Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 21, 2025

This is the first time this strip has caused me to laugh out loud in recent memory.

Did Piro join the Navy and was a medic?

Comic’s a minute early again tonight, and Luann, what are you suddenly shouting to Bernice about?! Nice of Alan wanting to take care of his mom; it’s what I’ve found myself having to do for the past eight years – especially the last three since my dad died. It’s also still kinda cute that Alan’s crushing on Luann, but she seems rather oblivious to it.

That explains a lot

OK – An actual plot forming?

I have a feeling Alan’s mother will die LONG before he becomes a medic!

Luann and Bernice will be MORE than happy to switch places!

OOOO….Alan really spilled it out. And he is NOT “challenged” like many of you thought he is simply because he looks nerdy. Like Gunther. Looking nerdy does not equal to mental deficiencies. Just socially inadept, like Gunther. Many socially awkward people talk childlike due to lack of interaction opportunities. Alan is clearly second oldest and much younger than Piro who is the oldest – by 9-10 years. My bet is he was the one who helps watch the kids while Piro was in school and now college (with mom home, more likely). He hasn’t had opportunities to socialize with kids his own age because his mom needed him home. So, Piro was a former medic in the military….possibly quite a bit older than the rest of Luann’s gang.

Then he’ll take care of someone ELSE’s mother, like Phil does.

they aren’t called medics in the Navy. they are Hospital Corpsman. I ought to know; I was one

Or the Navy can teach him to be a mortician.

The backstory continues to unfold and it seems Luann cannot keep information to herself for very long. Like why does she have to shout for Bern on learning that Piro has been a medic in the Navy?

Storylines are getting a little heavy for me. Time for Tiffany to hit the showers or discover the wonderful world of bubble baths. I’ll hold (or drop) the towel.

Oh come ON, Lu!

PLEASE don’t reduce yourself to pumping information about Piro from that poor neglected, lovesick, lump of flesh.

And seeing that Piro is a military Vet, POINTS to HIM!

Now, I wonder what the V.A. has been doing for him lately? ;-)

Luann’s yellin at Bernice to put on ’McHale’s Navy’ before Piro gets back

I think years ago a number of us wondered whether Piro was a veteran.

Why is Luann’s first thought when she hears medic is the military?

The army has medics. The Navy has corpsmen.

Nice hair, Corpsman…

Piro’s brother spoils all the secrets!

OK, there are no medics in the Navy, they are Corpsmen. Any brother of a corpsman would likely use that term. Corpsmen not only serve at shore-based hospitals and onboard ships; they also accompany Marines into combat. So, they are involved in everything from drawing blood and giving vaccinations to treating trauma such as from industrial accidents and hostile weapons fire. Think of them like an EMT except more independent; often they can’t transmit vitals to an MD and receive instructions … they are on their own. It isn’t frequent, but corpsmen have been known to perform surgeries, such as appendectomies, when the patient needed immediate attention and time was insufficient to move them to a hospital. Ships like submarines, for instance, aren’t large enough to carry an MD.

I remember that when Piro were crushing from room to room someone had the hypothesis he was a veteran, now it’s confirmed! Luann seems really shocked by the news and I think Bernice will be too. Maybe it would have been better to ask Alan for more details before calling Bernice.

There are no “medics” in the Navy. They are “corpsmen”.

Concentrate Lu, concentrate.

\\//_

Well if Piro saw combat as a medic, that couold explain some of his moodiness and withdrawal. Definite signs of PTSD.

This reminds me of a quote from the series Red vs. Blue:

“I’m not a doctor, I’m a medic. A doctor cures people, a medic just makes them more comfortable while they die.“

Think there’s a message here.

Not old enough to, Nave is a 4 year enlistment.

And, now we have a possible reason for the way Piro is the way he is. It’s unsaid, but (seemingly) implied he was a combat Corpsman, who is suffering from PTSD, as others have suggested. Bernice, DON’T try to cure him. Be there for him, but leave the treatment to fully qualified professionals.

Oh boy.

its “Hospital Corpsman” in the navy

I joined the navy in July 64 and went to San Diego for boot camp. There was 4 companies of 80 that started at the same time. Vietnam started august of 64. We graduated in September of 64. Of the 320 or so grads over half of them got orders to Camp Pendleton, marine bootcamp. They were all gonna be hospital corpsman assigned to the marines.

Luann should call Gunther to tutor Alan!!

Alan should hold his hands together and say “I’m glad we had this discussion.”

Most or all commenters seem to assume Alan means Piro served in the Navy in the past. I don’t. Luann obviously assumed Alan means Piro just joined the Navy, and that is why she’s yelling for Bernice. I initially thought Luann was right. Then I remembered that the Evanses generally depict Luann as an idiot and that they constantly manipulate readers. Without seeing the next strip, who’s to say Luann is incorrect.

Ugh. If the kids meant “movie” literally yesterday (perhaps not), they probably made Bernice watch “Barney’s Great Adventure,” because that is the only actual feature-length Barney the Dinosaur movie. No wonder Bernice wanted to leave.

Time for an over-reaction, Luann! Don’t let us down!

Well, we at least know that Piro is not currently in the Navy on active duty; go back a few days and look at his haircut. I know of very, very few Chiefs, and absolutely zero XOs, who would tolerate that star shaved into his left temple….

Could be that he has signed up on a delayed entry (due to Mom’s health issues) and hasn’t reported for boot camp yet.

Why is Luann screaming for Bernice?? Is any little piece of information about Piro so earth-shaking that it has to be discussed immediately She acts like she just found out he’s a serial killer. And if Piro did enlist in the Navy at age 18 or after high school, went through boot camp, got his medic training, served for a little while, got discharged, (maybe an early discharge for family issues), that would make him quite a bit older than these girls.

Kudos to the reader who suggested Alan would spill the beans on Piro.

Maybe he can be a navy seal, like in today’s Bound and Gagged.

So, Piro is going to join the navy? Leave his family with Bernice and Luann? Not good.

And another nugget of data about Mystery Man emerges…

Bravo Zulu flags for Piro!

Score! Sorry, Piro, your man of mystery game is OVER. Spill it, Lu—no more secrets. Haw haw!

A point in Piro’s favor is that he is a good influence on Alan.

Been away a week—-apparently the house is still in one piece.

So Piro was in the Navy? Or is in the Navy? Maybe that’s why we don’t see him often. Maybe he’s only in town when his ship’s in port.

Well, now we know.

Whoooooooa!

hey, Dr. dork, eyes up here. yeesh, that kid is gonna be a real creep one day.

Oh boy, plot twist, contain yourself chilluns ! ;-)

I hope Piro doesn’t blow town for his Navy job if his mom dies or can’t take care of them.

Loose lips sink ships.

Well that’s news.

Wow, the plot thickens!

Uh oh, sound the girl alarm, new information to obsess on.

“I’m a Navy man! Please shave a fun pattern in my hair!”

Leave t he kids on Tifany’s doorstep with a note—-“Keep them for 30 days.If nobody claims them,,they’re yours!”

I was a medic in the Navy. The end of the Vietnam war. Lucky enough not to be shipped to the front. I was however, assigned to recieve the refugees at the San Diego Naval base..

Hmmm. The plot thickens

Piro had military service?!?

medic=Army…corpsman=Navy/Marines