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“I feel our training gives more qualifications and we work in a wider variety of areas. A Navy corpsman earns what is referred to as a Navy Enlisted Classification code.īoth receive training to learn the fundamental aspects of their chosen job, along with additional training available to become more specialized.

The military occupational specialty for Army combat medics is called 68W, referred to by the call sign Whiskey. The Navy focus remains at sea and the Army emphasis continues on land.

“When I’ve been asked if I’m a medic, I usually just say that I’m a corpsman which is the Navy equivalent to an Army medic,” shared Chief Hospital Corpsman Jesus Albarran, Naval Hospital Bremerton Family Medicine leading chief petty officer.īoth are obviously in the armed forces, albeit in different service branches.Īs the nation’s military treatment facilities transition administration and management over to the Defense Health Agency as part of a congressional mandate to merge Air Force, Army and Navy military hospitals and clinics, military medical personnel still answer to their respective service branches. Over 50 Army medics have received the Medal of Honor for their valor in combat (fearlessness under fire another shared trait).Īs the Navy’s enlisted rating with the most personnel, there are more than 24,000 active duty and Navy Reserve hospital corpsmen assigned to Navy, Marine Corps and joint command assignments, with nearly 30 percent women, compared to over 39,000 active duty, Army Reserve and National Guard combat medics, with over 28 percent women (yet another commonality).Īre there any actual differences between a Navy corpsman and an Army medic, putting aside the point of pride which both have earned? Navy, to date being the collective recipients of 22 Medals of Honor, 199 Navy Crosses and 984 Silver Stars. Navy hospital corpsmen are the most highly decorated rate in the U.S. (If we’re keeping score, that’s a similarity shared). The caduceus is the rating insignia for Navy, whereas the symbol is on the Army’s combat medic badge which is earned by those – colonel and below – whom support wounded soldiers on the field of battle. I simply said, “No, I am a corpsman,”” related Humarang, noting that both Navy hospital corpsman and Army medics symbolically use the caduceus which prominently features two snakes encircling a winged staff. When they saw my corpsman shield with caduceus, I was asked if I was the medic. “During my second deployment to Iraq in 2004 with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines India Company, I was tasked to work with a U.S. Yet it does happen, usually based on unfamiliarity, lack of insight and possibly due to just as many overlapping similarities as there are differences. Corpsman is our identity,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Romualdo ‘Jay’ Humarang, Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command Bremerton Medical Service Directorate leading chief petty officer and independent duty corpsman. “It is frowned upon for a hospital corpsman to be referred to as a medic.

There have been a few iterations of hospital corpsmen over the years, such as surgeon’s mate, surgeon’s steward, loblolly boy, nurse, apothecary and bayman, hospital steward, hospital apprentice and pharmacist’s mate.Īpparently that accumulated 124 years of legacy, along with the years stretching back to the Revolutionary War and Civil War, have somehow become a forgotten fact in more than one national publication, including several specifically tailored to U.S. Nor have there been any since the inception of the Navy Hospital Corps, June 17, 1898. It’s because there are no medics in the U.S. Especially those who gave their all for another. Air Force aerospace medical service technician. There are no medics listed, which is not in any way to disparage or lessen the tremendous care, compassion and courage of any U.S. There’s 58 names affixed on Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Heroes Wall of Honor.Įveryone is a Navy hospital corpsman who lost their life after 9/11.