Corpsmen Provide Medical Care to the Sailors Aboard USS Leyte Gulf

Courtesy Photo | Petty Officer 2nd Class Amber Harbison places seven stitches in Petty Officer 2nd Class Yu Zhang's finger on the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, March 2. Petty Officer Harbison is one of three members of the medical staff aboard Leyte Gulf.  

ABOARD USS LEYTE GULF, AT SEA

03.17.2009

Story by Joey Swafford 

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

USS LEYTE GULF, At Sea -- Some call them docs, others call them corpsmen, but their official title is hospital corpsmen and they are responsible for meeting the medical needs of the 364 Sailors aboard this guided-missile cruiser.

USS Leyte Gulf corpsmen see as many as 15 Sailors a day for everything from minor cuts and scrapes to prescription refills, and they provide self-sustaining medical training. The HMs are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to any medical emergency.

"We're here to maintain the health and wellness of the crew," said Chief Petty Officer Jason Davis, senior medical department representative. "It's one of the most important jobs. If you have sick Sailors, no mission gets completed."

There are three corpsmen aboard Leyte Gulf. They have 31 combined years of medical treatment experience, 12 underway deployments and each have a minimum of six months of medical education from the Navy.

"It's my job to care," says Petty Officer 2nd Class Angelo Vivio. "I want to make sure we give the patients the best treatment we can possibly give; whatever I can do to help them out."

The HMs can meet basic laboratory needs and perform minor surgical procedures, such as stitches or staples. When major injuries occur, like broken bones, they stabilize the patient until they can be transferred to an outside medical facility.

"As a corpsman you get personal satisfaction wherever you do your job," said Davis. "Whether it is on duty with the Marines, aboard a ship, shore duty, or in a joint environment. Our job is very satisfying."

Leyte Gulf is part of the Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group 2 out of Norfolk, Va., and is currently assigned to U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy.

• Date Taken: 03.17.2009
• Date Posted: 03.17.2009 06:28
• Story ID: 31237
• Location: ABOARD USS LEYTE GULF, AT SEA