Corpsman Moms

HM Mom Ruth----   This is our first Christmas without our sailor/corpsman/son as well.  I have not seen my son since late August. It will be just me and my hubby of 42 years having steak and watching old movies after I play and sing at mass.   I hope that we will get a phone call from the corpsman cub.   Hugs to you!

Mary

Thanks, all.  You remind me to count my blessings.  I have a husband that loves me and my corpsman is far away in Rhode Island, but not in harms way.  Enjoy your Christmases, with or without your sailors.  

Dawn,  I received the gift card for the young Corpsman.  Thanks so much and I am getting it to her.  We are still trying to find out what else she needs and also hoping to have her and her infant sister over for Christmas dinner.  The outpouring of love for this young girl is wonderful. 

@ Tamme I must have missed something. Who is this young Corpsman you are speaking about and is there anything I can do to help out????

Below is my post of a few weeks ago:

Hi,

I wanted to pass this story on knowing that many of you are always looking
for things to pass on to families in need.

We have a Sailor that is fresh out of Corpsman School who reported to Naval
health Clinic Charleston today - this is her first duty station and she is a
20 year old E-1. She is in need of the community's support.

Her mother died a few days ago - while giving birth. With no other
relatives, she has stepped up and has taken custody of the infant (her
sister.) As a 20 year old E-1 who was planning on living in the dorms, she
is now faced not only with raising her sister as her own, but moving into a
house or apartment (because children are not allowed in the dorms.)

She has no furniture, no infant supplies...she basically has the clothes
that she had at Corpsman School. We want to rally around this Sailor. We all
have connections within the community...friends...business owners...folks
who can help her with this unexpected burden.

If any of you can help tell this Sailor's story in the days to come...it
would be much appreciated. Everyone here at Naval Health Clinic Charleston
are pitching in to donate what we can, but we are a small Command. With the
Community's help - we can do a great thing in the life of this Sailor and
her infant sister.

For folks interested in donating baby items, furniture, gift-cards, etc...We
will have representatives from several different organizations at the corner
of Redbank Road and North Rhett Blvd this Friday (18 Nov) next to the
Walgreens. We will have a moving truck there ready to fill! Base housing has
been approved and it is our intention to have her new home furnished and
ready to move in when she returns from temporary leave in North Carolina.

She is on leave now tying up all of the legal loose ends that come with
becoming permanent guardian of her infant sister. If you could all work your
magic (as you did last week) and help us get the message out - it would be
greatly appreciated.

It is just amazing to me what can happen when you reach out to good people.
THANK YOU all for your compassion and effort on behalf of this young Sailor.
I told our Commanding Officer this morning that this Sailor is NEVER going
to forget her first duty station - and she is lucky that it was Charleston!

@Tamme, i too feel like i missed a chunk of news! Is there anything that i could do to help out .Such a tragic story but boy doesnt everyone step up to help out ?

Tamme... where can we look for more information on this new Corpsman?

WIndhaven....I know time is going by so fast.. I remember A school and the countdown.  He will be back at Cherry Point for another two years.  

We are hoping to have Nick next year.. LOL

What a blessing to have Matt home.. how does he like school?

Wishing you a Merry Christmas as well and Happy New Year.

@ Tamme what can Ido to help? I am in Louisiana if you will send me info I will be glad to send a giftcard or something. But let her know that she is in my prayers as she will need many of them for years to come. God bless her!!!!

I am trying to get an updated "need" list from her Commander.  My address is 509 Planters Trace Drive, Charleston, SC 29412 if you want to do a giftcard.  Like you said, she will need many prayers for years to come.  The local community has been wonderful and the Navy has been very supportive as well - she has been given base housing.  Very unusual for an E-1.  Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Tamme Suggs

San Antonio note:

Attention San Antonio area military families, volunteers, supporters: Don't have plans for New Year's Eve? Looking for something to do that is fun and family friendly? The JW Marriott has agreed to allow our guests too book rooms at $117 per night which is a significant discount off regular rates. They also have Smores roasts, heated lazy river, and other activities during the evening! Call the JW Marriott and tell them you are booking with Operation Homefront to get this special rate!

Hi--my son just graduated Corpsman A School in San Antonio on December 13, came home for 2 weeks and flew to Pensacola on Thursday to start AVT C school next week.  I have not been able to find out much information about this program.  Can anyone fill me in, or send me to a website?  He texted me yesterday that he was off until Tuesday and that he is kind of bored right now because he is the only one on his floor and doesn't have a roommate yet. Too bad he couldn't have stayed at home for a couple more days before he had to report.   He was the only one from his class who went to this C school although there are others that are in Pensacola.  Thanks!

Hey everyone my husband is currently in boot camp, but he will be going to San Antonio for A-school to be a corpsman. Can you guys give me some input on how the transition from boot camp to A-school went for you?

@Jana - congrats on your son's arrival in Pensacola!  My son will be going to the same C school in March.  He is still in San Antonio.  I had a tough time finding info about this program, too.  I found the website for the Navy Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI Pensacola) which has some basic info for the 8406 AVT students.  Has your son said anything about his quarters?  Are they similar to what they have in San Antonio?  There were only 3 sailor's in David's class who are going to this school - from what I've read, the classes are fairly small - less than 40 in each session.   Best wishes to your son!

Thank you Kathy! This information helps so much! Happy New Year

Our son just graduated from FMTB on the 23rd.  He says he is going to Virginia soon for more training.  Does anyone have info on what they will be doing or where they will be?  Or how long he will be there?   He then will be going to 29 palms...any info on they would be wonderful also.  Thanks alot.

I remember my son went from Lajuene to Virginia with a convoy, they do some training there. Took them two days to get there because the vehicles kept breaking down and they drive so slowly. Also it was in VIrginia that I got the phone call about 14 Marines going down in the heat and how well the newly trained FMTB corpsmen handled the emergency. They do the actual job there, hitting IVs in helicopters, etc. Usually 29 Palms training is before deploying, is your son's Marine unit being deployed this year?  My son was assigned there briefly for some other thing for a while once as well.

Renee-my son was the only one in his class that is going to AVT C School.  I feel so sorry for him right now.  He left Thursday to fly to Pensacola and is the only one on his floor and does not have a roommate yet.  I wish he could have stayed home a few more days since he was going to be so alone.  He said he hasn't met anyone yet either.  Hopefully he will get a roommate and some neighbors tomorrow.  He said the room is kind of like the one he had in San Antonio.  It does have a microwave and a refrigerator.  He does have hot water in this room.  He said in his room in San Antonio they very rarely had hot water, so I'm sure he's glad about that.  I'm not sure what internet access is like though.  He has one of those air cards from Verizon and he uses that for his internet.  This was all the information I could get out of him about the room.  Getting any information out of him is like pulling teeth.  He will answer my questions, but with as little information as possible.  

Hey guys, do Corpsman have C-schools?

My son just left Thursday to go to to AVT C School in Pensacola.  He just graduated from Corpsman school in San Antonio on December 13.

Check the METC link above for information on C Schools.

I just got some texts from my son and it has just brought me to tears.  I feel so sorry for him.  He says he just hates being in Pensacola because he is practically the only corpsman there on his side of the base and it just feels so isolated.  He said if he knew it was going to be like this in the Navy he would have just gone to college.  Up until now, he has really enjoyed being in the Navy.  I think part of it is that he went to A school with quite a few sailors that were in his division at boot camp and he is the only one from his class in San Antonio that is going to this C school.  He said when he got there on Thursday all they did was give him a room and told him to come by on Tuesday, but didn't even tell him where anything was.  He said at least in San Antonio he had people to hang out with.  He said he did ask someone where things are and they helped him, but he said you would think the Navy would give him a mentor or something.  I just wish I could reach out and make things all better for him, but I know I can't.  It just breaks my heart.  

I have a question about these phases.....I know most of these guys/girls are going to A school straight from bootcamp and they still have earn their privleges but what about guys that have been at another post and have already been in the Navy for 2 years and are E3 or so and have already paid their dues at the other post. Are they still treated as they just came out of bc??? Just wondering....

@Jana, tell your sailor to hang in there and try to enjoy this down time.  Once he starts C school the training will be intense and he'll be wishing he had some down time.  I was lucky enough to have my sailor home for Christmas, and I found him studying to pass his licensing test one day.  He shared with me nearly a 1/3 of his C school class did not make it to clinical training. 

Having to check in over the holidays just makes it harder. They pretty much let everyone go on leave that wants to. Things will get better tomorrow when people are back from leave and are there to help.

@Jana - I hope your son has a better day tomorrow!  I'm sure it's difficult to get settled over the holidays.  We have a friend in the Coast Guard who just moved down there to get ready for flight school.  He's not alone!  Give him a collective "it's going to be all right" from us!

Thanks for all the encouragement and kind words.  I talked to my son today and he is doing much better.  2 of his buddies that he was in boot camp and A school with showed up today and are staying in the same building that he is, so he has some people to hang out with.  He still doesn't have a roommate, but at least he has some familiar faces around him.  He is feeling much better today, and so am I!!  

@Jana I'm so glad to hear you both are doing better. Its so hard on us moms when our kids are down and we are so far away and there is nothing we can do but listen and encourage. Good luck to him. Tell him to enjoy not having a roommate right now...it could be worse. At least he doesn't have to share the bathroom with anyone right now...haha Good luck to you both!!!

That's great news Jana - let me know how your son enjoys the coursework!

I was wondering if anyone has any information on Bethesda ? I can't seem to find any groups or any information . Thanks!

there is a Bethesda Naval Hospital group here on N4Ms - if you click on  ALL GROUPS at the top of this page, you can search for the group by name.  Best wishes!

I have a question, my husband asked me to ask(he is about to go to school for corpsman), does anyone here know of a FMF recon detailer phone number or e-mail address? Or know how to maybe get that info? Thank you!

Thank you so much Renee and Kalena ! I will check out the link . I have a sailor heading there after A school .

@Jana - has your son said anything about the internet service in his barracks?  I'm debating whether to upgrade the wifi card that David's using, or not.  Thanks for your help!

@Renee--my son said the internet connection in his room is kind of iffy--depends on how many people are on it, but said his internet card that he has from Verizon works great

Kathy-   Congratulations are in order for your son!    Does he know where he is going next?   My corpsman son is in Jacksonville, FLA.  

Mary

velvetlace- My son is also a corpsman in Jacksonville FL.  Mine is on a ship.

Kathy- I know you are proud!  Congratulations to your son!

Tomorrow my son heads to Okinawa Japan for a 2.5+ year duty as a Psych Tech. I am excited for him but at the same time wish he wasn't going so far away and for such a long time.  We have been fortunate to have 4 weeks with him.  He graduated C school on 12/16 and has been home since.  Hard to believe it is just about a year since he left for boot camp. 

@Nursemom, what an awesome experience for your corpsman.  I keep trying to talk my corpsman into an overseas experience when he finishes C school.    As much as I would miss him, I believe being exposed to other people and cultures helps us grow as individuals. 

@karenmjm- It is an awesome experience. He was fortunate enough to have 1st pick of duty stations.  He almost selected RTC but remembered that one of the reasons he joined the military was to be able to explore the world and to enjoy new life experiences.  He is really looking foward to experiencing the Japanese culture. He is really excited to get some good Sushi.  I hope he takes advantage of what the island has to offer.  I have to remain positive.  2.5 years seems like a long time to be sulking and missing him.

I was stationed there from 1980-84 and I LOVED it. The people there are just wonderful. I learned how to scub dive there and have never been any place else as beautiful. I know your son will love it and make some great memories. Now with skype and the internet he can stay in touch.

UFQ202-I think he will enjoy it too. I look foward to going for a visit in a year or so. 

1windhaven-maria-   My son has been in Jacksonville, FLA since the end of August.2011.   He seems to like it there since there is a lot to do there.

Mary

My son has finally left Seattle for his final leg of his journey.  I hope to hear something from him tomorrow but, will not hold my breath.  Feel like I did when he left for BC waiting for the "I'm here" phone call.

nursemom...my son picked orders yesterday and he will be heading to Okinawa as well after FMTB training at Camp Pendleton.  I'm struggling with it, but he's very happy.  He said there really wasn't a lot to chose from in their batch of orders and he feels like he got a good assignment.  He will be done with A school in March.