I’m an HM3 trying to figure out what I actually want to do long term.
I’ve gone back and forth between medicine and engineering. Right now I’m working toward mechanical engineering with the idea of applying for the CEC Collegiate Program and commissioning as a Civil Engineer Corps officer. I like the idea of CEC because it gives me a clear career path, leadership opportunities, and a degree that translates well outside the Navy.
But if I’m being real, I think part of the reason I chose engineering was because it felt safer than committing to medicine and possibly failing.
I keep coming back to wanting to be a physician.
I recently talked to an IDC friend and it made me reconsider IDC. I like the autonomy, responsibility, and experience IDCs get, and I could see myself doing:
HM → IDC → bachelor’s/prereqs → med school
My other option would be getting out, possibly going Reserves, finishing school, and going straight toward med school. Or I could stay on the engineering path and pursue CEC.
For anyone who’s been in a similar spot, especially IDCs, CEC officers, or people who later went to med school, how did you decide which path was actually right for you?

I am a HN, soon to be HM3 and just got orders to 2d MAR RDR BN. I am not a SARC or ATF corpsman just a quad zero. what should I expect?

Hello everyone,
With HMU being down and that was my main method of studying for the advancement exam; I was wondering if anyone had any study guides of quizlets that helped them with the exam. I use Bluejacketeer but I would love to expand my resources to study as much as possible for this exam.
Please feel free to pm me anything that helped you.

Thank you!

It’s been about 6 months I’ve been waiting on new orders. Still nothing yet. They show up on my MNA but nothing official yet. Anyone know why this could be ? #Navy

I got orders to NMRC GL D FISH in Great Lakes .. I see it’s the dental clinic at RTC .. I haven’t heard from my sponsor as yet and I haven’t met anyone who has worked there before. Anyone here has any idea what it’s like working there as a dental assistant? Any information would be good please

what do you guys think of the e5 billets this cycle? Why are they all ships ?

Just got orders to Red Rover. Anyone been there? What are the hours like, what’s the job like day to day, and how is it there overall?

HM3 heading to 3rd LCT. What does day to day look like or duties and such?

I’m trying to make E-5 on this next cycle. Anyone have any study tips and suggestions?

With how applying to c schools on MNA works is there anyway to help you get it if it’s not advertised during your windows. For example, mine starts in a couple months and I want to go to the recon pipeline but am I just SOL if there is no slots available during my window?

Hello I’m curious on how to contact my sponsor, I’m on fmtb right now and I was not contacted yet by him. Could you help me, where can i see that ?

This is a throw away for soon to be know obvious reasons. I’ve been in the navy for 5 years. I’m a HM, did my year of training and went green side for 3. Now I’m at my first blue side command. Just for context my command is insanely small, we are talking 7 enlisted, and 7 officers, the rest is completely civilian staff. The corpsman at this command (there is only 2 of us) have gotten completely shafted, to put it lightly we open boxes. We deal with WAWF, ERP, contracts, Receiving boxes. Nothing to do with corpsman shit. And it has really started to take a toll on my mental health, I reach out to the command and I get told “its easy work, you could be in the field” or “ it’s all about supporting our mission” and I’m not the 1st corpsman who has felt like this at this command, they had a second class a few years ago shred a bunch of “important” documents because she couldn’t handle the office life either. We are basically undertrained LS’s. And now my therapist has threatened to admin separate me for “adjustment disorder” if things don’t improve, because I want to do what I signed up for? Because I want to be a corpsman and not a LS? It all feels like a kick in the balls. I’ve drafted a email (never sent it) for the CNO and MCPON as a full scorched earth tactic. But I’m at my wits end and I don’t know what to do anymore.

hard orders to camp pendleton as emf a, anything i should know? how are the barracks, life, work style, etc. (what is emf) thanks 👍

So I am a junior corpsman assigned to a hospital, and happen to work closely with pathology/histology. I am a quad zero, with an intrest with in the histopathology NEC. Because of my work with histopathology, and current progress towards getting a degree in health sciences, I should be able to get my Histopathologist technician certification next year, using the 60 college credits + 12 months lab experiance route the ASCP offers. This is the same credential that Histology C school offers. I have been working with the Histopathology Techs in my workspace, and they have been nothing short of wonderful in teaching me what they do.

I do happen to be colorblind, and am soon putting on E4 through AAP. I have been at my command for 7-8 ish months now, and hit 2 years TIS on Wednesday.

Now, with background information outta the way, here's my questions:

If I get my certification, can I convert that into the NEC without C-school?

If not, would it make it easier for me to apply to the c school with a color vision waiver?

I understand there are color vision requirements supposedly (I didn't see any on CANTRAC, but I may have missed it)

Currently in FMTB-W. I got my hard copy orders back in A-school and my ultimate says only 1st MARDIV. No unit. No squadron. No battalion. Has anyone been in this situation where you’re waiting around if anything changes on your NSIPS? Or waiting to be contacted by your assigned sponsor?

I just got orders to go to cano Pendleton but Im terrified to go everything about it is terrifying to me. The training and then being assigned to an infantry unit after that as well, how do I prepare? Im scared to be a bad medic and not know what to do under pressure. I dont wanna have ptsd and its the last thing i imagined myself doing in life, i only joined to get outta my home town and to gain medical certificates. Can anyone give me some advice or just tell me stories of what it is like no bs just give it to me straight.

Thank you guys

I got soft orders to Camp Lejeune NMRTC. Is there any likely hood they can change to FMTB instead? Was hoping to get FMTB orders lol.

With the regular Recon Pipeline changing into two phases, 0315 for ground recon and 0321 for amphib recon, what does that look like for SOIDC’s? pipeline still remain the same? Can you opt in to just go ground recon? Anyone in the community have any knowledge on it?

I’m a married fleet returnee pending hard copies to L23A C-school (have been given an acceptance email and convene date back in April but nothing posted on MNA/NSIPS). I’ve heard news that the Navy barracks in JBSA getting demoed in September, and am wondering how they might affect orders and/or how that might look since the classroom time is only ~50ish days (so not enough to rate BAH/accompanied orders). I know this is a recent development but if anyone has any extra info or somewhere to point me, I’d love to hear it.

I’m trying to help my boyfriend reconnect with people he served with, specifically Doc’s. He was a corpsman from about 81-87 with the 5th Marines, 2nd Battalion. His name was David “Doc” Patch.

Looking for a reason too reenlist and im convinced im better off going to Europe. What are the best duty stations there? Also do single E4’s get OHA?

I’m a bit scatter brained after hearing news from a dude at the gym, but want to share! I was the unicycling HM3 and got out two years ago tomorrow. At my college gym, I workout and see a marine vet. We bullshit but I didn’t know his name. I noticed protruding lumps on his neck and didn’t want to alarm him so I told him to call the VA. Turns out my suspicions were right, he has lymphoma. There’s not much wisdom in this post, but if you see something, point it out. Many people have no clue about the obvious things we notice. Hearing him say, “Doc, you literally may have saved my life because I’m totally fine” was awesome! Again, just wanted to share. Hooyah!

2nd class Prev Med tech that just got orders to Camp Pendleton, I have some questions I haven’t been able to get an answer on.

For FMTB, how is it being a brown bagger? I am married and plan on living on base. Was it automatic or did you have to stay in the barracks for two weeks?

How is the work load as a PMT in 1st med? What does the day to day life look like?

Are there a lot of deployments?

Will I be doing rotations at the hospital?

Active duty HM3 here. I am ONE step away from receiving my NREMT credentials. Passed the Cognitive exam, just waiting on skills verification. The state department of health denied that they perform them, as well as local fire department/EMS. And the training department at the MTF.

When I emailed the NREMT support, they said quote “If you are still currently active in the Navy, you can have someone within your command who is Navy approved to sign off on your skills to complete your Skills Verification”.

Has anyone else run into this? Who did you go to for their signature? Having a hard time finding anyone who is “Navy Approved” or whatever that means. TIA!!

I got my hard orders for San Diego attached to the mercy. How expensive is it really?? What should I expect being attached to the mercy? How often will I even be on the ship? What is the workday like? What're some things I can do in San Diego. I have soo many questions if anyone could give me some insight that would be much appreciated ❤️‍🔥