Claimancy 18 vs. Operational Flight Surgery

[MD2be9]

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What is the difference between Claimancy 18 and operational stations in the Navy. Is one more or less likely to be deployed? Also, about how much is a flight surgeon paid during the FS tour?

Thanks

 

[orbitsurgMD]

What is the difference between Claimancy 18 and operational stations in the Navy. Is one more or less likely to be deployed? Also, about how much is a flight surgeon paid during the FS tour?

Thanks

Hmmm, how to put this diplomatically?

As a squadron flight surgeon, you belong to the squadron or wing, and the squadron or wing commander is your main boss. You will be credentialed to work at a clinic somewhere when not deployed, where you will probably share watchbill duties, do physicals and so forth. Historically, and in practice, half of your work time is supposed to belong to your squadron. That time can be spent on readiness activities, your personal flight time, and seeing squadron members in the squadron spaces. As concerns your clinic side duties, the clinic commander has some control over your activities at the clinic, but the line owns you.

As a Claimancy 18 doc, you are the clinic command's bit@h. You get no squadron time because you have no squadron. The medical department owns you, and you will be assigned like other non-unit-assigned GMOs. Your flight time will be your responsibility to arrange where you can find a unit available and willing to let you fly with them. You might get a good gig this way if you are in a place where the local wing, even if a reserve wing, can let you fly with them. But it can stink also, because you are seen as an available resource to do TDY or TAD at the last minute, whenever something comes up. You aren't commonly required to deploy, which is the only reason some people like Claimancy 18 jobs, but in reality, you will deploy, most likely by yourself whenever they need a flight surgeon to fill in somewhere.

I don't want to sound completely negative about Claimancy 18. I had a decent experience as a second tour billet in the city where I stayed to do residency, and my boss was a really good guy. What helped me was that I was stashed in a little out-of-the-way clinic and no one really knew we were there most of the time. But I think I was lucky. In another setting, you could have some clipboard-sailing 40%-body-fat nurse commander administrator as your boss-man or woman or whatever.

I really liked my squadron, and the aircrews and department heads were a fun and interesting group to travel with. I was in patrol aviation-P3Cs- so when we deployed, it was for 6 months in another country. I would not have traded that experience for any Claimancy 18 billet anywhere.

 

[backrow]

As a Claimancy 18 doc, you are the clinic command's bit@h.

So very true.

As an additional note: Claimancy 18 billets for flight surgeons are becoming more and more rare. The Navy currently needs more flight surgeons and the last billets to get filled will be the Claimancy 18 ones.

If you go FS plan on being in an operational billet except.