By Lindsay Schreiber
Naval Hospital Beaufort
Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Beaufort will be home to many Navy Reservists participating in their Active Duty Drill time this summer. Their time at this command can range from 14 to 29 days at the Navy Medicine and Training Unit aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
During the summer months, NMRTC requests support of Navy Reservists to assist in the high volume of recruits that come through Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island. The reservists will support the Recruit Medical Readiness department.
Many of these reservists have been here more than once during their Navy career. One of the reservists mentioned he has volunteered to come every year at this time for the last three years. They come to Beaufort from all over the United States of America — all 50 states and as far away as Puerto Rico.
Each brings different a background to this drill time. When polling the room, the reservists stated that in their civilian lives, they were nurses, paramedics, pharmacy technicians, deputy sheriffs, construction workers, and administration professionals.
The reservists met with the Officer in Charge of NMTRU Parris Island, Cmdr. Christopher Lynn for a brief about what the command does, who the reservists will be supporting and why.
“You all are important to the mission due to the surge of recruits during the summer months,” Lynn told the reservists. “About 60% of Marine Corps recruits come through MCRD Parris Island during June, July, August and September.”
Recruit Training Command is the largest customer for NMTRU. This command has an average of 1,000 patient encounters a day. Each recruit will be seen at least three times during his or her training cycle for blood work, immunizations, hearing exams, vision exams, and dental exams/work. If the recruits are injured during training, then their visit count goes up.
“You all are directly contributing to the national security by supporting the medical mission,” Lynn told the reservists. “Making sure all the recruits are medical ready to do their training is our mission.”
Lynn said NMTRU contributes to the “We Make Marines” moto of MCRD Parris Island and left the sailors with some parting thoughts.
“We set the tone on these new military members’ first interaction with Navy Medicine. Establish positive relationships with these young recruits. Let the Drill Instructors be the Drill Instructors. You can make the lives of these recruits in training better even if for a small moment.”
