Thanks Carol. That's what I thought and just wanted to make sure. This is the problem when you live around the corner...more people to show up but they tend to also want/need to schedule business appointments.
I can't remember but Carol is probably right. Also, if it goes longer it is casual enough that they could sneak away. They wouldn't get to see your son though. Enjoy and take cash to get a T-shirt or two...other stuff also. (I don't think they credit/debit cards.)
Ours was an hour including a special recognition ceremony for one of the drill instructors. My son got me the DVD and a t-shirt (Devil Doc University). They are sooo proud to have that shield pinned on their marpats.
Bobbo....it was 90+ degrees and the graduation took place on the grinder in front of the FMTB building! Oh...and I was in a walking boot due to a yoga injury (don't ask). It did give me chills to see them marching in! Enjoy!
Oh Lord, DramaSoul. But remember...it was a beachy 90+ day. You were there a couple of yards from the beach. ;-)
Seriously, sorry you weren't in top form for a memorable time.
Bobbo, when my son graduated a few years ago at CP I watched the platoons march into the FMTB training building and then was able to go into the classroom his platoon was in prior to the ceremony and chat with him (they're just hanging out until the lineup for the ceremony). They were showing the DVD of their training on a big screen in each classroom.
Thanks vettespace. I am looking forward to doing that same thing. The info on the ceremony mentions that. I want to meet some of the young men I have heard about. My son was working out with a few for about 2 months prior to class. Also want to see his buddy I got to meet back in August when they had just gotten there. It should be a great time tomorrow. And it promises to be very nice weather also.
Bobbo - hope you read the fine print for this group that photos are a requirement!! :) Sending good thoughts and congratulations to your son (and his peers!) today. Great that you are able to attend!
Marcy- Thank you for putting up these pictures. My son was there graduating. Unfortunately, we could not be there. I asked my corpsman son to purchase the video for me.
Marcy- Thank you so much! My husband and I were sworn in the night before to the Board of Trustees for the McKinleyville Union School District. We did not get out of the board meeting until about 11:30 P.M. We live about 15 hours by car from Oceanside in the real Northern California, so there was no way we could attend. My son told us not to worry about it, but I still felt guilty that I was not there. We did go to his PIR in May of 2011, and we really thought it was wonderful. Thank you for the heads up on the pictures on FB. I bet it was a beautiful day in Southern California. Mary
Marcy, I am the old fart just to the left of the palm tree (pink button down) second row from the top behind the gentleman in the coat and tie. All the people above me and in the same row were there to see my son. He was really surprised. Mostly by his middle-school counselor who brought her retired-Marine husband. Had a great lunch in the restaurant next to Iron Mike's...all 10 of us since three had to leave right away. Great time had by all.
I do want to say what made me most proud. My son had to get a haircut so I tagged along. As he was sitting there getting it done in the base barbershop, I realized he had been going to the same gentleman (an immigrant). He looked at me and realized I was his customer's father. He walked over to me, shook my hand and kept saying how I had a "wonderful boy...your boy is just wonderful" One of those rare moments as a parent we get feed back on our kids on what they are like when we aren't there. I had a huge smile inside.
Congrats to you, velvetlace and your husband. I have to say, given what I wrote below about how great it was...the ceremony wasn't really special. They were in fatigues, it was no-frills, very-quick-paced, and a few honors were quickly dealt out. Most of the graduates left at the speed of sound. So, in some ways, you didn't miss much. I think it more special to me since I hadn't had a chance to get to his A-school graduation and we had lots of people there.
So much has changed for families since my son went through Field Med at Camp Lejeune in 2010 - no Facebook page with photos, or DVDs for sale. The ceremony there was indoors, and looks so different than Pendleton's. They have since changed Schoolhouses, but this is what ours looked like. I counted over 200 family members in attendance in addition to a group of vets, which was cool :)
Happy 2014 and it would be fun to start off with a roll call! We have lots of activity in our A School group http://navyformoms.com/group/hmhospitalcorpsmanaschoolinsanantonio, and I'm just wondering where everyone's corpsman is these days! Mine is in Naples Italy.
Oops bobbo, my bad, I only saw your second post, didn't see the 29 Palms one :) My corpsman was assigned to his hospital's Dept of Anesthesia at his first duty station, hopefully yours gets a more interesting assignment soon :)
It's been a while, thought it would be a good time to visit with a role call. Mines in Portsmouth in the hospital doing IVs and check-in. Awaiting orders to choose for next assignment. Hope everyone is well. I need to come back and get more involved again. Miss everyone!
Our son just arrived at his new duty station---- Key West. Not a bad draw. He and his wife were home for Christmas, nice visit. Goodbyes are still hard.
My son is in his second year at 29 Palms. The first year he worked nights in the hospital and now he is working days in the clinic. He loves seeing patients! His goal is to go back to school to become a PA. He was nominated for the Blue Jacket Award. He is currently training to become the ACLS instructor for the base. He has started the orders-picking process. His next duty station will be a ship if all goes according to plan.
I was trying to find Kym's post about Key West but gave up. It is probably right in front of my eyes somewhere.
Just thinking about what a fabulous assignment that must be. I would love my son to go there but don't know if they even have IDC billets. He will start looking for orders in March and PCS in December. I have a feeling he will end up greenside at Camp Pendleton to stay in the same home and school for his girls. But, I can dream!
I was stationed there loved it look at my pic that's where base housing was right on the water !! Congrats to all who posted where their sailors ended up love reading all the great places and experiences they had
My son has been at Pax River for a year and will finish out there. He's been drawing blood at the clinic and loves it. His goal is also to go back to school for PA. He's even thought about re-enlisting after he graduates, likes the idea of being an officer. LOL.
DramaSoul
Dec 8, 2013
Bobbo
Have friends trying to come but they need to make business appts after.
Thanks in advance.
Dec 10, 2013
Bobbo
Dec 10, 2013
familything
Dec 10, 2013
Bobbo
Dec 10, 2013
DramaSoul
Ours was an hour including a special recognition ceremony for one of the drill instructors. My son got me the DVD and a t-shirt (Devil Doc University). They are sooo proud to have that shield pinned on their marpats.
Dec 10, 2013
Bobbo
Dec 11, 2013
DramaSoul
Bobbo....it was 90+ degrees and the graduation took place on the grinder in front of the FMTB building! Oh...and I was in a walking boot due to a yoga injury (don't ask). It did give me chills to see them marching in! Enjoy!
Dec 11, 2013
Bobbo
Seriously, sorry you weren't in top form for a memorable time.
Dec 11, 2013
vettespace
Bobbo, when my son graduated a few years ago at CP I watched the platoons march into the FMTB training building and then was able to go into the classroom his platoon was in prior to the ceremony and chat with him (they're just hanging out until the lineup for the ceremony). They were showing the DVD of their training on a big screen in each classroom.
Dec 11, 2013
Bobbo
Thanks vettespace. I am looking forward to doing that same thing. The info on the ceremony mentions that. I want to meet some of the young men I have heard about. My son was working out with a few for about 2 months prior to class. Also want to see his buddy I got to meet back in August when they had just gotten there. It should be a great time tomorrow. And it promises to be very nice weather also.
Dec 11, 2013
Bobbo
Dec 12, 2013
familything
Dec 12, 2013
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Bobbo - hope you read the fine print for this group that photos are a requirement!! :) Sending good thoughts and congratulations to your son (and his peers!) today. Great that you are able to attend!
Dec 12, 2013
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
FMTB-West graduation today! Bobbo, where are you in this crowd?
Camp Pendleton graduations are so different from Camp Lejeune/Camp Johnson!
Dec 13, 2013
velvetlace
Marcy- Thank you for putting up these pictures. My son was there graduating. Unfortunately, we could not be there. I asked my corpsman son to purchase the video for me.
Dec 13, 2013
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Velvetlace I lost track of who was graduating, so sorry! FMTB-West posted over 100 great photos on Facebook of class 2014-010's ceremony yesterday - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.253085668180702.107374185...
Dec 13, 2013
velvetlace
Marcy- Thank you so much! My husband and I were sworn in the night before to the Board of Trustees for the McKinleyville Union School District. We did not get out of the board meeting until about 11:30 P.M. We live about 15 hours by car from Oceanside in the real Northern California, so there was no way we could attend. My son told us not to worry about it, but I still felt guilty that I was not there. We did go to his PIR in May of 2011, and we really thought it was wonderful. Thank you for the heads up on the pictures on FB. I bet it was a beautiful day in Southern California. Mary
Dec 13, 2013
Bobbo
Marcy, I am the old fart just to the left of the palm tree (pink button down) second row from the top behind the gentleman in the coat and tie. All the people above me and in the same row were there to see my son. He was really surprised. Mostly by his middle-school counselor who brought her retired-Marine husband. Had a great lunch in the restaurant next to Iron Mike's...all 10 of us since three had to leave right away. Great time had by all.
I do want to say what made me most proud. My son had to get a haircut so I tagged along. As he was sitting there getting it done in the base barbershop, I realized he had been going to the same gentleman (an immigrant). He looked at me and realized I was his customer's father. He walked over to me, shook my hand and kept saying how I had a "wonderful boy...your boy is just wonderful" One of those rare moments as a parent we get feed back on our kids on what they are like when we aren't there. I had a huge smile inside.
Dec 13, 2013
Bobbo
Congrats to you, velvetlace and your husband. I have to say, given what I wrote below about how great it was...the ceremony wasn't really special. They were in fatigues, it was no-frills, very-quick-paced, and a few honors were quickly dealt out. Most of the graduates left at the speed of sound. So, in some ways, you didn't miss much. I think it more special to me since I hadn't had a chance to get to his A-school graduation and we had lots of people there.
Dec 13, 2013
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Good for you and your husband, Velvetlace!
So much has changed for families since my son went through Field Med at Camp Lejeune in 2010 - no Facebook page with photos, or DVDs for sale. The ceremony there was indoors, and looks so different than Pendleton's. They have since changed Schoolhouses, but this is what ours looked like. I counted over 200 family members in attendance in addition to a group of vets, which was cool :)
Dec 14, 2013
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
GO NAVY!!!
Dec 14, 2013
DramaSoul
Marcy....love the pics!!
I agree with Kathy....WAY TO GO NAVY!!
Dec 15, 2013
Dan's Dad (John)
merry Christmas to all my Navy moms (and dads)
Dec 24, 2013
velvetlace
Happy New Year, Kathy! I love the picture below!!!
Dec 31, 2013
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Happy 2014 and it would be fun to start off with a roll call! We have lots of activity in our A School group http://navyformoms.com/group/hmhospitalcorpsmanaschoolinsanantonio, and I'm just wondering where everyone's corpsman is these days! Mine is in Naples Italy.
Jan 13, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Glenda, congratulations to your future NP! And you bet you are ALWAYS welcome here!!
Jan 13, 2014
OKCsuzieq
Jan 13, 2014
Bobbo
Mine is at 29 Palms.
Jan 13, 2014
Bobbo
Glenda,
Congrats to your son.
Jan 13, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
bobbo, it's a roll call! LOL Give us an update on your corpsman!
Jan 13, 2014
mikes mom
My son is at Bremerton. : )
Jan 13, 2014
IDCmom#1
Camp Pendleton.
Jan 13, 2014
Bobbo
Marcy, I am just following the examples here. ;-)
I actually don't have much intel on what he is doing. I believe he is doing what every new corpsman does at his first station...input data.
Jan 14, 2014
velvetlace
Camp Pendleton
Jan 14, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Oops bobbo, my bad, I only saw your second post, didn't see the 29 Palms one :) My corpsman was assigned to his hospital's Dept of Anesthesia at his first duty station, hopefully yours gets a more interesting assignment soon :)
Jan 14, 2014
Diana2222
Jacksonville FL
Jan 14, 2014
Katze90210 (3/113)
Jan 14, 2014
Kym Ship 11 Div 118
Jan 14, 2014
DramaSoul
Jan 14, 2014
familything
Jan 14, 2014
IDCmom#1
I was trying to find Kym's post about Key West but gave up. It is probably right in front of my eyes somewhere.
Just thinking about what a fabulous assignment that must be. I would love my son to go there but don't know if they even have IDC billets. He will start looking for orders in March and PCS in December. I have a feeling he will end up greenside at Camp Pendleton to stay in the same home and school for his girls. But, I can dream!
Jan 14, 2014
carafid1
Jan 14, 2014
Dan's Dad (John)
My son has been at Pax River for a year and will finish out there. He's been drawing blood at the clinic and loves it. His goal is also to go back to school for PA. He's even thought about re-enlisting after he graduates, likes the idea of being an officer. LOL.
Jan 14, 2014
Bobbo
IDCmom#1,
I love your comment. Thanks for the chuckle. I thought I was the only one who couldn't find referred to previous posts!
Jan 14, 2014
DramaSoul
Jan 14, 2014
DaniHMItalyMom
Hello all! My son is at his first duty station in Naples, Italy. He is a Surg Tech and just recently made E4.
Jan 14, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
ROLL CALL so far!
Camp Pendleton, CA - IDCMom#1; Velvetlace
Point Loma, CA (PCSing from Camp Pendleton) - Carol
29 Palms, CA - Bobbo; DramaSoul; KathyProudCorpsmanMom
Jacksonville, FL - Diana2222
Key West, FL - KymShip11Div118
Panama City, FL - familything
Pax River, MD - Dan'sDadJohn
Bremerton, WA - MikesMom
Guam - OKCSuzieQ
Naples Italy - DaniHMItalyMom; Marcy~Corpsman Mom
and...Glenda's is now out of the Navy and going for Nurse Practitioner, so she is keeping us up to date on his path.
Jan 15, 2014
familything
Jan 15, 2014
taysproudmom (HM class 220A)
Jan 15, 2014