United States Navy Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman - Mission

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.