[Polybius]

Knowing Kerry's arrogance, he probably demanded to see an MD and not a Corpsman. Letson says he was the Medical Officer. Does that mean he would have been a licensed physician? I'm not familiar with military medical personnel. Isn't it possible that Letson was the only one available to see Kerry the next morning?

In the U.S. military, "medical officer" means an M.D. or a D.O. In other words, a "Doctor".

If you are in an area without combat casualties streaming in, there is nothing unusual about a medical officer seeing "minor" stuff.

For example, I was a medical officer and the OIC at the Fleet Sick Call Clinic at Guantanamo for one of my tours. During the mornings, we did active duty Sick Call and, after all acute active duty cases were seen, we then saw civilian contract workers, chronic cases, follow ups, etc.

While it is true that the medical officers would see the more serious problems first, after those were seen, we did not just sit around drinking coffee. We pitched in and helped our Corpsmen clear out the Clinic by seeing our fair share of "minor stuff" from the common cold to jock itch.

When officers came to Sick Call, they would usually be seen by a medical officer rather than a Corpsman just as a matter of rank courtesy.

One "minor stuff" case at Guantanamo was rather memorable. It was a Marine Pfc. with the medical complaint. "Personal problem. Wants to see medical officer".

This Marine's "problem" was that he could "do it" (his words) "only" four times a night on a good night.

Huh?

Well, it seems that he had just gotten himself his first "serious" girlfriend at GTMO and that gal had been told by her friends that a "real man" should have no problem performing five times a night. If her guy was only able to perform three or, at best, four times a night then he was obviously using up his other two times with some other girl.

".....and it's every night, Doc! Sometimes, I can get up to four but that's it. Never five. Sometimes, if I'm tired, I can only do it twice and then she's really upset. And I'm not cheating with another girl. Honest! That's not normal is it? I mean, you can do it five times a night, can't you, Sir?"

Yep. Sometimes "minor" cases were memorable. :-)

[AnAmericanMother]

What a hoot! (Ah, youth!)

Have you read Spike Milligan's Hitler, My Part In His Downfall? If not, I highly recommend it. He has some stories that will make you fall over laughing. I'm thinking of a similar story of a Lance Bombardier who was worried that his girlfriend might "p*** off with a Polish Airman" because he feared he was inadequately "endowed." . . . . didn't have as happy an ending, though.

[lepton]

How many female soldiers did you get complaining of yeast infections even after they stopped eating bread?

[BykrBayb]

I've been happily married for 15 years, but I'd be even happier if I could get hubby to buy that story. Five, huh? No, come to think of it, I'd be dead. But the mortician would never get the smile off my face.

[mass55th]

"Yep. Sometimes "minor" cases were memorable. :-)"

LOL!!! And in Kerry's case, it's rather hard to forget somebody who looks like Lurch!!