Camp Pendleton Corpsmen Moms

Pam, same here. T text said he would have to call tomorrow because it is crazy there!! So I guess that's what T meant too!! Well see what tomorrow brings...

J said it was a lot of briefing today. That would make for a long day! Oh my goodness, he just posted a picture on FB of his "coffin" (bed). I laughed so hard and told him he's lucky he's not 6'5" like his brother (he's only 5'11"). He posted back that the guy under him is 6'5"!! Oh my!!

Finally got around to changing my name! I had been HA Joe's Mom......going by Becky now :) Got a quick text from J saying he's hoping to get to come home for a couple days before being shipped overseas. I hate the waiting game--waiting to find out what he has to do in order to make our plans about graduation. Looks like he's in Platoon 2.

Hello Becky, I'm' pretty sure that all or most will be going home for the holidays...there is usually a skeleton crew but not to many around on the bases.

Pam, why in the world would the powers that be stick one of the tallest corpsman a bottom rack...talk about a coffin!!

I'm not sure... I guess they probably won't be doing much sleeping in them anyway! I heard they go to the field for several days at a time.

Becky - I guess as our Sailors go further along in their Navy career, our user name's may change again! J really loves it and may just make a career out of it.

J also said that there's not much privacy so I'll be getting more texts from him than anything.

Pam, Now that T and Katie have pledged their undying love for each other...I guess I will be put on the back burner...at least behind her call. Humm

I wouldn't want too! I love Katie. She is bright,with a great head on her shoulders...she wants to travel before settling down with kids and most of All she is educated as is T!!

I was married at 21yrs. I had my first child 4 months after my 22 second Bday...She is now 27yrs and no sign of grand babies. lol

Good morning! I'm only hoping J doesn't just pop-up in the middle of the night. He might literally knock himself out!! We're Eastern time also - suburb of Atlanta. I'm a legal assistant at a law firm in Atlanta. J is my oldest at 20. I have another son a year younger than him and a 4 year old daughter. She was our little gift from heaven and she loves her big brothers. And they have said she is never dating. Ha! I told J that if he is still in the Navy when she's 16, I'm sending her to him to raise! He had a couple of wild years in there and I have the grey hair to prove it. But the Navy has totally changed him and it's going to be interesting to see how being with the Marines is going to influence his behavior!

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning, Ladies! (I guess) I'm at work, but not yet working. I work at our elementary school, 3 blocks from home, as a paraeducator. I do RtI interventions, which is a state mandated form of tutoring (with lots of paperwork!) I am also a Doula on the side. J is my oldest, 21; our only daughter is 19, and 2 more boys at 15 and 11. Never a dull moment at my house! School starts in a few, so I'll catch everyone later- have a great day!

Cheif, Please may I have a cup of great smelling coffee. lol OMG, You all have Great professions, lets see we have a OR Nurse, A Legal Assistant and a Teacher who is also a Doula...and then you have Me, I am a stay at home chronic pain patient of 17 yrs. before I had a life, I was a pharmaceutical Representative. I have a Hubby of 28 years and 3 adult children daughter 27, my only son 25 and my "I hope you get one just like you", I did shes 19 and I could trade every gray hair with my mother. LOL I do some volunteering with the red cross and the food bank in my County to stay sane. Ha

Judy - I was a stay at home Mom for over 7 years before going back to school and then to work. I miss those days! We do the 4 ten hour days and since the baby goes to preschool at 9:00 a.m., I have work Tues through Fri 10-8. Yuck. But I've been here for 10 years now and love the attorneys I work with, so that makes up for the long days!

Pam, Ya need to love where you work...I loved my job and worked so very hard to land it. Not even a year on the job when I had several large boxes of product fall knock me to the ground. UGH!! I never recovered from it. Being able to stay home this way was hell for the kids growing up...I would attend their school functions, be team mom etc. but boy the next 3 days a week I was Down!! Not fair. LOL It is what it is...

OH, I heard from Katie T's gf she said T text her "Not much extra time...at least he will have the weekends off. The environment is like a mixture of both bc and a school, but fmtb makes school look like a vacation". Any of you get that from your Corpsman?!

P-Bear'sMom, T circled the 18th of December on my blotter.

Chieff88 - The Tall gene runs in our family also! J is the only one that didn't get it and he's actually pretty tall at 5'11"!! My younger son is 6'5" with a size 14 shoe. I didn't hear from J last night but I checked Facebook this morning and he had a new status that didn't sound like he was liking it too much. I'm sure once they get into the maneuvers and actual training he'll like it better. We did a lot of camping and hiking while he was growing up, so he loves the outdoor stuff. I know the training they're facing doesn't compare to a civilian weekend camping trip, but it's more the challenge of new things that J thrives for. So yes, the waiting around getting briefed is not his cup of tea! He did say they only get about 2 hours for down time.

Happy Friday everyone!!

I took half the school day off because I feel terrible! Had horrible migraine last night, plus I'm battling sciatica. Makes for a long day :( Anyway, I too was a stay at home mom-kinda- did home daycare of 12 years while my kids were little. When my youngest was 3, he went to preschool and I helped out there. Then I taught the 3 year old class when he was in the 4 yo class. I started at the school when he started kindergarten, so we've never really been apart! Next year he changes buildings and I will be lost! J texted me last night just to say he'll call Sat. He's tall for our family at 6' 1''. Large feet- size 15. Hubby is only 5' 9" and I'm 5' 5". Boy, I'm windy today! I need to get a nap before the boys come home from school. I will have to ask J what he knows about graduation...it will impact our travel plans in a BIG way!

Becky, I too had a pain flare up since Wednesday after the 5 hour trip in the car to deliver T to CP. I relish these pain flare-ups because they are like a snowball racing down hill...gaining momentum as each hour passes and no pain reliever in my home arsenal would touch it. I carefully considered going to the hospital for a stronger reliever but thought different at the thought of sitting in an uncomfortable chair for who knows how long...to suffer more for relief was not on the itinerary...so I watched my programs on the television until completely exhausted in the wee hours and fell asleep. Well I was pleased to find out that God had answered my prayers when I woke up the pain was set back to normal chronic pain.

JudyB- chronic pain isn't any fun at all! I thank God that all of my many ailments are treatable at this point (I also have polycythemia vera, a blood disorder). Things may change in the future, but I can't dwell on what may be. I'm feeling somewhat better after my nap, but not up to par just yet. Thank goodness it's a weekend!

Becky, I'm so happy you're feeling better!! Chronic sciatica is the result of a disc blow out at L4-5 S1it cut away at the sciatica.

I received a text from J. They actually finished up early today!

I have thrown my back out several times and although mine is purely muscular in nature, it can be a week from hell. Literally. I had problems with my sciatic nerve when I was pregnant at 38 with our little one. Ouch. I really do feel for anyone with chronic pain and hope that modern medicine can develop a little faster to treat it.

Carol, If C has liberty this weekend could he rest,hydrate and nourish?! Nighquil has come out with a viral med to ward off the side affects, just a thought...

I told J to have a beer when he told me they finished early today. He said he was going to stay away from all the bad stuff this weekend. He said they are in for some serious PT next week. My husband seems to be glued to the Military Channel here lately. I mentioned that J will be home on Dec. 18 or around there. He said he didn't want him to come home because it was too hard to see him leave. Dad is having a hard time still.. :) Hard to let go ladies and yet excited for J at the same time!! If that even makes sense!! Hormones!! LOL

PB'sMom, Yes...Carols son C, My T and Becky's son are all in Platoon #1. T text me and said "Hi Mom, I miss you", OoooMG did I need that!! He said he will be graduating dec16th and home by the 18th, then it's 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer for the next 6 yrs. I asked if he was going to the gym this weekend, he said that and running!! He is sooo excited but yet has trepidation...the book part of fmtb is a piece of cake but the rest is going to be grueling...

J confirmed last night that he's in Platoon #2. And one of his friend's from Great Lakes is Platoon #3. It looks like they started out in Phase II liberty. He said Monday starts the craziness but heard after the first week, it gets better. I keep track of him on FB also although he did call us last night. Seems he hasn't seen the sun in three days because it's so cloudy. Is that normal for this time of year in CA?

Good Morning & Happy Saturday!! Pam, Our coastal weather hasn't been normal the last 2 years. Sept, Oct & Nov. are usually our summer months where we see" Indian summers". Lately the marine layer has been hanging around...and we don't want it here. We didn't even see the Sun until 4:30 pm yesterday!!

Chief son J, Carols son C, and my T are All in platoon #1...I think Becky said her son and Ruth VH son are either at fmtb and in platoon #1.

J is actually in platoon 2. I may have said 1, but I was probably medicated!! I was promised a phone call today, so I'm sitting on a heating pad with the phone nearby. Hope everyone has a good weekend and hears from their guys!!

Okay Than... Looks like Carol, Chief & Judy's son is the only corpsman in platoon #1 got it!! t called me last night said he has Order's for December 16th Graduation. I will mention to T about thick socks...he has the highest arches and dry feet, like mine so hopefully he is mindful.
Becky, Still not feeling any better...Huh!! Well I hope you can get some relief from the heating pad...sorry, I been there so I can empathize...
T said that they had PTS and had to run 11/2 miles yesterday. My response is get into that gym and strengthen those back muscles to carry all that weight!! He said that even if you had tickets for the "Navy Ball" the new corpsman could not attend.

My hubby and I took a walk into our little beach town of Shell Beach this morning for a cup of Cafe Mocha and to sit on the patio with our dogs...when on our way home we saw the 101 hwy all stopped up like a parking lot going Southbound. We got home put the dogs in the house and p reseeded south on the 101(traffic had lightened some) when we noticed a hwy patrol car pacing us on the 101...we soon found out why! A car came off the 101 onto the frontage road Shell Beach Road smashed through a chain link fence rolled several times, threw the driver out the windshield onto the frontage RD where he laid "Dead" and covered up by a yellow blanket!! The car looked like a smashed up tin can with half of it's body left behind about 50 yrds. It was an eerie site to say the least. 3 hours later I have to take my daughter to work in that mess; the 101 is still a parking lot 3 hrs later, I tried to take the frontage road to a point they still had the crime seen taped across both lanes so we asked the police officer how to get my daughter into Pismo Beach to work at Splash Cafe; Teh officer said you cannot walk on the crime seen you have to walk on the beach to get to work, that's like1/2 mile of walking on the beach...needless to say she walked down the cliff onto the beach...what would have taken 10 min. to get to work took her a half hour. OH,it's the clam festival this weekend so that adds another 50 billion people to the mix...crazy morning!!

Got a short call from J- only about 8 minutes because the kid forgot to charge his phone! But that's ok, it was good to hear his voice. He, too, says graduation is the 16th and he is supposed to be overseas on the 20th. So, somehow we are going to try to find the money to take the 5 of us out there for a few days. He says he has buddies in his platoon, which makes me feel better. Judy- sounds like you've had one heck of a day! Thanks for everyone's concern - I shall survive! I see my hemotologist Thursday, so I'm hoping she can offer some relief. It's been a beutiful day in West Central Illinois- hope everyone has had a good day!

Becky, I have seen round trip tickets from Chicago to San Diego for in the $200.00 range, if you can go on line and type in "best rates from Chicago to SD" and it will give you a lot to choose from. You can ask for the sites to contact you by e-mail for the best rates when they are posted...that's what I did, and they still contact me after the fact.
OH, Camp Pendelton has beach shacks for rent, it's like 30.00 per night. What I have heard is their not to bad. Just a thought...Good Luck!!

Judy - you might want to add a glass of wine after a day like that. How devastating to see something like that. My younger son was in a horrendous crash two years ago and we thank God every day for sparing his life. He had his guardian angel looking out for him is all I can say. $200 to fly to San Diego is really good. I pulled airfare from Atlanta last week and it was coming in the high 300 range. December 16 is also our anniversary. 22 years and counting! I doubt very much I'll be able to make this grad.

Can you believe it 7 hours later the 101 is still a parking lot from that fatal accident!! OMG, I live off of the same frontage road where that poor souls body laid but about 1 mile north. The traffic coming from the north I guess didn't want to sit on the freeway so they got off the 101 just now and Shell Beach Road is now like a parking lot!! And the drivers in these cars are riding south in the turning lane, making another lane going south. So I called 911 and informed them that there could be trouble...

Pam, congrats on the 22yrs. of blissful marriage...well most of the time, right!! giggle..

If anyone would like pics taken of their Corpsman, I would be more than Happy to Katie T's GF take as many as possible. Katie has one of those Cannon computerized cameras that can do absolutely anything!!

Thanks for the infor, ladies! I had briefly looked at prices a while back, but now that I know we will be going I need to be checking more seriously. If he were able to come home we wouldn't bother with going. But I HAVE to go since I don't know when we'll see him again, ya know? I don't see us going to Okinawa!! Everybody start praying now that my health straightens out so I can make the trip~ Have I mentioned lately how much I appreciate all of you?!

You have know Idea the senseless act that was committed today!! The driver of the vehicle tried to take his life on our freeway today by careening into a Husband & wife taking a morning walk in our beautiful beach town on a frontage road with sidewalks. They were slammed into by this careless Individual an scattered onto the street as if they were slaughtered animals. I'm soooo trying to not pass judgment...but how irresponsible and this individual was not even an American citizen!!

P-Bear's Mom, Guess what T is in the same squad and Platoon as Your cub!!

Carol, the local news just reported the husband was decapitated. I have been praying for these souls that they didn't suffer and I gave thanks for this family that they were taken together and they didn't suffer. It's just a raw feeling...when death is in the air and so close to home.

Carol, okay now your doing math again...HaHa LOL Thanks for the info.

Becky - I think we're the only one's with kids in Platoon 2 or 2nd Platoon as my husband just corrected me!! The two J's!! 1st Platoon seems to be rockin.

Judy - how horrible. I'm sorry, but suicide is the selfish way out. I understand that mental illness often times goes undiagnosed and untreated, but I know of several families that have had to deal with it and it is devastating.

J's birthday is next month. His 21st no less. I'm trying to think of a way I can send him a small cake. Any suggestions on a bakery that will ship overnight? There was one that I knew of in Texas, but I can't remember the name!

Yep - the everything neat and tidy lasted about three days when J came home. And then his stuff was everywhere!

Well, as J posted on FB, the beatdown begins tomorrow. I don't imagine we'll be hearing much from him next week. He said he still has yet to see the sun since leaving home last Tuesday. That may actually be a good thing if they're outside a lot. The weather here in Atlanta is absolutely gorgeous. 80 tomorrow and NO humidty! We could use some rain though.

I'm off work on Mondays but still have to get my younger son to community service at 6:45 a.m. and the 4 year old to Preschool at 9:00 a.m. They keep me from getting lazy that's for sure!

Have a great week everyone!

Has anyone gotten an address yet? J was going to get that to me, but hasn't yet. He called last night, but had to go because they called muster. I'm worried about his knee. He was "wrestling" with a friend while he was home on leave and may have tweaked it. Hopefully since it's been a week, it's had a chance to heal. When do boys stop wrestling?

LOL - boys will be boys! Sassygril0227 - I'll send you a friend request and if you could PM me, that would be great. I'm thinking ahead to his birthday next month. He is on my mind so much today!! I guess because they are getting down and gritty and I'm off work. Work really helps me keep my mind off of things. Until, of course, I'm there and then I can think of a million things I could be doing at home! Ha, ha!

Happy Monday Moms, What a beautiful start to the work week, we had a thunder storm run through here yesterday and today the sun is shining the rain washed away built up gunk on the streets etc. We haven't had rain in about 3months and all is good in the neighborhood!

Pam, have you heard of the cake in a jar on our N4M's sites to send J...just a thought!

Talked to T quite a lot this weekend and he tells us that there will be 2/ 4day holidays off while in fmtb so he wants to pick up his car and take it with him but has to get ins. in his name(he is under our umbrella). I asked T what was he expecting to encounter at fmtb he said "hell". I asked him if he was stressed out over the thought...he said "I'm going to have to go through it eventually so why stress about it before it happens, I just have to be prepared for it". So looks like he is prepared!! Good Luck to All our Corpsman this week!!

Everyone go out and make it a Great day!! I have to run to Dr. appointments

ok, I feel stupid---I have no idea what "muster" means~

My son is in Platoon 2, i was also wondering what muster was, but felt kind of silly to ask.

Trust me, I felt stupid the other day when I had to ask if it's Corpsman or Corpsmen!! I literally told myself Duh!! So, please ask any question. You know what they say about that! There's no question that's.....etc. My son is also in Platoon 2.

In our talk last night J said that the base is so huge that he really wishes he had his car but since he's only there 8 weeks, he'll survive. A cab is $30 from where he's at to the "main" side of base. That is steep so I hope they can go in together on a ride. He said there is also a shuttle, but you have to switch buses almost three times to get to main side. He also said they have test on Wed. Getting the four different phases of liberty is based of your score. He started out in Phase II and has to go back to earning the privilege to wear civilian attire. I think it's probably a good thing he went right from A School to FMTB!! If he'd have been out in the fleet and then had to go back to liberty phases, he'd have probably been going crazy!

thanks! I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who doesn't understand all the lingo. I have texted J a few times, but I told him Sat. during his call not to worry about answering until the weekends. I tend to forget questions, etc, if I don't ask right away, so I drop him a note. He'd said he'd send me his address, he has it, but so far haven't gotten it. Probably this weekend. I hope all the corpsmen get some rest tonight- they're probably exhausted!

Just got off the phone with a very tired Corpsman! Just like Carol's son - up at 3 - well he said someone actually set their alarm for 2:30 a.m. in anticipation and then slept through it and woke everyone else up. My son prayed for the kid because he truly wanted to do him harm. Oh boy.....LOL. Very grueling day for them. But he laughed and said he was tired as heck, but he survived!! He also had another Corpsman who graduated FMTB last March (and is attached to a Unit) stop him and gave him a few pointers. Knife (to open MRE), flashlight, THICK socks and hard candy. So J immediately went and bought those. He also said the Food rocks!! Steak last night for dinner (and it wasn't a small one!!).. Oh, and the best of all he said was soft serve ice cream!! Low fat kind but their burning so many calories he said he can pretty much eat anything...

And they say the way to a man's heart is through their stomach. LOL - he must have talked about the food three times!

Yikes -feeling sorry for his bunkmate!! LOL!!

Looks like the steak dinner was a hit tonight after a tough day...Not to much time for personal use and to study. T wishes he hadn't brought 2 sea bags with moving the bunks and all.

Carol, T caught that bug going around, yuck!!

Pam, I heard his voice tonight and it sounded so hoarse; I asked What happened talked to you last night before muster and you were fine?! He said I have it under control, Mom!! I said sudifed, ibuprofen?! He "You got it" and they are reviewing foot care and body fluids for when they go out in the elements.