G.I. Joe Inside The Filecards Featuring ‘DOC’!
Story by Staff Writer Shaft
Today we look at G.I. Joe Doc. Doc is a “Medic” with a PMS of “Medical Doctor” and SMS of “Chaplain’s Assistant”. Technically a US Army medic is someone in the 68W Healthcare Specialist MOS, which is an enlisted MOS and not for officers. And the term “Doc” is usually referred to these 68W’s (and Hospital Corpsman’s in the US Navy). What also contradicts on Doc’s filecard is the “Chaplain’s Assistant” SMS. A chaplain’s assistant (a 56M Religious Affairs Specialist) is the enlisted soldier who accompanies a chaplain (who holds the rank of an officer) and is issued a rifle (whereas a chaplain goes weaponless). They are there to protect the chaplain. For being a pacifist Doc would seem more like a chaplain and not a chaplain’s assistant.
To make sense of his filecard it is possible that Doc first enlisted as a 56M, served 3-4 years then went on to college using the G.I.Bill to become a medical doctor. Once he was through with school he could have re-enlisted but this time as an officer (maybe going through officer candidate school or ROTC?) as a 62B Field Surgeon. Medical doctors in the military would not necessarily be on the front lines providing trauma and EMT type of services but rather be back at a forward operating base running a medical clinic or operating room.
Another possibility is he got his doctor’s degree then enlisted as a 56M and later went to OCS and became a 62B. However I would not think someone who went through 8 years of college (not sure if that includes residency or not) would go the enlisted route. He would have started as an E-4 Specialist when he enlisted but still it seems unrealistic for a full fledge doctor to go that route and also in an MOS that is not specific to all of his years of college training.
I like to think Doc runs a version of the US Army Special Operations Resuscitation Team within the Joe team. Would have to change his MOS to a 61N Flight Surgeon though. However it would explain why he went to Airborne School (basic static line parachuting). There are combat medics (68W’s) in this team as well so could fill out with Joes such as Lifeline, Stretcher, etc:
