the field duties... People rely on you to be doubly or triply squared away in all aspects... it really looks bad if your medic falls out on a ruck march...

Good Corpsmen are sacred in the Marines. I think the same holds true for the Army and it's Combat Medics. They are the spiritual center of a small unit in the field. There are a very few shitbirds among them...because they don't last long.

Definitely something to think about. Not only for myself, but for all potential Corpsman/SARC candidates. I'm going to work as hard as possible to achieve this goal of mine. If there is one thing I could take from this thread is: Know your stuff (medicine, weapons, and ect), learn to enjoy the suck, and be the guy everyone can count on. That could be taking care of them as a patient, doing accountability checks, looking out for them when they may hit a rough patch, or a million different things that make a great Corpsman/SARC. Thanks again men!

 

[Scubadew]

"On your best day you'll never be as good as my Corpsman on his worst day". - Major James Capers (Ret.)

This is the expectation. Live up to it.

 

[NathanRSF]

"On your best day you'll never be as good as my Corpsman on his worst day". - Major James Capers (Ret.)

This is the expectation. Live up to it.

Love that quote. Roger that, Scubadew. I've been looking at the SARC Creed a lot as well. It gives me goosebumps everytime I read it. When you are a Corpsman/SARC you serve others by being the best at what you do and who you are as a person. Corpsman are truly some of the best men out there. All of the men in this thread/forum that are Corpsman, I have a new found respect for all of you. To all those have have guided me thus far.....Thank You!

 

[Gunz]

Nathan, you sound like a good kid...and I think at the heart of any Corpsman/Medic is a good person, an unselfish person. Study hard, work hard, never give up on your goal and you'll get to SARC level. Here's one more thing to reflect on: One of those six men who raised the Flag on Mount Suribachi was their Navy Corpsman. It's entirely appropriate, fitting and natural that a Corpsman should be immmortalized on the Marine Corps Monument.

 

[Devildoc]

I think at the heart of any Corpsman/Medic is a good person, an unselfish person.

Often the last to eat, the last to close shop, the last to rest. Part and parcel of the job.

 

[Red Flag 1]

Listen to what @ x SF med has said, and follow his suggestions as if they are law.

 

[NathanRSF]

Nathan, you sound like a good kid...and I think at the heart of any Corpsman/Medic is a good person, an unselfish person. Study hard, work hard, never give up on your goal and you'll get to SARC level. Here's one more thing to reflect on: One of those six men who raised the Flag on Mount Suribachi was their Navy Corpsman. It's entirely appropriate, fitting and natural that a Corpsman should be immmortalized on the Marine Corps Monument.

I appreciate your Kind words, Ocoka One. I never knew that a Corpsman was there. Thank you for informing me of that. Just goes to show you how inseparable and how valuable a Corpsman is to his Marines. Definitely want to start to study some Corpsman history.

Often the last to eat, the last to close shop, the last to rest. Part and parcel of the job.

Thank you for the feedback, Devildoc. Sounds like the best job in the world to me. I'm trying everyday to make myself more prepared and a better person. I hope to earn the title of Corpsman one day. Every bit of advice that all of you have given me has helped me tremendously. It motivates me everyday.

Listen to what @ x SF med has said, and follow his suggestions as if they are law.

Will do, Red Flag 1. Thank you for your feedback.