Photo By Sgt. Jeff Drew | Harrisburg, Pa., native Petty Officer Third Class Gisbel Garcia, a corpsman with 8th...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Preparing for a combat deployment is never easy. No one ever really knows what to expect or how to prepare for each specific circumstance. While fighting roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices, Marines and Navy corpsmen must always be alert in order to keep each other safe.
“You’re never prepared; training gets you ready and puts you in the mindset,” said Harrisburg, Pa., native, Petty Officer Third Class Gisbel Garcia, a corpsman with 8th Marine Regiment. The trainers say it’s muscle memory and that’s all it is. Are you really prepared? No, you’re never really prepared for combat.”
After graduating high school in 2007, Garcia joined the Marine Corps’ delayed enlistment program, with his brother, hoping to begin preparing for combat. However, his passion for medicine, ignited by medical shows like “House,” led him to the Navy where he would be able to take care of his brothers in green.
He spent his first two years at Naval Hospital Camp Lester in Okinawa, Japan, where he absorbed as much knowledge as he could. Little did he know how much it would come in handy.
“The hospital is a different beast,” added Garcia. “They have their critical moments when they need every man around to do their job. I worked in the emergency room and the medical surgical ward. It was 12 hours on, 12 hours off for two years. I learned a lot of things there. I met a lot of great people. My instructors and teachers still mentor me today.”
His next move was to 8th Marines. Garcia mentioned working alongside Marines is what he wanted from the start and, finally, he felt at home.
The regiment began preparing for a yearlong deployment to Helmand province Afghanistan, shortly after his arrival. This would be the opportunity for Garcia to put his training to the test.
Unfortunately, when a corpsman has to do his job that means someone is hurt. Garcia had been sent to join a group of Marines to help supplement their medical personnel requirement. During a long convoy, an IED weighing approximately 230 pounds was struck by the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle behind his – he sprung into action. The blast severely wounded a lieutenant sitting in the passenger seat.
“He was a double amputee,” said Garcia. “He’s your brother and all those guys were good to me. I sort of joined the team late, but I showed them what I had. To work on your brother who is a double amputee – I was in the vehicle right of front of them and I felt the impact of the blast. His legs were twisted all over – I’ll never get that image out of my head.”
The training will get you ready, but you are never truly prepared. The hours of running simulations developed the muscle memory in order to saves lives. Garcia’s skills were tested during deployment and he only has time to learn more and become more proficient.
“He’s a great corpsman and he’s always trying to learn and take the next step,” said Chief Petty Officer Jeff Geiser, the Navy senior enlisted leader with 8th Marines. “He’s doing all the right things. He’s motivated and he performs very well. He’s been on convoys and helped to train the Afghan National Army medics. He’s doing all the right things to meet our service requirements to continue his Navy career.”
Garcia plans to get married next month and hopes to make the Navy a career. His passion for being a corpsman and helping others is enforced by the strong bond of brotherhood he’s felt since he joined.
“I like my job, I like what I do,” Garcia mentioned. “It’s more than just a job, it’s a brotherhood, it’s a family, it’s my family.”
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2012 08:04 |
| Story ID: | 90591 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 293 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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