At the company level, which rank is designated as the Senior Line Corpsman?

• A. HM1
• B. HM2
• C. HM3
• D. HM4

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is who acts as the Senior Line Corpsman in a company medical section. In a Marine company, the medical team provides direct care for Marines, and the senior person in that “line” medical element is typically the Hospital Corpsman Second Class (HM2). This rank (E-5) is high enough to exercise leadership over junior corpsmen (HM3 and HM4) and handle medical readiness, training, and casualty care for the company, while staying within a practical command structure for a company-sized unit. HM1 (E-6) is more senior but isn’t the standard designation for the company’s senior line corpsman, and HM3/HM4 are junior and aid under the HM2’s supervision.