Special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman

Special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman
Issued by	United States Navy
Type	Enlisted classification
Abbreviation	SARC
Specialty	USSOF Medical

A special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman (SARC) is a United States Navy hospital corpsman who provides the Marine Special Operations reconnaissance teams and other USSOCOM units advanced trauma management associated with combatant diving and parachute entry. Traditionally, they are attached to the Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance companies to help support the Command Element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force in special reconnaissance missions. Lately however, due to a growing need for combat medics in the special operations community, SARCs are beginning to be utilized in almost all USSOCOM assets.

Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman

SARCs are trained and specialized in the same aspects of their Recon Marine and special operator counterparts: amphibious entry, deep recon and direct action. They are also capable of conducting detailed underwater ship-bottom searches. During operational status, the teams will then be dispersed evenly throughout the Marine recon platoons; usually one amphibious recon corpsman per platoon. SARCs have regularly acted as a point man, sharp shooter, radio operator, or even the team leader in the Marine recon teams/platoons. More recently, SARCs are being deployed with Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), Naval Special Warfare and Army Special Forces units due to their highly advanced skills in combat trauma care and diving medicine.

Mission

The environments that Recon Marines and Recon Corpsmen face during a mission are usually hazardous. The Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsmen use their paramedic skills to provide advanced medical support and other emergency medical procedures related to the hazards of swimming, open and closed circuit SCUBA diving, and military freefall during amphibious reconnaissance operations. They also instruct and advise the recon Marines in prevention and treatment of illnesses, whether in combat or training.

The SARC has the duty of hyperbaric chamber operator: skilled in the operation of recompression chambers for hyperbaric treatment. They are also required to know laws and physics of diving, fundamentals of proper gas mixtures, theory and practice of decompression and the use of decompression tables.

• Performs routine sick call, diagnostic patient care as well as associated operational, administrative, and logistical duties.
• Performs basic anesthesia, minor surgical, basic clinical laboratory, basic radiology, and other routine and emergency health care procedures as required.
• Performs advanced trauma procedures in a hostile or combat environment often independently behind enemy lines.
• Instructs and advises junior medical and operational personnel in prevention and treatment of illness and injuries.
• Recognizes all types of illnesses associated with diving to include oxygen toxicity and hypercapnia, nitrogen narcosis, type I and II decompression sickness and air/gas embolism.

Screening and training

As of 2015, a male hospital corpsman serving in the paygrades of E-1(Hospitalman Recruit) to E-6(Hospital Corpsman First Class) serving in any capacity may apply for candidacy. It is not required to be currently serving with a Fleet Marine unit to apply. Sailors currently attending Hospital Corpsman "A" School may enter the pipeline immediately without first serving time in the fleet by enrolling in the Special Operations Corpsman Program (SOCP), currently held at HM "A" School. This course is designed to prepare sailors for the lifestyle and training required of candidates applying for SARC, Dive Medical Technician (DMT), and Search-and-Rescue (SAR) programs. Marine Recon and the associated training pipeline is currently restricted to male applicants only as of 2015. Candidates must have a current ASVAB general technical score of 100 or higher. They also must have passed their last three physical fitness assessments and be able to achieve a first class swim qualification. A commanding officer endorsement is also required, no non-judicial punishments for 12 months and no courts-martial for 24 months. The extensive training requires a commitment to serve as a recon corpsman for a minimum of three years.

See also

• Hospital corpsman
• U.S. Marine Corps Reconnaissance
  • Division Recon
  • Force Recon

References

External links

• Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman - NETC