Navy GMO Question

[beegeforty4]

This might be a stupid question, but humor me...

For GMO tours, if you want to go abroad, can you select where you go, location wise?

For instance, I read that I could be stationed in London, England. If I wanted to be stationed there (I'm not sure if it's Navy or Marines), is there anything I can do to help my chances?

I really would like to do the GMO tour (I'm probably the only one who thinks that way), and I wouldn't mind doing Dive Medicine, Flight Medicine, or be with the fleet, but is there a "choice" or is it all based on the needs of the service?

I apologize in advance if this doesn't make much sense and can elaborate if needed...

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[BigNavyPedsGuy]

There are more qualified folks than me to answer this, but I'll try. If you want some choice in where you go, then DMO would be better than straight GMO. The Dive officers I knwo said they got to sit down with their class and divvy up assignments. But either way, good locations are competitive and often go to folks that have been in longer.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

There are more qualified folks than me to answer this, but I'll try. If you want some choice in where you go, then DMO would be better than straight GMO. The Dive officers I knwo said they got to sit down with their class and divvy up assignments. But either way, good locations are competitive and often go to folks that have been in longer.

The same process is done for flight surgeons. The billets presented to a flight surgeon class are those available, presumably after those with higher priority have already selected billets.

London was a choice assignment, metropolitan living with max. OHA, and a not-too-stressful job. Typically that meant O-6s took the assignment, usually as a twilight tour.

So your chances at London are pretty slim out of the gate. They are about as good as getting White House or the U.S. Congress clinic.

 

[Gastrapathy]

The same process is done for flight surgeons. The billets presented to a flight surgeon class are those available, presumably after those with higher priority have already selected billets.

London was a choice assignment, metropolitan living with max. OHA, and a not-too-stressful job. Typically that meant O-6s took the assignment, usually as a twilight tour.

So your chances at London are pretty slim out of the gate. They are about as good as getting White House or the U.S. Congress clinic.

Actually worse, BMC London closed 2 years ago. If your overseas desires include Okinawa, you have a chance. You could also theoretically get a ship from Japan or the sub-tender in Italy (pretty choice billet I think).

 

[DiveMD]

Your chances of a really cool billet fresh out of internship are pretty bad. Maybe Japan or Italy as a DMO...but that's it. Most of the cool European billets are reserved for O-5 and above. Good luck!

 

[beegeforty4]

Thanks for all the feedback...

The follow-up question after reading your responses is: What kind of GMO tours are available for sailors fresh out of their internship?

 

[DiveMD]

Thanks for all the feedback...

The follow-up question after reading your responses is: What kind of GMO tours are available for sailors fresh out of their internship?

It's hard to predict which billets will be available when you are up for orders. Your detailer should be able to tell you but the list can change constantly for many different reasons. Then again…NAVY GMO=Marines or Claimancy 18 or Carriers. Your best shot of at least getting a semi-decent tour is by doing diving or flight med.

 

[beegeforty4]

It's hard to predict which billets will be available when you are up for orders. Your detailer should be able to tell you but the list can change constantly for many different reasons. Then again…NAVY GMO=Marines or Claimancy 18 or Carriers. Your best shot of at least getting a semi-decent tour is by doing diving or flight med.

What's claimancy 18?

 

[orbitsurgMD]

What's claimancy 18?

That is the term used for GMO-type billets (including flight surgery) that are under the command of a branch medical clinic or Naval hospital and not directly under an operational (i.e., line) command.

They are generally to be avoided, since you don't have an advocate for you in the line and, at least as concerns flight surgery, you are afforded time for flight operations only at the pleasure of the clinic commander, who usually couldn't care less whether you ever get to fly. The only upside is that you don't have to deploy, but you can get yanked to fill in somewhere all by your lonesome whenever they need you somewhere where there is a gapped billet that must be filled.

 

[DiveMD]

What's claimancy 18?

A billet paid by BUMED. It’s usually a clinic job doing military physicals and sick call all day. Additionally, GMO’s in clinics are the very first picks for independent augmentation (IA to IRAQ).

 

[XXBlockheadXX]

I'll start with two questions pertinent to this thread.

1) What are some of the opportunities for a Navy GMO with the Green Side?

2) What is a fleet GMO like, besides the medical workups. (I'm not talking about firing guns, throwing grenades, and storming hills.) I'm more interested in what the living conditions, deployment schedules, and PT expectations are like.

Thanks for the conitnued wisdom.

 

[almostfamous]

It's hard to predict which billets will be available when you are up for orders. Your detailer should be able to tell you but the list can change constantly for many different reasons. Then again…NAVY GMO=Marines or Claimancy 18 or Carriers. Your best shot of at least getting a semi-decent tour is by doing diving or flight med.

There used to be a website that listed all of the GMO billets and the PRD. Does anyone know where to find this information nowadays?
Also, are the Flight Surg billets known ahead of time (i.e. now), or do you have to go to one of the 3 classes and then hope that you get something decent?

Thanks

 

[usnavdoc]

There used to be a website that listed all of the GMO billets and the PRD. Does anyone know where to find this information nowadays?
Also, are the Flight Surg billets known ahead of time (i.e. now), or do you have to go to one of the 3 classes and then hope that you get something decent?

Thanks

FS and DMO billets get discussed at the end of FS or DMO training. The website you are referring to was taken down several years ago for "security means." In all actuality it is a way for the detailors to keep you in the dark to better manipulate you. You are forced to rely on word of mouth and your own investigation.

You can be sure that ships and Marines are always available. As far as overseas there are billets in Italy, Iceland, and Japan. Japan is the easiest to get but it is still fairly difficult so ask early. Iceland is very hard for a first time GMO as is Italy (although Italy can be done).

FS overseas billets are a bit easier to come by than GMO billets. Desirable non deployable stateside billets are again saved for returning GMOs. With the deployment tempos and failure to meet recruiting goals I imagine these billets will go away to some degree. Or you will have to augment for a deployment.

Be careful with Claimancy 18 billets, some of these will have lots of weekends and call tied to them. Remember as far as clinics go you will be the junior guy and take more call.