Camp Pendleton Corpsmen Moms

Hi all, looks like we have a few new members! yay! welcome! glad you all found this forum!

NavyFiancee-the first few weeks of FMTB i think were the hardest. the communication then starts to pick up again. the tests are hard but certainly not impossible, but they must study study study!! they are also def challenged physically of course but it pays off. when they spend the time if the field, communication is shut off again. and even though you spend the time worrying, they spend the time "playing". yeah it doesn't seem like the most fun sometimes when they are there, but certainly afterwards they come away saying that it was so fun! my bf was going though it in jan and it was really cold in the mornings cause they didn't let them wear coats or anything. so they would just huddle up really close. talk about getting to know your neighbor! but it  isn't so bad right now temp wise.

anyways, we are here to answer any questions that anyone may have.

i am living here now cause we knew thats where he was gettting stationed after FMTB. but he is talking about trying to deploy now in the middle of feb of next year with some of his friends... boo!!!!!! but only like 18 days now till we get to go on vacation!! yippie! just me and him and the road!

Hey jesspoo do you live on base? My daughter just moved into base housing with her husband who is a Marine, so she doesn't know anyone there except some Marines lol. Yes what I remember about FMTB was the tests and to make sure you pass them as my son failed one and got demoted down to having muster up every night until he passed the makeup test so wasn't much fun when you are exhausted to have to line up then go back to bed. I loved the video that Carol had posted because it showed the things they were doing so when my son would call and talk about things I would know what he was talking about.

Navyfiancee I think the hardest thing about when he was at FMTB was he was so close but so far as too far to drive down there for who knows how much time off he would have. The good thing was they could call when they were not in the field. If you are going to send care packages for the field make sure you send them early as one I sent he almost didn't get it before they went on the big field trip.

HvnlySno, don't send care packages until Corps School.The RDCs will eat them in front of your recruit. Send paper items like news stories or print up comics. I sent kids school work, from my class and our own kids. The more you write the better. 

Joan F, I live on base, we in Wire Mountain. If she wants my email let me know. My Corpsman leaves for Japan October 1, I need friends. 

My husband compared late night muster to being up with our babies at night!

I remember sending cookies, jerky, snacks and such to A school. The guys and instructors liked when my son got a package. In FMTB I sent him jolly ranchers, wisp toothbrushes and such when he went out into the field. It seemed like it took longer to get his stuff at CP than A school which was at Great Lakes still and I live in CA.

I hear you MrsS those late nites with babies is something else. He really paid for his not passing that one test as it was hard for him to lay down then get up to muster then back to bed and then up early.

In BC they really arent allowed to have stuff like that. they may have decaffe possibly, but know my bf said that they had sugar free jello even, and diet soda. so not sure how well coffee would go over.

joanF-I don't live on base cause i am only his gf, and the day we get married he will move into my apt, which is right next to base. but it really would be great to meet some more women around here!! if your daughter want to chat you can give her my email or find me on FB. just ask me and i will send you it.

Enjoy that vacation Jess!  Sounds like you need a break.  I've had my airbags deploy on me before and it's not the nicest feeling at all.  I remember my knuckles were red (burned) from the dust/powder that comes out of them.  My car at the time was a 2003, so they might have had the "old" type of bags.   But still, glad your ok.

Thanks Ruth for the shipping advice!  My mother always sent cookies to our teachers...RDCs are no different! 

Jess, glad to hear you are ok!  Enjoy, relax, re-group on vacation.  All will be well!  I'm glad you bf was there for you!

Ruth - does this apply for reserves corpsmen as well?  I would imagin they are trained the same...if not, he might be able to go back to his civilian job inbetween A school and going on to C school at CP.  FMTB is only 40 days right?  I'm still trying to get used to all the terminology!  I am just trying to get a sense of it all.  My Sailor has been told several different things and asked me to research this for him. 

He at least (I think) knows what he's supposed to be doing...just the time frames and what his deployment status is going to be.  We know he has to be top 10 in his class for FMF.  But I'm not sure why.  I understand why as active duty...but for a reservist my understanding is that you know where your going and have already made your choices.  So a little confused on that point. 

He should have just arrived at SA for A school, I know they have to class up and that might take a while.  So when I was projecting the december graduation...it was just an estimate.  The last CP C school class is already underway as far as I can tell (aug 1) so it's all so hard to sort out!  I feel like I'm talking in circles now!  LOL! 

Thank you all for bearing with me and thanks Ruth for your experience and sharing it with me!  Maybe if I break it down into small chunks I'll get a better understanding of what goes on!  So, let's start with A school....I'll do my research and be back with better questions later!  ;)

My son went through FMTB from October of last year until mid-December.  Can't believe it's been almost an entire year!  Crazy! 

Good luck to your son Gloria and hopefully you'll get a few more classmates.

Hi Cali-Mom!  I thought the last class started already!  Boy, when you think you have the Navy figured out...bam!  I guess we won't really!  I'm trying to figure this all out since we are trying to fit in a vacation!  We have decided on visiting Cali with my Sailor....but from the sound of it...they may get leave before heading to FMTB?  Any details would be most welcome! 

Congrats to your son on his accomplishment!!

Thanks and yes you never can figure it out...I believe he starts the second week of October and ends mid December. He is on hold at the hospital until then. My son did get leave after A school graduation and has been home until yesterday. He also went in to his original recruiter station to put in a few days to get back some leave.  Hopefully he will use them for Dec (but who knows if that will work).

Ruth VH-December 15 I believe is the date.

Gloria-I'm a participant...I'll be on this adventure with you.lol

I've been on vacation from work since 8/24 and will return on Tuesday (yuck) and haven't missed it at all. I could get used to this only if I hit the lotto though. It was great having him home (actually he was more with his frenz) but still having him home was great. It was nice to see his frenz come back around.

Does anybody understand the food choices at Camp Pendleton? Are the Sailors paying for it themselves or is there some kind of reimbursement? Also it seems there are tons of fast food options but do they pay for that and not traditional mess hall? Not big on fast food for good nutrition... also trying to pinch pennies. Any feeback would be great. Note: done with BC and FMTB. He is stationed at a clinic for 2 years.