Corpsman Moms

Awesome Congrats M-CM  : ) What a great fit too

Thank you!  So much good information here - and good people always!   Did you notice TDM?  Already added a few things up top, like an iPhone app for IA's :)  

I have to agree with you... Great people here

Something immediately useful to tuck in with the grad gift - some small notepads that fit in a pocket - when they hit the ground at their first duty station, a lot of info is coming at them and they take notes like crazy.  They have them at the Exchange.

TDM, you can purchase items that were confiscated?  At our airport in Phoenix they say they destroy everything, which seems so wasteful.  That Gerber looks great and I like the green.

Your welcome Teach and I also like Marcys suggestion of pocket size note pads! My Sailor will be in Pensacola so although the sox are another great idea...I dont think he'll be needing those for a while but it is something to keep in mind. You never know what the future holds! 

Has the corpsman school moved from Great Lakes to Tx?

Yes, my son will be going there mid September also.

not sure when my son will go he just left for BC yesterday.... im trying to figure this child in the Navy stuff out..... really glad i found this sight...

Yes, METC is in San Antonio, there is a link above the discussions area that answers a lot of your questions. 

Yes, Marcy, they sell all the confiscated items, wine tools, scissors, gerbers, leathermen...from a buck to five bucks...great deals! I buy a dozen wine tools for about 25 cents each. 

Charlie, join the bootcamp group also.  It is so helpful.  My son left for bootcamp July 19th.  Once you join that they will help you find a group that is for everyone with the same PIR date.  That's what graduation is called.  It is so helpful!  

thanks for the info. about how long does it take to get the letter with the PIR date in it?

Wine tool = wine opener. 

Oh my goodness, you're asking a lot of us 'seasoned' moms to remember!  If you go to the Live Chat function on this site (bottom right) there us usually a bevy of moms chatting who will be happy to answer this and other questions; they're often newer to the Navy.  Here's the link to the group that maboltship13 recommended:  Boot Camp Moms 

Dear Lord, please take the apostrophe out of the group name over there, bugs me every time I see it.  The plural is moms, not mom's!  Thank you, Marcy 

About a week. Maybe just a little longer.  The box comes in less than a week. Of course you never know for sure.  But, you can call the recruiter after 4 to 5 days.  They can get it for you.  Most people do that:) 

And Charlie, if you are planning to go to PIR, this group has lots of good info:  PIR Reference Information.

TDM are they allowed to have the Gerber? I know they can't travel with them, but is that something they need/use? It's pretty neat.

oh and I ordered the Lithium ll today also in Navy! How lucky to find everything on sale!

I'm trying to remember, think I got the Gerber for Christmas for him, so he was just going into A school, then? I think? it's been a long time. No they cannot travel with them. They are like gunslingers with those Gerbers, fast on the draw. If they go to be deployed, it's good to have a second one, in case the first one is lost during deployment. They are used daily.

OmahaRudy, he's going to do great things!!  And yes, no deposit to pay on that room and the Navy pays for his books LOL

And WELCOME to all our new moms this week!!

Gerber ordered! Next? LOL

I think my son is starting to get excited about coming home and his new adventure in NC! He called talking about what has to be packed to be sent home and what has to go into his seabag. He also can't wait  to get the airline ticket so he can get it rerouted to NJ and we can find out when he is coming home. If all goes right, he will be home this time next week!

Welcome to all the new Moms!  My son went through FMTB at Camp P, but it's been nearly two years.  He then left for Italy but just got his orders for Hawaii.  He'll be attached to the Marine Division there.  Super excited for him!  Once again after nearly 2 1/2 years of my son being in the Navy, this Mom has got some more learning to do.

Congratulations to you and your sailor, Pam.  What great experiences he's had so far!  

Katze, there's a link above for FMTB-East, and a link from that site for what to bring, etc.  He should be in good shape both physically and academically; some who have had two years or more since A school need to get in top shape and ready to study again.  Not much to send with him except a box of protein bars :)   Here's your next stop:  Camp Lejeune Moms.  By the way, FMTB actually takes place at Camp Johnson, part of/next to Camp Lejeune.

Marcy thanks just when I get knowledgeable in one phase he moves on to the next and I have to learn all over again. Thank God for these sites and people like you. I'm learning a lot and it makes things a little easier.

Terminal Lance...

Do not read if swearing offends you...it's a cartoon about Marines and corpsmen....some are hysterical, some, I guess you have to be there. 

@Katze - Just wait till we quiz you on acronyms LOL

@ TDM - yikes

Happy Friday!  Rained overnight and the air is fresh and cool for a change.  

OK, who else is missing their sailor, and how are you coping?  I'm sending a care package with requested brownies :)

My son is in bootcamp and graduates Sept 7 from great lakes then heads to Texas. Does he leave the next day? Any information would help sooooooo much!

Just joined this group.  My sailor had PIR yesterday and left at 5:00a.m. for A-School.  We only had 4 1/2 hours with him due to paperwork that he had to get done.  He had a ruptured ear drum that healed up on Thursday.  It had burst one week ago, right before he did Battle Stations.  Praise the Lord he passed.  Now we are back home and both of us (mom and dad) are missing him like crazy.  Does this pain ever go away?  Sometimes it is almost unbearable.  Now I am in the dark again.  I do not know anything about A School or what to expect.  Please help.

Curleytop: trust me it does get better, he might have a little down time in A school waiting for his classes to start, also in A school he is able to write , e-mail text and eventually have a day off to go see the area. My son got done with A school in June, he was able to come home before his permanent assigment.  Our children are growingup and letting go easier than we are, but I am proud for the choice he made ( I was not to thrill at first), he is happy. 

Battle Stations with a burst ear drum, wow! that's one tough kid, Curleytop! Good for him!

If you look above the discussions area on this page, you will find many links to areas that will help you. The first group of links is to other N4M groups concerning A School. Those moms are up to date on what you might expect and want to know about. My corpsman graduated out of A school 8 years ago in Great Lakes, so my information won't help you much. If this is your only or last child to leave home, I know there used to be an Empty Nesters group as well. It's different, being on our own again! You'll grow to love it, I bet...I did! 

               Curleytop, One thing I can say is....your sons time at  "A" school will fly. My son is graduating next week and cant believe that it is over. He just told me how he remembers the first day he got there, how  his roomate was leaving in a week and my sons thoughts were" OMG, and Im going to be here for 15 more weeks.Well, its over and he feels like he just started.

question...what time does Graduation usually get over?,   will they be able to spend the rest of the day with us?,  if so,  til what time? &  is there a set time that their flight usually leaves (whether to duty station or home) the next day? My son said that he has to stay til 7pm (Wed.)....he thought.

So does that mean his flight will leave aroung 10pm since they(airlines) like people to check in 2 hrs. early

I don't know if things have changed since my son graduated A school in December, but I believe the graduation lasted about an hour.  Afterwards he had to go to some kind of briefing so it was probably about an hour or so before he was able to leave with us.  I think at the briefing he got his airline tickets and a copy of his orders.  He was coming home on leave for about 10 days, so he had to reroute his ticket, but I think that was done over the phone.   We went out to eat and hung out until I left for the drive home.  I live in Texas, but it was about a six hour drive. I think if I wasn't leaving that day that we would have had the rest of the day to spend together.    He flew home the next day but it was right before Christmas so they may have been trying to get people out as soon as possible, so not sure if they leave that quickly if it's not a holiday period.

Thanks everyone for all the kind comments.  Yes, this is my last child to leave home.  He graduated from high school in May and 4 weeks later he was the Navy's.  I am so very proud of what he is doing but miss him terribly.  My oldest son leaves for CO Saturday for a 10 week training.

To OhmahaRudy, my son was is division 253.

Good morning! Curleytop, it's a tough time for a while, but you grow to love having your life back, at least part of the time, anyway! 

Just a moment to remind all the new folks about OPSEC, and remind us all to not mention arrivals, departures (especially to the sand box) , but in general all of them, no times, places etc. And no specifics as to which units your sailor is serving with at the current time. We do not want anyone able to connect a sailor to a parent or loved one through this group. No last names, generalities only as to location "in San Antonio", at "Great Lakes", "Afghanistan", on board ship,  etc is close enough. Thank you!