Houston native serves fourth deployment

Photo By 1st Lt. Scott Murdock | Petty Officer 2nd Class Ernesto Argueta, a corpsman with Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, and a Houston native, takes part in a resupply convoy in southwest Afghanistan, April 5, 2012. Argueta spent his fourth deployment constructing roads that improve infrastructure and quality of life in Helmand province.  

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

04.12.2012

Story by 2nd Lt. Scott Murdock 

Regional Command Southwest

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Ernesto Argueta didn’t know what a deployment was when he enlisted in the Navy during 2003.

Since then, he has completed deployments to Iraq, the Atlantic, and is on his second to Afghanistan.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ernesto Argueta, a corpsman with Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), and a Houston native, has had a busy military career.

“I graduated from [corpsman training] March 6, and by the beginning of June I was in Iraq,” Argueta said.

Because the Marine Corps does not have medical personnel, Marines rely on Navy corpsmen to fill the role of what is known in the Army as a combat medic. Doc, as he is affectionately called by his Marines, is never far from their side and provides medical care ranging from handing out foot powder to performing battlefield surgery with only the equipment he can carry. His expertise gives the Marines of Support Company peace of mind during dangerous missions.

Argueta finds motivation in his 6-year-old son who still lives in Houston, and hopes to remain in the Navy for 20 years to earn military retirement and provide his son with an education. One of the difficulties of military service is the time spent away from loved ones, and with four deployments and being stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Argueta has had to find ways to stay in touch. For Christmas, Argueta mailed his son a book and a video of himself reading it so his son could turn the pages with his father.

His compassion is apparent in the attentiveness with which Argueta treats his Marines’ injuries.

So far, Argueta said, this is his favorite deployment, but he has enjoyed them all in different ways. He is grateful for the opportunity to use his skills and help others. His Marines certainly appreciate him as well.

• Date Taken: 04.12.2012
• Date Posted: 04.12.2012 08:36
• Story ID: 86614
• Location: HELMAND PROVINCE, AF