There is a current call out to standardize all the treatment facilities in the hospital corp. For example, this is being implemented at the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and even Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC).
Origins of the Joint Service Medical Centers
The Bethesda Naval Hospital which was a flagship naval medicine facility had plans to convert to a joint service medical center. However, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, in 2005 the base realignment and closure legislation mandated that the Army, Navy, and Air Force must co-locate ALL enlisted medical education and training programs to certain locations. Namely, this was fort Sam Houston San Antonio, Texas.
The organizational goal placed on medical training and how it changed the Hospital Corps
The goal it seemed was to integrate this three-way service into a single entity.
Since 1902, the Navy has operated unique hospital core schools to develop new enlisted recruits with unique specialties and care for the sick and wounded. Today’s hospital core schools have become a bit broader. They focus on producing a well-rounded corpsman and sailor prepared to operate in all types of environments.
There have been several training schools for Hospital Corps which includes Hospital Corps training schools in
- Bainbridge, MD (1943-1945)
- Farragut, ID (1943-1945)
- Great Lakes, IL (1913-1921; 1942-2011)
- Newport, RI (1917-1921)
- Portsmouth, VA (1902-1906; 1921-2011)
- San Diego, CA (1928-1932; 1935-2011)
- San Francisco, CA (1917-1921)
The Hospital Corpsman, a jack of all trades
Has the military becomes smaller and more specialized, the hospital must become what they would call a jack-of-all-trades. The requirement has asked them to be able to meet any criteria or requirement revolving around the support of their fellow comrades.
They must set the standard for enlisted medical care.
