Camp Lejeune and FMTB-East Moms, Families and Friends

Kym, Navy Mom.....got your request. :)  

Tenn Navy Mom.. how are you doing? How is your Sailor?

Have any of you heard from your Sailor's that are graduating on 12/23 when they will be leaving CL? 

Our son will be reporting to CL after the holidays then off to Virginia for more training or schooling.  No sure what kind or how long.  Does anyone have info on the next step for us? Our son is on the rifle range this week and loving it!!!!  Counting the days until we see him.

Hi all.. sorry been so MIA.. school is keeping mu busy and the kids activites on top of everything else.   I "think" the grad date is Dec 23 and they head right away to their duty locations or next school.. My son will go back to Cherry Point which is his duty station.     I may have asked this before but are your Corpsman with Marines or with Navy?

TennNavyMom...How is he liking the deployment overall?  

Yes he is excited to get back.. he has a lot of plans ahead of him.. He will start working on his FMF pin he said right away and then his test for E4 is in March, so lots of studying ahead of him.  

He has been making some great friends along the way and I think having those around you that understand what you go through and have been there has been a unique connection you cannot find with your civilian friends. LOL  Most of all his best friends have become Marines so for him it has come full circle.

Hi Ladies,

I'm looking for a little insight - my son is in HM A school in San Antonio and will be choosing his orders this week. He will most likely choose FMTB - do they have the option to select CL or CP, or is that determined by someone else (MaNavy)? If any of you have had recent grads from Ft. Sam, are the quarters similar to those, or are they more like boot camp quarters?  Any other insights / suggestions are most welcome!   Thanks for your help!

I dont know if they get to chose FMTB per say.  Jobs and locations are picked by GPA in class.. if you are not in the top, you get what is left once it makes it to you.   My son chose to go green side, (with Marine unit) but did not go straight to FMTB, it took a few months for him to go.  SO depending on what job your Sailor gets will determine when he goes to FMTB, I have heard of some not going to FMTB for a few years.   There were 2 to a room when my son was at Ft Sam Houston. He said it was like a hotel room. 

@mamawalrus - the waiting is over, no FMTB for now.  My son is headed to Pensacola for C school.

Renee.. what is he going to be doing?

Kym....when are you getting to the graduation?

@mamawalrus - he's going to C school for Aerospace Medical Technician - they work with the flight surgeons to keep the pilots well.  Sounds like lots of flight physicals, but I don't really know beyond the course descriptions I've read online.  Once he's finished in May, he'll choose new orders.  He's excited and we're happy for him (especially since this will keep him in the east for a little while longer!).   Thank you for asking!  Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas!

Kym...I am not sure how the grad will be set up.. but if you could try and find my guy and snap a pic that would be great!   His last name is Vasquez and is in Platoon 4 I believe or maybe that is your sons platoon. I am confused. LOL  

Any pic you can get of the ceremony would be great as well.....I will send you my email in PM if you are able to download them and send.  Thank you in advance.

Have a safe trip and will keep you all in my prayers!   

I will definately give it my best shot!!!! I am getting so  excited!!!!!  Kids are all busy getting ready to go.  Busy house full of excitement!!!  

I think you are right about platoon 4 because mine is in platoon 1.  I will see what I can do!  i will keep you posted.

thanks, and got your message''>)

Anybody else have a great Xmas?  Our sailor surprised us all and came home on Xmas Eve.  It was AWESOME!!!

Returned home  from a week in NC with our son.  So wonderful to see him.  He did get engaged while we were there,  We took his girlfriend with us,  Weather was a little chilly but wouldnt trade that week for anything!  Such a killer to leave him.  Happy New Year to all!!!!  Have a wonderful night.

Oh By the way...if you are going to FMTB graduation at Camp Johnson have your cub call the DAY OF graduation for a parking pass, not the day before.  Almost didnot get in.  My husband went in two times trying to get us in and they wouldnt let him.  He told me to give it a try if I thought it would help.  I did not drive 14 hours to not see my son graduate.   I went in and asked what we were supposed to do, his phone was off and he was lining up for graduation.  There was another mom there in the same boat.....That poor man at the desk did not stand a chance!!!!!  I am so thankful for his kindness for letting us in!!!  Thank you sir.   

In re the car pass, I got mine the day before graduation.  My understanding is that the sailor has to call the Visitor Center on the same day that you are picking up your pass.  The center is open 24/7, phone # 910-451-2197.

TNM when will you be there ? I will be at CL around the first week in Feb : ) for my sons homecoming : )

Hi all.. been awhile.. alot going on here so not much time for me.  

Kim...My son was able to send me some pics and they put some of Fb as well.

I am glad to hear you are now a soon to be MIL.. did you know he was going to propose?  How exciting you were able to be a part of that.

TennNavyMom.....Oh I know you are so excited!  I have kept your words near to my heart and pray for your son (and you).  Keep me posted.

MIkesmom...congrats on your soon to be homecoming as well!

Hey all, here's a great video from yesterday's homecoming in Jacksonville  - rather than a news story, the camera just runs with natural sound.  Awesome!

LINK:  22nd MEU returns to Lejeune

Nearly 300 Marines and sailors with Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment and Combat Logistics Battalion 22 returned to Camp Lejeune Saturday to family and friends after a 10-month deployment at sea with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Marcy, that was a great video.. My heart was beating so fast hearing the horn on those buses as they pulled in. What a great moment to capture.  

Tenn Navy mom...so happy he is back!  We will keep our prayers for those still there or preparing to go.  Hugs to you

Tenn Navy Mom, please tell your Corpsman "Welcome Home" from us!!!  Glad he's home!!!

Marcy thanks my friend : )

My son was amongst the almost 3000 coming home .. TNM I text you early Sunday morning letting you I was there.. I was hoping to beable to connect with you before our sons got back home... Maybe some other time... I'm so glad your son is back home : ) What a true blessing

TNM - Its always so crazy during Homecomings : ) How is your son doing ? My son will be leaving CL and going to Bremerton ... His contract is up and he is going back to the Blue side.. Thank Goodness !!! When he told me I started to cry..

Got news today.. son is being deployed next month.  Looking to see if anyone knows if the Navy lets them come home first?  He was suppose to be home for 2 weeks end of March but that will change now since he is leaving the end of March for deployment

Hi mamawalrus, usually they get a couple weeks pre-deployment leave but that may change depending upon training, etc.  Hopefully, he'll be able to come home for a bit before heading out.

Kathy...where is your son stationed at now?  I only hope mine can be home that long!  I will PM you...

HI Ladies.. looks like I will be taking an unexpected trip to CL to see my son before deployment.. Can anyone help with how far Jacksonville airport is to CL? are there hotels near base?   My son things we should rent a car so is it a straight shot to base from airport if I do rent the car?

mamawalrus, click on the "View All" tab under Discussion Forum above and go to the discussion on "where to stay" at Camp LeJeune.  When I visited last fall for my son's homecoming I stayed at the beach on Emerald Isle.  Historic Beaufort up the coast is suppose to be nice for a visit.  Not much really attractive on or around the base.  If I remember correctly, Jacksonville Airport (Albert J. Ellis) was about 30-40 minutes from base depending upon traffic getting into and out of base.

Vettespace.. thank you, I found it..

My what a quiet group!  With a Field Med class going on & grad in about four weeks, it'll be beach weather for anyone going.  Can't believe it's been two years since I went to graduation...great experience.

Hi Glenda, my son deployed to the "sandbox" last year as an IA with a unit out of CL (returned in Sept.).  Now it looks like he'll be headed back to CL this summer for his next duty assignment somewhere within 2MarDiv.  Let us know if you have any questions.  Keep the faith!

Vette- be sure to have your cub look mine up when he gets to CL in June! Mine is with the 2ndMARDIV now but his new orders have in moving closer to home in the fall.

Glad you got to hear from your son : ) My son just left CL after 3 1/2  years and is headed for Washington State with his new orders...

Morning Navy Family...eldest child heads out soon for Lejeune. Will be stationed at the hospital. Looking to connect with moms that know this area...thanks!

My son heads to Camp LeJeune this summer. I realize it's better to speak less than say more, so to keep him safe and out of hot water, I'll share more of my perception than his information. I've experienced a variety of emotions since he enlisted last autumn, and his penchant for being a Corpsman, a Doc to the Marines, is noble and scary both. After boot camp graduation, we took him to dinner at a local restaurant. The owner showed us to a table, then asked my boy where he was headed. When he answered, the owner said, "Son, I'm a Marine. Thank you so much for your service. We'll always feel a bond for our Corpsmen." I saw a bond between the two of them, something outside of our family. It was a blunt and bold reminder that my son is his own person, and his experiences will be worldly, outside of our own circle of family. And we felt a surge of pride that has remained with all of us. 

Josephine, thank you for sharing this vignette, beautifully written and it perfectly describes the range of emotion and experience.

@Josephine...we just found out that our son will be heading to Camp LeJeune this summer as well.  I too have experienced a range of emotions and yet my proudness of our son has superseded my worry at sadness.  Of course it is the rollercoaster of emotions we all experience.  I have no idea what to expect when he gets down there to Camp LeJeune.  Do any of you mothers know if they are still allowed to have contact via cell phone and Skype, or are they cut off as they were in their original Navy bootcamp?  

Can anyone give me an idea of what time of room my son will have at Camp Lejeune? He had a really nice room and closet in SA, and I am afraid he is under the impression he will have something similar. He is planning on dragging out there a mountain of stuff.

Thanks...he is all checked in as of yesterday. Thrilled to have his own TV and WiFi...not exactly thrilled with the "newness" of his environment. He did meet a Navy Chief that is from our hometown...he purchased a Ball ticket for our boy...that made him happy. Seems he has made some new friends and was hanging out last night. 

Good Morning all! My son just arrived at Camp Lejeune this week. He hasn't checked in yet, but should soon. He has spent the past two years working in a clinic on the reserve base in New Orleans. He is excited to finally be assigned to a Marine Unit. I must admit that I was happy with him working on a Reserve Base!
Can anyone tell me what I can expect with him being at CL?