Date: 2024-12-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00017780
Military
Respect for Medics
Did you ever witness any armed forces personnel either enlisted, warrant officer or company-grade officers straight up disrespect a flag/general officer to their face? What happened to the individual after they disrespected the flag/general officer?
Peter Burgess
Ron Wiltse Ron Wiltse, former BS Pharmacy, MBA, LCDR, USN, (Ret.) at Group Health Cooperative (1996-2008) Answered 20h ago
Yeah, me. I was assigned to a US Marine Headquarters and Service company for the 1st battalion, 23rd Regiment, 4th Marine Division as an Environmental Health Officer. On my first day, the Commanding General of the Fourth Marine Division was there inspecting the troops. It was right after Argentina invaded the Faulkland Islands and the General was giving a lecture on the battlefield and how Marines would have handled the invasion. That sounded pretty interesting, so I wandered into the classroom and sat down. I noticed that the General paused in his lecture and gave me a quizzical look. When his talk ended, everyone braced into attention and I thought: “Holy shit! I should not have just wandered in in the middle of his lecture!” I was shaking in my newly issued boots and about to piss in my newly issued camouflage pants when he paused beside me and seeing my gold Medical Service Corps Oak-leaf, said, “Well hello, Doc.” The sweat that was beading on my forehead dripped down my nose, and I squeeked out: “It’s my first day, sir.” He stuck out his hand and shook mine and said,”Welcome aboard, Doc.” A word of explanation Marines call anybody from Navy Medicine “Doc.” Medical personnel are notorious for not being very “military.” There is always such a pressing need for medical personnel that commonly, and in my case specifically, one is usually jerked right out of boot camp or Officer Indoctrination School, and sent to Hospital Corp School (for enlisted, or specialty training for officers -I was a pharmacist, but at that time, the Navy didn’t need pharmacists so I was trained to be an Environmental Heath Officer.) After training one would be sent to wherever the need was greatest. My entire training consisted of being issued an ID card and being told, “Go buy a uniform.” I asked, “What about saluting and all that stuff? “ I was told,”You’ll pick it up. Go ask a Chief, he’ll straighten you out.” That was OIS for me. Another anecdote: I was sent to Field Medical Service School at Camp Lejeune, NC where Medical personal were trained to be a grunt. We were told to view the pictures of all the Navy Medical personnel who had won the Medal of Honor. The Marine Drill Instructor asked,”How many of those guys were actually wearing the medal? Damn few. Dead hero corpsmen don’t save wounded Marines.” Later, when we were doing a miserable job of marching, some Marines were laughing at us, the DI said, “Ignore those assholes. They’re not combat Marines. Combat Marines will kiss the ground a Navy Doc walks on.” The combat Marines know the unofficial motto of Navy Med is: Through the Gates of Hell for a wounded Marine. That’s why we’re not expected or required to be very “military.” 4k views · View Upvoters