On Lingo

Navy / USNS Mercy  vocabulary, according to Ryan

MEDCAP - Medical Civilian Action Plan.  This is the name of the daily trips we take to various islands and things, for the specific purpose of helping people and/or s

aving lives.  Transportation can take various forms, but usually involves a boats and buses.  Services we provided include Primary Care, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Dental (DENCAPS), Optometry, Physical Therapy, Women's Health.  Typical

ly we would see something like Other "CAPS" included SURGCAPS (self-explanatory) and ENCAPS (when engineers would fix/build schools and hospitals).

p.s. I suggested to Nic that we should have a "lives saved" counter on the blog.  I was not taken seriously.

(On left, a view from inside the transport a.k.a. the bus. On right, a NapoleonCAP)

VETCAP - Veterinary Civilian Action Plan.  When our awesome veterinary team would go out to help our animal friends.  Usually dogs and cats, but a lot of other interesting things.  Wallabees, alligators, cuscus, pigs, birds, etc. Wallabees, cuscus, and pigs were eaten when they are grown.

(Right: Cuscus)

Berthing - Where you sleep.  Our berthing was called "Enlisted F Berthing" and was the second floor down on the red stairs.  It could house 99 people in bunks that were in colums of three.  Pete insists that he fits in his bunk, but me and Nic are pretty sure he has to bend his knees to lay down. During some of missions, they would have nationals sleep in our berthing.  A good way to make friends in these countries, but the frequency of snoring would greatly increase during these times.  It was almost like the cacophony of lots of really large frogs.

Mess deck - Where you eat.  We would get three squares a day, every day, when we were on the ship.  Breakfast is 6-730, Lunch 11-1245, Dinner 430-530.  Miss one of the meals, you would go hungry, no exceptions.

We all volunteered for helping out serving food.  These guys work hard, and the heat in the kitchen was worse than the heat outside.  And that's saying something.

Prevmed - Preventive medicine.  I think this is the most important part of these missions.  They would go out and survey the water supply, sanitation, etc.  They would make tours through the slaughterhouses and beer factories and make recommendation.  They killed the disease-carrying mosquitos.

OIC - Officer in Charge.  During a MEDCAP, this guy was in charge.  

MA - Master at arms.  The guys with the guns.  They were in charge when things get out of hand during a MEDCAP.  They usually sent out three-four guys per team.

Muster - Where you meet every morning.  Muster would be at 5 or 530 for a MEDCAP.  Muster would be at 730 regularly.  We'd often be late for muster, in which case we were forced to read the "Plan of the day" and "Menu for the day."  

Colonel Muster - Where you meet in the dining room with the candlestick.  (Running joke).

Flight quarters - When I would get yelled at for being outside.  Apparently being around a spun-up helicopter is not the safest thing to do.  Who knew?

-ryan