Navy Green Side

[Nat426]

I have read everything I could find about the Green Side and I was hoping some clarification on what I am understanding about a Marine assignment.

My understanding is, as a Green Side dentist you are assigned to a Battalion, is that correct? Or are you assigned to a shore clinic on a marine base?

Is it always a shore clinic, or do the Marines have ship assignments too?

If assigned to the Battalion, you would deploy with them as they deploy correct? Or do the Blue Side dentists take care of the Battalion needs while they are on deployment?

Anyone done an AEGD or credentialing tour at Camp Lejeune NC?

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[Hedgy]

I have read everything I could find about the Green Side and I was hoping some clarification on what I am understanding about a Marine assignment.

My understanding is, as a Green Side dentist you are assigned to a Battalion, is that correct? Or are you assigned to a shore clinic on a marine base?

Is it always a shore clinic, or do the Marines have ship assignments too?

If assigned to the Battalion, you would deploy with them as they deploy correct? Or do the Blue Side dentists take care of the Battalion needs while they are on deployment?

Anyone done an AEGD or credentialing tour at Camp Lejeune NC?

When you go to the green side you are assigned to the Marine Dental Battalion and will be at a Marine shore clinic until they have a call up for MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit). I'm not sure how it goes now, but they will take volunteers or assign you to the unit to be deployed. They usually deploy on 3 ships (2 LSDs/LPDs and an LHA/LHD), but can deploy en masse to A-stan or other places as needed. The ships each have a dental department with their own dentist. You serve in their department, but would only see your Marines. The deployments could be interdiction type, to training missions, to humanitarian, it just depends. If you go with the Marines, make sure you pursue the FMF (Fleet Marine Force) pin. I think it'll give you more credibility with them and show your interest in the Corps. I only visited Camp Pendleton, but the dentist that I toured around with got to shoot everything from pistols to a TOW missile on the range. You also wear the Marine BDUs vs khaki's. I tried for Camp Lejune, but ended up on a ship. My sponsor at my AEGD was went there. He loved it. I'd highly recommend the AEGD.

 

[Nat426]

When you go to the green side you are assigned to the Marine Dental Battalion and will be at a Marine shore clinic until they have a call up for MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit). I'm not sure how it goes now, but they will take volunteers or assign you to the unit to be deployed. They usually deploy on 3 ships (2 LSDs/LPDs and an LHA/LHD), but can deploy en masse to A-stan or other places as needed. The ships each have a dental department with their own dentist. You serve in their department, but would only see your Marines. The deployments could be interdiction type, to training missions, to humanitarian, it just depends. If you go with the Marines, make sure you pursue the FMF (Fleet Marine Force) pin. I think it'll give you more credibility with them and show your interest in the Corps. I only visited Camp Pendleton, but the dentist that I toured around with got to shoot everything from pistols to a TOW missile on the range. You also wear the Marine BDUs vs khaki's. I tried for Camp Lejune, but ended up on a ship. My sponsor at my AEGD was went there. He loved it. I'd highly recommend the AEGD.

Thanks for the feedback Hedgy. How long ago (and where) did you do your AEGD. I have been debating if it's worth it, esp. since my dental school has a very strong clinical program. I have also been looking at going to Camp Lejeune, the location looks awesome and I want to be out in the sticks.

 

[Hedgy]

Thanks for the feedback Hedgy. How long ago (and where) did you do your AEGD. I have been debating if it's worth it, esp. since my dental school has a very strong clinical program. I have also been looking at going to Camp Lejeune, the location looks awesome and I want to be out in the sticks.

Going to make me sound old. I did my AEGD in 2001-02 at Great Lakes. I actually wanted to go to follow my sponsor to Lejeune and put that as my #1 choice thinking since just 9-11 happened I would probably deploy to the sand, but they apparently filled those billets. I ended up stationed 2 years on the USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) out of La Maddalena, Italy. It's since been converted to USNS and is Diego Garcia now. I've been in private practice since 2004, but I still keep in touch with a few friends still in the service that help me track of things going on.

I'm glad you are excited to go there. That will definitely help with enjoying your time in the service. I went to Marquette which, IMO, is very strong with clinicals as well. We had one guy from U of Colorado that had done a ton of clinical stuff we hadn't done. That being said, to be able to sit chair side with all of the specialists is an experience you will get no where else. As much as we think we know clinically, there is always some twist or pearl we can learn from others and you can't beat being able to try new things/materials/procedures when in the AEGD type of setting. Nothing better to screw up, knowing you have a specialist to bail you out if needed. We all learn from our mistakes 10-fold more than our successes, IMO.

 

[Nat426]

Thanks a ton for the feedback.

 

[Nat426]

Going to make me sound old. I did my AEGD in 2001-02 at Great Lakes. I actually wanted to go to follow my sponsor to Lejeune and put that as my #1 choice thinking since just 9-11 happened I would probably deploy to the sand, but they apparently filled those billets. I ended up stationed 2 years on the USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) out of La Maddalena, Italy. It's since been converted to USNS and is Diego Garcia now. I've been in private practice since 2004, but I still keep in touch with a few friends still in the service that help me track of things going on.

I'm glad you are excited to go there. That will definitely help with enjoying your time in the service. I went to Marquette which, IMO, is very strong with clinicals as well. We had one guy from U of Colorado that had done a ton of clinical stuff we hadn't done. That being said, to be able to sit chair side with all of the specialists is an experience you will get no where else. As much as we think we know clinically, there is always some twist or pearl we can learn from others and you can't beat being able to try new things/materials/procedures when in the AEGD type of setting. Nothing better to screw up, knowing you have a specialist to bail you out if needed. We all learn from our mistakes 10-fold more than our successes, IMO.

Hedgy,
My main question is, if I decide to get out and not be career, is the additional year added on to payback to do the AEGD worth it? Or is the potential lost income not worth losing for the AEGD?

 

[Hedgy]

IMO, yes. However, I talked to another dentist I was in the Navy with at OIS who did a credentialing tour at San Diego (literally saw him out of the blue at the local midwinter meeting). He rotated through just like the residents, just didn't attend lectures. I still think you will get more out of the AEGD. If you are looking at a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry it will help to have the extra lecture time. In the grand scheme of a 30-40 year career in dentistry, what would one year with extra training hurt. The year did not count against me when I was in BTW, but I given the tour I took, I would have taken another year without giving a second thought. I could easily have spent a career overseas to be honest.

 

[vellnueve]

Hedgy,
My main question is, if I decide to get out and not be career, is the additional year added on to payback to do the AEGD worth it? Or is the potential lost income not worth losing for the AEGD?

It's one year out of a dental career that will probably be 30-40 years long... the lost income from that one year really shouldn't play into that decision.

 

[letsberealman]

I'm currently green side in an operational billet, and I can tell you that we are currently very unlikely to ever be deployed. If you want to deploy at this time, go on a ship or with seabees. That cool **** hedgy is talking about only happens if you get attached to a MEU which is very unlikely at the moment. Otherwise you just work in a clinic 7-4. It's basically shore duty at the moment.

 

[Nat426]

Do You get CE credit for the credentialing tour?