Corpsman Moms

Guess what TDM, I was going to drop a hint that I know someone in the neighborhood...you!  Wouldn't that be cool?  

Five10Fevr, my sailor just started Lab Tech C school in SA in May.  From what he has said for Lab Tech training, there is six months of class room instruction done in SA.  In his classes there is both Navy and Army.  "They" are also trying to work in the Airforce requirements, and plan on having future classes include Navy, Army and Airforce.  After class instruction there will be six months of clinical training, done either in SA, San Diego, or I believe Virginia (I could be wrong about the last location).

Good morning!!!

Here we are, at Great Lakes still as my son just graduated June 10th from the bootcamp.  He will be shipping out this weekend to start his HM class for the next 14 weeks.  Needless to say that I am very very proud of him!! I am also very happy that this bootcamp part belongs to the past!!  And now to look up for the future in the Navy!  Oh do not get me wrong here but bootcamp was an experience for a mom that you cannot forget... :) Have a great day!!!

DH987, congrats on the new sailor, from SR, to SN, to HN.  It's a journey!  I got a chuckle out of my son's voicemail when I left him a message yesterday.  He's so proud of his new designation his voicemail message now say, "You have reach the phone of HN ________, please leave a message."

Victoria, it takes quite a while to earn FMF, it's not a regular course, seems like it's self paced but they want it done in a certain time period. I know my son earned it, and then one of his corpman buddies left the Navy after he was not awarded FMF. I think his enlistment was up and he wasn't encouraged to return.? maybe? anyway, it seems to be one step towards more promotions.

djaltic, all the links I've found are up above, please share if you find any good new ones!

Victoria... what is your son doing now?  Do they get more then one chance to take the test?

@Mamawalrus, Right now my son is a Blood Coodinator attached to a Marine unit in "A" he's already completed the FMTB training and they have him working on the FMF. I'm confused on the testing part, he took a written and an oral exam. Written he passed, oral he did not & yes they will allow him to retake. He said it's difficult because you have to immediately give answer, no real thinking about it and it's Navy and Marine stuff. He says he knows it, but can't get it out quick enough. The job he's doing is actually above his rank & that's why they're pushing his FMF (nothing like being deployed and having to study your butt off...LOL) and he's supposed to get a merit promotion when he gets back for the job he's doing now, he's already received 1 promotion since he's there. It's very confusing to me :)

Texas and Tenn moms....you answered my question! YEAH>>> I am not confused now.. hahahahahahaha

I was confused about the FMF part, i thought maybe you had to earn the pin first before you could be FMF.  Ok so my son got his wish list and picked FMF, he is thinking he will probably get that and go straight to FMTB after graduation.  He will graduate July 26th.

Tenn Navy mom... so the other 16 assigned to Marines are different how then the other 7?  My son wants infantry I think so is there a special thing he needs to ask for?

nursemom (Lisa) - I am clerical staff, but I have had the opportunity to work with both psych nurses and patients.  There is rarely a dull moment and you learn some really interesting things.  There is not a lot of money to be made in the private sector in psych, that's why there is a shortage of Drs.  I agree with you, if it was my choice I would of went Cardiovascular.  This is a huge money maker in the private sector, and right after Diagnostic Imaging, one of the fastest growing areas of Healthcare.

Here's the progression:

1) A School Corpsman in San Antonio

2) FMTB either in California or North Carolina (see links above)

3) IF assigned to a Marine unit, known as going "greenside", then work on the FMF qualification begins, and is hopefully earned.

Not all corpsmen serving greenside with the Marines will earn FMF. So yes, you have to earn the pin/qualification to be called an FMF Corpsman. It is not an automatic given that because a corpsman is greenside that he will have the knowledge and training to earn the FMF pin.

My son volunteered for FMTB while in A School, then went with a Marine unit where he earned his FMF. Sounds like the same plan your son has, Mamawalrus!