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Ordnance Disposal School Marks 115 Years of Hospital Corpsman History
Story Number: NNS130625-05
6/25/2013

By Lt. j.g. Elizabeth Allen, Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Public Affairs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (NNS) -- Staff assigned to the Medical Department at the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD) celebrated the 115th birthday of the Hospital Corpsman rate June 17.

"We wanted to recognize the birthday of the corpsman rate to remember those who served before us and gave us the opportunities we have today to help others," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Kelvin Murphy, a corpsman assigned to the Medical Department at the EOD School.

U.S. Navy corpsmen, who have served as part of the Navy Hospital Corps since then-President William McKinley signed it into law June 17, 1898, are often the first military medical personnel Sailors interact with at boot camp.

All hospital corpsmen are trained in basic medical knowledge and serve around the globe, in hospitals and clinics, aboard ships and submarines, independently at commands and alongside operational forces of the U.S. Marine Corps, providing medical assistance in the battlefield for those wounded in combat.

At NAVSCOLEOD, high-risk training occurs on a daily basis and the medical staff is always within close proximity of that training; providing a quick response capability in the event of an emergency.

"When high-risk training takes place at NAVSCOLEOD, medical personnel have to be onsite," said Lt. Michael Stratton, undersea medical officer, who serves as the medical division head at NAVSCOLEOD. "We go to where the high-risk activities are being performed, such as the Demolition Division and Underwater Division every day."

The EOD School's medical department also provides sick call and basic medical facilities, which helps students and staff spend less time away from their studies and instruction.

"We see a fair amount of threats here from environmental factors, such as bug bites, sunburns, injuries caused in part by the heat and cuts," said Stratton. "The staff here provides basic access to medical care that keeps staff and students in training longer."

NAVSCOLEOD, located on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. provides high-risk, specialized, basic and advanced EOD training to U.S., partner nation military and select U.S. government personnel.

For more information about the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ceneoddive/eods/.

For information about the Naval Education and Training Command, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil or www.navy.mil/local/cnet/.