Kirsten Aboard the Comfort #14: Corpsman Up!

On June 17 we celebrated the 111th birthday of the Corpsman. A Hospital Corpsman (HM) is a member of the U.S. Navy's Hospital Corps, and is frequently the only medical care-giver available in many fleet or Marine units on extended deployment. Hospital Corpsmen serve as enlisted medical specialists for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The Hospital Corpsman serves in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships as the primary medical caregivers for sailors while underway, or with Marine Corps units. The colloquial form of address for a Corpsman is "Doc." In the U.S. Marine Corps, this term is generally used as a sign of respect.


Be they assigned to hospital ships, reservist installations, recruiter offices, or Marine Corps combat units, the rating of Hospital Corpsman is the most decorated in the United States Navy with 22 Medals of Honor, 174 Navy Crosses, 31 Distinguished Service Medals, 946 Silver Stars, and 1,582 Bronze Stars. There have been 20 naval ships that have been named after hospital corpsmen. Assignment to US Navy facilities and ships is referred to as going "Blueside" and serving with Marines is considered going "Greenside."


Hospital Corpsman Pledge
"I solemnly pledge myself before God and these witnesses to practice faithfully all of my duties as a member of the Hospital Corps. I hold the care of the sick and injured to be a privilege and a sacred trust and will assist the Medical Officer with loyalty and honesty. I will not knowingly permit harm to come to any patient. I will not partake of nor administer any unauthorized medication. I will hold all personal matters pertaining to the private lives of patients in strict confidence. I dedicate my heart, mind and strength to the work before me. I shall do all within my power to show in myself an example of all that is honorable and good throughout my naval career."

Although there are many good natured put downs between the Navy andMarines serving side by side, Marines take special care of their corpsman. The individual Marine knows that "Doc" will respond, no matter how deadly the situation, when the call "Corpsman Up!" sounds.

"Corpsman Up" is the call you would here in battle when a Marine was injured.

This is a picture of the Hospital Corpsmen that worked with me on 2AFT this last rotation. There are also included a few that worked on the ward from the US Army and the Canadian Army.

My Dad, Marvin J Laseke, was also a Corpsman.

This is my Dad's Honorable Discharge Certificate from the US Navy.

I did not know, until I was here on the USNS Comfort and working with Navy Corpsmen, that my dad was a corpsman. I always knew he did something in the medical field but I never knew exactly what it was. While doing a little research on the history of the Corpsmen I came across his rank. His official rank was a Pharmacist Mate Third Class, which is listed as a Corpsman. He served in the Pacific during WWII.

I am so proud to know my dad was one of these fine men and women. It is such an honor for me to work with them here, they are very knowledgeable, experienced and always willing to help. All I have to do is ask and they are there when I need them. They alert me to an abnormal vital sign, a patient with pain, if they ambulated, if they are nauseated, or anything they notice from their vast experience that helps me care for my patient. We definitely work as a team, but I have to say honestly that I wouldn't be as effective without them. In fact, they know a lot more than I do and their assessment skills are incredible.

To the Corpsman I worked with, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your dedication, hard work, help and support. You made my job on the USNS Comfort so much more enjoyable. I sincerely hope that I will have the privilege of working with you again.