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"DOC"
BY: MARK ANTHONY ROSOLOWSKI

Doc is a name given to the United States Navy Hospital Corpsman, by the United States Marines that they proudly serve with. The highest honor that can be given to a Corpsman by his Marines is the name "DOC"

A little of the history of the Navy Hospital Corpsman would not be complete without mentioning the name John Bradley, who was one of the men to raise the flag on Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima, probably one of the most famous of all Corpsman. Navy Corpsmen, have served aboard ships, with the Marines and with SEAL Teams, often without a physician in attendance. Their countless instances of heroism, of willingly exposing themselves to danger to save a life, are not impressive because they were required to act. Their displays of courage have been significant because these men and women cared about their shipmates. Also I would be remiss if I also did not mention that more Navy Hospital Corpsman have been awarded the Medal of Honor then any other group of men and women in the Armed Services. It should also be mentioned that those medal were given posthumously.

When I first went to join an Armed Service, I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, I did not know what I wanted to do, but it had to be medical. My first stop was the Air Force; I went in and saw the recruiter. First he gave me the normal come on and the rehearsed speech then asked what I wanted to do in the service. I told him I wanted to be in the medical field, he got on his computer, pulled up my ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) after looking at the scores he told me sorry I could not go into what I wanted my scores were too high and I would not be allowed to enter the medical field. I told him thank you and I left his office.

My next stop was the Army; they shook my hand, got me a diet coke, and after their commercial, asked me what I wanted. I told them I wanted medical, they looked at me and said that they could guarantee me the medical training and could guarantee me the duty station I wanted. Well that sounded good, so I asked a few more questions, the final result was I would get the medical training I wanted but I also had to go to a school of their choice and I could be assigned to either job and if my choice of fist assignment wasn’t available or they needed me else where I would go where they wanted me to go. I placed my soda on the desk, said thank you and went down the hall.

I looked at the Marine Corps door and said to myself, "No way am I going to be a Marine" and went on to the Navy. I walked in and looked at the recruiter, my first words were, "Do not give me your commercial, do not tell me how great it is, I want to be in the medical field." He looked at me and said, "Have a seat", he too looked on the computer at my ASVAB scores, told me, "You got it", he added "Hospital Corps School guaranteed", I asked if there was any other training the Navy would make me take to fill jobs they wanted, I was told no, I will be a Corpsman as long as I pass the course. Thus my Navy career started and I did avoid the Marines.

I went through Boot Camp and then through Hospital Corps School. While in Hospital Corps School, we were offered more training in the field. We were told the more undermanned the field is the better our chances will be of getting the school. Looking at the list was this interesting group of letters FMF and next to it was 75% undermanned, so I wrote FMF on the form, not knowing what it was bit it would be as a Corpsman, whatever the additional training would be.

Thus began my career with the Marines, FMF stood for Fleet Marine Force, from then on I did learn to ask what initials stood for before asking for a school.

The high point of my Marine duty was after assisting a Marine, he said, thank you and then added “DOC”. I have friends that are Marines, either presently or in the past and they still call me “DOC”, a name I hold in reverence, I am respected by a group of men and women that I hold in high regard for all they do for our country, the United States Marines.

So this Memorial Day, make sure you get to a cemetery and place a flag on the grave of a Veteran, remember him or her for the sacrifice they made for our country.