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This training course is designed to help you meet the occupational (technical) qualifications for advancement to Hospital Corpsman First Class and Chief Hospital Corpsman. Chapters 2 through 15 of this training manual deal with the technical subject matter of the hospital corpsman rating. The present chapter provides introductory information that will help you in working for advancement. It is important that you study this chapter carefully before starting your study on the remainder of this training course.
Advancement in rating brings both increased rewards and responsibilities. The time to start looking ahead and considering the rewards and responsibilities is now, while you are studying this course and preparing for advancement.
By this time you are probably well aware of the many advantages of advancement-higher pay, greater prestige, more interesting and challenging work, and the satisfaction of getting ahead in your chosen profession. You have probably also discovered that one of the most enduring rewards is the personal satisfaction you find in developing your skills and increasing your knowledge.
The Navy also benefits by your advancement. Highly trained personnel are essential to the functioning of the Navy. Each advancement in rating increases your value to the Navy in two ways. First, you become more valuable as a technical specialist in your own rating; second, you become more valuable as a person who can supervise, lead, and train others. This increased value enables you to make far-reaching and long- lasting contributions to the Navy.
In large measure, the extent of your contribution to the Navy depends on your willingness and ability to accept increasing responsibilities as you advance. When you assumed the duties of an HM3, you began to accept responsibility for the work of others. With each advancement you accept increasing responsibility in military matters as well as in matters relating to the occupational requirements of your rating.
You will find that your responsibilities for military leadership are about the same as those of petty officers in other ratings, since every petty officer is a military person as well as a technical specialist. Your responsibilities for technical leadership are special to your rating and are directly related to the nature of your work. Tending the sick and wounded is an important job, and it's a teamwork job; it requires a special kind of leadership ability that can be developed only by technically competent personnel who have a deep sense of personal responsibility.
The practical details relating to your responsibilities for medical department administration, supervision, and training are discussed in the remaining chapters of this training course. At this point, let's consider some of the broader aspects of your increasing responsibilities for military and technical leadership.
Your responsibilities will extend both upward and downward. Both officer and enlisted personnel will expect you to translate the general orders given by superiors into detailed, practical on-the- job language that can be understood and followed by relatively inexperienced persons. When you deal with your juniors, it is up to you to see that they do their work properly. At the same time, you must be able to explain to officers any important needs or problems of enlisted personnel.
You will have regular and continuing responsibilities for training. Even if you are lucky enough to have highly skilled and well trained hospital corpsmen working for you, you will still find that training is necessary. For example, you will always be responsible for training lower rated personnel for advancement in rating. Also, some of your best workers may be transferred, inexperienced or poorly trained personnel may be assigned to you, or a particular job may call for skills that none of your personnel have. These and similar problems require that you be a training specialist who can conduct training programs and train individuals and groups in executing their tasks.
You will have increasing responsibilities for working with others. As you advance to HMI and then to HMC, you will find that many of your plans and decisions affect a large number of people, including some who are not members of the Medical Department. It is therefore important that you understand the duties and responsibilities of personnel in other ratings, especially those with whom you have interdepartmental dealings. Every petty officer in the Navy is a technical specialist in his or her own field. Learn as much as you can about the work of others so that it will fit in with the overall mission of the organization.
As your responsibilities increase, your ability to communicate clearly and effectively must also increase. The basic requirement for effective communication is a knowledge of your own language. Use correct language in speaking or writing. Remember that the basic purpose of all communication is understanding. To lead, supervise, and train others, you must be able to communicate in such a way that others can understand exactly what you mean.
A second requirement for effective communication in the Navy is a knowledge of the Navy way of saying things. Some Navy terms have been standardized to ensure communication. When a situation calls for the use of standard Navy terminology, use it.
Another requirement of effective communication is precision in the use of technical terms. A command of the technical language peculiar to the Medical Department allows you to receive and convey information accurately and to exchange ideas with others. Persons who do not understand the meaning of terms used in connection with the work of their own rating are at a disadvantage when they try to read official publications. They are also at a great disadvantage when they take the written examination for advancement. Although it is always important for you to use technical terms correctly, it is especially important when you are dealing with lower rated personnel; sloppiness in the use of technical terms is likely to be very confusing to them.
You will have increased responsibilities for keeping up with new developments. Practically everything in the Navy-policies, procedures, systems-is subject to change and development. You must keep yourself informed of all changes and new developments that might affect your rating or your work.
Some changes will be called directly to your attention, others you will have to look for. Try to develop a special alertness for new information. Keep up to date on all available sources of technical information. Publications of continuing interest to supervisors in the Medical Department are U.S. Navy Medicine and all notices and instructions, especially those from NAVMEDCOM.
In general, to qualify for advancement, you must:
Have a certain amount of time in pay grade
Complete the required military and occupational training courses.
Demonstrate the ability to perform all the practical requirements for advancement by completing the Personnel Advancement Requirement (PAR), NAVPERS 1414/4.
Be recommended by your commanding officer.
Demonstrate your knowledge by passing a written examination based on:
The military requirements for advancement
The occupational qualifications for advancement in the hospital corpsman rating
Advancement in rating is not automatic. Meeting all requirements makes you eligible but does not guarantee your advancement. The factors that determine which persons, out of all those who take the examinations, will actually be advanced are the scores made on the written examination, the length of time in service, the performance marks of the individual, and the quotas set for the rating.
Remember that the requirements for advancement may change from time to time. Check with your division officer or training officer to be sure you meet the most recent requirements when you are preparing for advancement or helping others to prepare for it.
To prepare for advancement, you need to be familiar with:
The occupational standards for the hospital corpsman rating found in the Manual of Navy Enlisted Manpower and Personnel Classifications and Occupational Standards, NAVPERS 18068 series
The Personnel Advancement Requirement (PAR), NAVPERS 1414/4
Appropriate Navy training courses
Any other material that may be required or recommended in the current edition of Bibliography for Advancement Study, NAV- EDTRA 10052.
These materials are discussed later in this chapter under "Sources of Information."
The primary mission of the hospital corpsman is to minister to the sick and wounded. Hospital corpsmen work in a fantastic variety of jobs associated with the care of the sick and wounded. Their versatility ranges from general service hospital corpsmen duties to highly trained and specialized technicians working in the laboratory and radiography departments and research laboratories.
The most challenging assignment for an individual who has graduated from Advanced Hospital Corps School is independent duty-duty aboard ship or a submarine or at a remote station, independent of a medical officer-where knowledge tempered with maturity and good judgment is of extreme value.
Hospital corpsmen are assigned to ships and stations throughout the world, including Marine Corps units, ashore and afloat. Whatever their technical specialties, whatever their billets, their function is always related to the care of the sick and wounded.
Before studying any book, it is a good idea to know the purpose and the scope of the book. Here are some of the things you should know about this training course.
It is designed to give you information on the occupational (technical) qualifications for advancement to HM1 and HMC.
The occupational (technical) qualifications that were used as a guide in the preparation of this training course were taken from the Manual of Navy Enlisted Manpower and Personnel Classifications and Occupational Standards, NAVPERS 18068 series. Any later changes in the hospital corpsman qualifications may not be incorporated in this training course. It is therefore important for you to obtain and study a set of the most recent hospital corpsman qualifications.
This training course includes information that is related to both the knowledge factors and the practical factors of the qualifications for advancement. But no training course can take the place of actual on-the-job experience for developing skills. The training course can help you understand some of the hows and whys, but you must combine knowledge with experience before you can develop the required skills. The Personnel Advancement Requirement (PAR), NAVPERS 1414/4, should be used along with this training course whenever possible.
The following chapters of this course deal with the technical subject matter of the hospital corpsman rating. Before studying these chapters, study the table of contents and note the arrangement of information. You will find it helpful to get an overall view of the organization of this training course before you start to study it.
It is very important for you to have an extensive knowledge of the references to consult for detailed, authoritative, up-to-date information on all subjects related to the military standards and to the occupational qualifications of the hospital corpsman rating.
Some of the publications discussed here may change from time to time, others as the need arises. When you use a publication that is subject to change or revision, be sure you have the latest edition. When using any publication that is kept current by means of changes, be sure you have a copy in which all changes have been entered.
The NMPC publications described here include some that are essential for anyone seeking advancement and some that are extremely helpful even though not essential.
Occupational Standards
The Manual of Navy Enlisted Manpower and Personnel Classifications and Occupational Standards, NAVPERS 18068 series, gives the minimum occupational (technical) standards for advancement in rate from PO3 to MCPO. Keep in mind that these are the minimum standards required for advancement to each rate within each rating. You are responsible for meeting all of the standards specified for advancement to the rate level you are seeking and all standards specified for all lower rate levels. Remember also that changes to the occupational standards are issued more frequently than rate training courses can be revised. So you must always check the latest requirements for advancement in rating.
Personnel Advancement Requirement (PAR)
The Personnel Advancement Requirement (PAR), NAVPERS 1414/4, is used to individualize advancement requirements for each rating and to provide a consolidated checklist for individuals preparing for advancement and for commands in evaluating advancement readiness.
PAR is presented in three sections:
Section I lists the administrative requirements.
Section II lists the formal school and other training requirements (if any) and recommended training for improved performance in rating.
Section III lists occupational and military ability requirements. This section is based on the current occupational standards as published in Section I, Manual of Navy Enlisted Manpower and Personnel Qualifications and Occupational Standards, NAVPERS 18068 series. It contains broad statements based on approved military and occupational standards of what a person must be able to do at the next higher pay grade, whereas the Bibliography Sheet provides a verbatim listing of these standards applicable to an examination.
As changes are made to the occupational standards, new forms of NAVPERS 1414/4 are issued as necessary. If a person shows proficiency in some skill not listed as a minimum qualification but falls within the general scope of the rating, ensure that an entry is made in the space provided for that purpose.
PAR is kept in the service record and should be forwarded with the service record to the next duty station. Each person should keep a copy for his or her own use.
Bibliography for Advancement Study
Bibliography for Advancement Study, NAVEDTRA 10052, is an important publication for any enlisted person preparing for advancement. It lists required and recommended rate training manuals and other materials to be studied by personnel working for advancement.
NAVEDTRA 10052 is revised and issued each year by the Chief of Naval Education and Training. Each revised edition is identified by a letter following the NAVEDTRA number. Be sure you have the most recent edition.
If extensive changes in qualifications occur in a rating between the annual revisions of NAVED- TRA 10052, a supplementary list of study materials may be issued in the form of a directive. When you are preparing for advancement, check to see if changes have been made in the qualifications for your rating. If changes have been made, see if a directive has been issued to supplement NAVEDTRA 10052.
The required and recommended references are listed by pay grade in NAVEDTRA 10052. If you are working for advancement to HMI, study the materials listed for the HM I level and all levels below it. If you are working for advancement to HMC, study the materials listed for the HMC level and all lower rate levels.
It should be noted that publications listed for a given pay grade frequently make specific reference to other publications. These referrals are part of the total bibliography, and examinations are based on this total bibliography.
In using NAVEDTRA 10052, you will notice that some rate training manuals are marked with an asterisk (*). Any manual marked in this way is mandatory; that is, it must be completed at the indicated rate level before you are eligible to take the service wide examination for advancement.
Each mandatory rate training manual may be completed by:
Passing the nonresident career course (NRCC) based on the manual
Passing locally prepared tests based on the information given in the rate training manual
In some cases, satisfactory completion of an appropriate Navy school
It is important to note that all references, mandatory or recommended, listed in NAV- EDTRA 10052 may be used as source material by the writers of the examinations for advancement in rating.
Navy Training Courses
Navy training courses are written for the specific purpose of helping personnel prepare for advancement. Some courses are general in nature and are intended for use by more than one rating; others (such as this one) apply to the particular rating.
Navy training courses are revised from time to time to bring them up to date. The revision is identified by a letter following the NAVEDTRA number. You can tell whether a Navy training course is the latest edition by checking the NAVEDTRA number in the most recent edition of the List of Training Manuals and Correspondence Courses, NAVEDTRA 10061.
There are Navy training courses that are prepared only to present information on the military standards for advancement to HM 1 or HMC. These courses are as follows:
Basic Military Requirements, NAVEDTRA 10054
Military Requirements for Petty Officer Third Class, NAVEDTRA 10044
Military Requirements for Petty Officer Second Class, NAVEDTRA 10045
Military Requirements for Petty Officer First Class, NAVEDTRA 10046
Military Requirements for Chief Petty Officer, NAVEDTRA 10047
Each of the military requirement courses is mandatory at the indicated rate levels. In addition to giving information on the military standards, these five books give in formation on the enlisted rating structure; how to supervise, train, and lead other men; and how to meet your increasing responsibilities as you advance in rating.
Other NMPC Publications
Additional NMPC publications that you may find useful in connection with your responsibilities for leadership, supervision, and training include:
Manual for Navy Instructors, NAVEDTRA 16103
Navy Training Bulletin, NAVEDTRA 14900
Quarterly Training Information Procedures (TIPS)
Manual of Advancement, BUPERSINST 1430.16B
Naval Military Personnel Manual, NAV- PERS 15560
Correspondence Manual, SECNAVINST 5216.5C
Department of the Navy Information Security Program Regulation, OPNAVINST 5510.1 series, and
Naval Telecommunications Procedures/ Telecommunications Users Manual, NTP3
Training Films
Training films available to Navy personnel are a valuable source of supplementary information on many technical subjects. Films and videotapes that may be of interest are listed in the Department of the Navy Catalog of Audiovisual Production Products, OPNAVINST 3157.1, and the Naval School of Health Sciences Medical Film Catalog, 1974 (reprinted in 1981 with 1982 addendum).
Naval Education and Training Command: Hospital Corpsman 1 & C: August 1986
Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited.
The listing of any non-Federal product in this CD is not an endorsement of the product itself, but simply an acknowledgement of the source.
Operational Medicine 2001
Health Care in Military Settings
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
Department of the Navy
2300 E Street NW
Washington, D.C
20372-5300Operational Medicine
Health Care in Military Settings
CAPT Michael John Hughey, MC, USNR
NAVMED P-5139
January 1, 2001United States Special Operations Command
7701 Tampa Point Blvd.
MacDill AFB, Florida
33621-5323*This web version is provided by The Brookside Associates Medical Education Division. It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMED P-5139, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense.
