Fleet Marine Force Corpsman 8404 MOS Patch

They are the lifeline of the Marine Corps—the ones every Marine calls “Doc.” The Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, holding the 8404 NEC, is the Navy’s answer to one of the most sacred responsibilities in war: to keep Marines alive when the world around them is coming apart. These corpsmen fought beside Marines in the Pacific jungles, on black-sand beaches, in Hue City’s streets, in the dunes of Kuwait, in the dusty alleys of Fallujah, and in the mountains of Afghanistan. Their courage is legendary, their sacrifices immense, and their reputation among Marines is unmatched.

The 8404 corpsman is trained not only in advanced battlefield medicine but in the ways and culture of the Marine Corps itself. From rifle ranges at Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune to field exercises where they learn to run, shoot, and move with the infantry, FMF corpsmen become part of the unit they serve—sharing the same hardships, the same dangers, and the same brotherhood. They patch wounds under fire, stabilize casualties until evacuation, treat everything from heat stroke to gunshot wounds, and make life-or-death decisions in seconds.

Their history is soaked in valor. During World War II, FMF corpsmen charged ashore with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Marine Divisions on islands like Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Many received Medals of Honor for sprinting through enemy fire to reach wounded Marines, often giving their lives in the process. In Vietnam, they waded through rice paddies and crept through dense jungles with Marine rifle squads, treating injuries while rounds snapped overhead. Names like Doc Bradley, Doc Piercy, and the countless corpsmen whose bravery filled after-action reports became synonymous with devotion and grit.

During Desert Storm, FMF corpsmen supported Marines fighting through Iraq’s defensive lines, treating burn injuries, blast wounds, and the punishing effects of chemical gear in the desert heat. In Iraq and Afghanistan, they ran toward explosions, tended casualties in chaotic firefights, and performed battlefield surgery in places where seconds mattered more than any piece of equipment. Many Marines survived only because their corpsman refused to let them die.

The 8404 designation marks a corpsman who has earned the title Fleet Marine Force, a recognition steeped in mutual respect between two branches that have fought side by side for over a century. Marines trust Doc with their lives—and Doc carries that trust like a sacred oath.

The Fleet Marine Force Corpsman 8404 patch honors these warriors in scrubs and boots—the ones who carry aid bags instead of ammo cans, who never hesitate to run into danger, and who hold the line not just with courage but with compassion.