I'm a Corpsman Not a...

Posted on Sat Nov 26th, 2022 @ 2:13pm by Colonel Matt Lane (Brennan) & Petty Officer First Class Hannah Matsson (Hayes)
Edited on on Thu Oct 30th, 2025 @ 3:15pm

Mission: Jumping Right In
Location: Various place in McMurdo Station
1679 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Samuel rushed into the station from the jeep that dropped him off from the airfield, shivering as he bolted inside. As he warmed up and took a moment to get his bearings "I swear to god if is this someone's Idea of a joke it's not funny." he said in a southern drawl before catching sight of a young Female airman. "Well, at least some of the scenery is pleasant, hey airmen can direct me to the office of whoever is in charge around here." he asked his thick southern drawl compounded by his shivering.

"Of course, Petty Officer," The airman began, gesturing toward some random turnoff in a corridor down the way, giving a litany of instructions. She stopped herself and laughed. "Actually, just follow the red line to the administrative area. A member of base leadership will see you."

"Thanks." He replied with a Smile before following the red line for what seemed the better part of 2 miles before a yeoman stopped him

"ID?" The yeoman on the administration desk demanded, holding her hand out for the card.

He reached into the back right pocket of his Navy BDUs and pulled out an old leather wallet and pulled out his Worn Miliarty idea, which was in a slot right behind, his medic and RN licenses both he which were current. He gave the ID to the yeoman.

The yeoman scanned the Petty Officer's ID, when the computer system checked his credentials and confirmed his biometrics, the woman seemed to become a little softer in her demeanor. "Good to see another sailor around, Corpsman, not too many of us on the base just yet."

"True I'm still trying to figure out what this base actually does," he said in typical southern drawl

"Colonel Lane is waiting to see you in his office," The yeoman began, "He's currently with a couple of our medical staff waiting for you. I'll take you through."

"Thanks, good now I'm not the only sawbones around here," he replied as followed the yeoman

A few doors scanned in-and-out of and the administrative specialist, a Petty Officer herself, led Renfroe into a spartan, windowless office. On top of a metal filing cabinet was a few pictures of kids in baseball and soccer uniforms, a wedding photo clearly two decades old, and a few pistol shooting trophies. Behind the desk sat a broad-shouldered Marine Colonel, across from him a couple of women, one an Army doctor, the other a Corpsman, all clad in the black BDUs that were customary for those assigned to the base.

The Colonel stood, "Doctor, Corpsman, here he is now, your new recruit, Corpsman Samuel Renfroe. He's just been assigned to our infirmary."

Samuel snapped to attention, looking at Colonel, and lieutenant. Felling somewhat out of place as he is still in Marine Desert BDUs

"At ease," Matt said, raising his hand slightly to indicate to the man to relax. "Corpsman, can I introduce Doctor Vanessa Gallo and Corpsman Matsson."

"Pleasure, Corpsman," Gallo replied, standing to shake the man's hand.

As Samuel relaxed and replied "Same to you Corpsman."

Hannah smiled as she stood to greet the new arrival. “Relax Corpsman, we’re pretty relaxed here in the infirmary. Feel free to call me Hannah.”

"Thanks, Hannah, most of the units I've been with call me bones." he replied with a smile

“Bones? That’s pretty unique” Hannah grinned. “Bones it’ll be then.”

"How did you catch the nickname, Corpsman?" Vanessa asked 'Bones'.

" Combination of saying my father used and I picked up I'm just an old sawbones, and my similarity to Star treks doctor Lenoard McCoy who was referred to as bones constantly."

"Never watched it, but I'm picking up what you're putting down," Vanessa with her Brooklyn cadence. "So, what brought you to the base, Corpsman, most of us have a story. I'm sure you're no different."

"Not sure I was working with marine raiders in Iraq when I suddenly recalled to the carrier, interrogated by a chair force major, put a plane to Ramsine, then here.

“You’d think they buy you a drink first, huh?” Vanessa laughed. “Where we’re you in the sandbox?”

"It would have been nice to have a drink first, about 20 klicks south of Fallujah

“I guess you haven’t really had chance to settle anywhere?” Hannah offered a smile. “Maybe you’ll get a chance to settle here, maybe we all will.”

"We shall see, the life of SOCOM Corpsman I guess. So how's the PX here running a little low on Copenhagen I tend to get very cranky without it." Bones replied

Gallo shot the Corpsman a look of bewilderment, "Come again?"

"Ya'll have something that passes for PX around here right, I get very testy without my Copenhagen, cracked a gunny jaw once over some snide comment once because the supply truck got hit and I and other devil dogs that used it were plumb out for 2 weeks, it was not pretty sight till a next supply truck came in, or was that not in my super secret squirrel file." Bones replied with a look of annoyance, and worry on his face.

"You'll have to check with the base exchange, Corpsman, I can't say I can advise you on the chew," Colonel Lane smiled, "Wife made me give it up."

"I'll do that sir, I tied several times to quit, it didn't stick, maybe why I'm still single, plus I always figured it is cheaper to get a new jaw or face, than a new lung, but I don't pity the plastic surgeon that has to patch my face up, it's impossible to improve on perfection." Bones said with a grin

Matt returned a grin, which transitioned into a chuckle. Suddenly, his attention was grabbed by both hands when the notification tone on a base-issued phone sounded, followed by another. He knew the sound to be that of a medical emergency. The medical staff's hands flew to their devices.

"Alright, team, time for action. We've got a male, 29, industrial accident. Being brought to the infirmary now." Gallo sprung to her feet and looked to Renfroe, "Corpsman, can Matsson and I tempt you with a come-and-try day in the infirmary?"

"Sure be nice to do without bullets, and the like flying all around me." He replied as followed the rest of the medical team.

“I can certainly see us being kept on our toes around here.” Hannah smiled.

"Well, we're on our toes in t-minus thirty seconds, folks," Hannah said, moving towards the exit. She shot the Colonel a casual salute and headed for the door, "You're with me, Corpsmans!"

The Colonel shot the two sailors a smirk, "Good luck, eh, Docs!"

Tag all

|Base Infirmary, Emergency Ward
|Subsequently

The coveralls of the airman were sodden, red tinged and ripped. The Corporal, screaming in agony, was hauled onto the ER bed by a buff old Tech Sergeant, who seemed unphased by the critical situation or the bloody, writing mess he'd delivered onto the table. The Tech Sergeant folded his arms and stood out of the way, looking to the medical staff as he described the situation. "Kid was using a power saw, he got bumped by some asshole rushing through the work zone and slipped, the saw got his arm."

"Okay, let's get this sleeve out of the way and see what we're working with here," Gallo said.

"Samuel,had pulled off BDU jacket and tossed it on a rack as entered the med bay, pulled his Raptor trauma sheers unfolded them, and quickly removed the sleeve, as he returned the sheers to their holster on his belt as if was second nature, He saw a small amount blood sporting from the airman's forearm. "Looks, it nicked the artery, Hannah you want to put a tourniquet on that? " Samuel looked and ripped overalls and the mangled arm "I estimated he lost about a liter to liter and half of blood," Bones said

Hannah was miles ahead, she was already preparing to stem the blood flow from the wound. “Forgive me Corporal, this is going to feel painful.” She was gentle but firm as she applied the tourniquet and tightened it. “Tourniquet on.”

"Copy Tourniquet on 1830." He said as took a glance at the infirmary ward clock, "Bleeding, stopped, Lets get 2 large bor lines in getting on the monitor, prep 2 mg of morphine for the pain, we 1 hour to get that artery repaired and the Tourniquet off or he'll lose that arm." Bones said and he began placing the cardiac leads, bp cuff, and pulse oximeter on the Corporal.

"Prepping the morphine, Hannah, let's get the lines in," Gallo copied. She went to the sharps station and prepared the morphine for the Corporal. Gallo was impressed by how their new guy took charge. Between him and Hannah it seemed like the medical team was coming together. "2 mg morphine ready to go."

Bones got the monitor attached and set it to take vitals every 10 minutes, and carefully started the IVs in the unaffected arm, "ok 18 in the Right AC, 20ga right dorsal hand Heart rate 121, sinus tach, bp 172/ 98 resp 26 spo2 96%. let's get the morphine in, and the plasma running we got 45 minutes till he loses the arm." Bones said, in a calm manner but with a clear sense of urgency.

Hannah nodded. “Morphine and Plasma coming right up.” It didn’t take her long to get what was needed. “Morphine Doctor..” she hung up the plasma ready for infusion.

"Morphine in," Gallo said, injecting the drug into the airman's good arm. "How we doing?”

"Vitals as stabling, the upper end of the normal range, good we gona with time we git let get him into surgery and see we can save the arm in 20 minutes or less."

"Alright lets do this," Vanessa said. "Let's prep for surgery. Matsson, let's get the surgery team in here. You two want to stay on for this?"

Hannah nodded. “You bet I do.”

"We got him this far might as well see it through." Bones replied