Corpsman Moms

Well on Monday my son leaves at 10:00 in the Morning to spend the night in SD to fly out to Great Lakes for bootcamp, so I'm not quite a Corpsmans mom but I'm on my way.

Hello Tamme! Good to see you on here as well as the Stennis Site.  I hope all is well with your sailor, I know there were some worries last week.

Just read the great new Tamme!  Thank goodness!  Will his brother be home as well?

Unfortunately, our Stennis son won't be home.  He was home right after the Tiger Cruise.  Hopefully after our Corpsman returns in December they may both be able to be here for Christmas. 

Mom in the O.C.: Good thing to do. That seems to be the toughest part of training. At least, it was for my son. He hasn't had even a little problem afterwards.

Just a bit confused. I know that there is A-school and C-school, but what happened to B-school?

Have I missed something?

I just got a request from my favorite Sailor. He was wondering if anyone knows if they have spec ops tryouts in fmtb?

HAPPY 115th BIRTHDAY TO THE U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL CORPS!! Established on June 17, 1898, HM is the Navy's largest and most decorated rating, with 22 Medal of Honor recipients, 174 Navy Crosses, 31 Navy Distinguished Service Medals, 946 Silver Stars, and 1,582 Bronze Stars. Today our corpsmen are as ever committed to excellence, serving on the battlefield, aboard ship, under the sea, in the air, and at military medical facilities worldwide at the forefront of Navy medicine.  

This month, formal Hospital Corps Balls are taking place around the world to celebrate 115 years of service and to honor the sacrifices and achievements of Hospital Corpsmen past and present; three of these are

115th Hospital Corps Ball Naples Italy 2013

Hospital Corpsman Ball Jacksonville NC

Hospital Corps Ball, Norfolk VA

Bobbo I would tend to doubt it as it's a tightly-run eight-week course; but perhaps you could contact someone there and double-check.  This is the course description - "During this 8 week course, you will have a mix of classroom and field training. Emphasis is placed on learning field medicine by using the principles of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC). This includes familiarization with USMC organization and procedures, competency in Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), logistics, and administrative support in a field environment. Additionally, training will include general military subjects, individual and small unit tactics, military drills, physical training/conditioning, and weapons familiarization with the opportunity to qualify on the rifle. Completion of FMST results in the student receiving Navy Enlisted Classification HM-8404." 

Bobbo, just asked my son and this is his response:  "Yes and no.  They will come at the end of school to ask if anyone is interested in trying out for MARSOC.  After school is done they will go to recon school and 1 out of 10 will pass."

I asked what happens if they don't pass and he said they will just be sent on orders to their next assignment. 

I can remember when my son was in FMTB, some of the students were very intent on passing the PT test at Marine levels, not just Navy, so that they could go onto recon school.   

Thanks for the feedback. I cut-and-pasted all three answers and sent them to him. Much appreciated.

Love this! Corpsman saves baby bunnies at Camp Pendleton, becomes Internet star

My son just let me know that his section had their last test in A-school and that he passed which makes him (unofficially) a Corpsman. He is one happy Sailor! He can't wait for the next phase. This is all the stuff he wanted to do in the military!

Congratulations to your son Bobbo!!  I remember it like it was yesterday.  I went to the graduation ceremony (my photo is from the ceremony when it was held in Great Lakes).  Such a proud and happy moment for both of us!  Lots of hard work went into that schooling.

Congrats, Bobbo.  Any word on where he is being stationed?

Thanks. Yes, on to Camp Pendleton. That is home for him since he grew up around it.He can't wait for this next part. He finally gets to fight, shoot, and explode things. He will be in his element. It's going to be nice to have him 'around'. :-)

Interesting the difference in one year. Last year at this time, we had to put our beloved airedale down. It was the first time I had seen my son cry in almost a decade when he was about 10. Today, he is on top of the world. I know you other parents can understand this. I am happy for him. Watching your child succeed after he never really got his chance in HS is a very happy time.

I would love to have my son closer!  His first duty station was in Italy and now he's stationed in Hawaii.  We're in Atlanta so that's about as far away as you can get to us!  Very long flghts either way.  Enjoy your time, it will go by way too fast.  Will he be staying at Camp P or is it just for FMTB?

First, congrats to Bobbo on son's graduation.  I wonder if he will go to FMTB before reporting to his duty station?

Marcy, what a heartwarming story about the baby bunnies.  Rabbits are just everywhere on the base.  One day, my son called to say he thought he just killed the Easter Bunny on the way to work.  I know it truly did bother him because he used to rescue animals on the way to high school in the morning.  He was either compassionate or just getting out of school. 

Thanks everyone. Yes, he goes first to FMTB west.

Pam - if my son went to Hawaii he would also consider that home. His grandfather was the top civilian at Pearl Harbor for years and still lives there. His mom grew up there. And, yes, it is just for FMTB.

Bobbo, does he already have follow-up orders?  I don't know how that works since my son was further along in his career when he went to FMTB.  The Monday after he graduated, he reported to his clinic on Camp P and was already living in Camp P housing.  The younger guys who were destined for Camp P were picked up right after graduation.   Don't know if they were taken to the barracks or to their new jobs. 

Docsmom, yes, he has been told 29 Palms is what awaits him but he will try out for Spec Ops. He was in the class at A-school for about a month and passing tests (whatever that means) until he needed more time to study for the EMT.

Our son did the Hospital Corpsman route first (with my convincing).  I wanted him to get a couple of years of age under his belt.  He was 19.  He was in Groton, CT for two years and then was transferred to the Marine Base in Beaufort, SC (nice and close to home).  Of course, shortly thereafter he was sent to FMTB and now  serving in Afghanistan.  I feel like he learned a great deal his two years in the clinic and also was more mature when it came time to do FMTB.

Thank you, Kathy.  Same goes to you.  He is currently home for two weeks R&R so it is nice to breathe easier.  Unfortunately, he will return there until the end of the year.   

Hi all! Tamme, Kathy and all with a loved one deployed in the sandbox, keeping you in thoughts and prayers, and looking forward to great homecomings!

Been reading, and just to clarify something so there's no confusion - ALL corpsmen are called Hospital Corpsmen, whether on ships, clinics and hospitals, or FMF.  They are all members of the Hospital Corps, the only enlisted corps within the Navy's Medical Department.  Established in 1898, June 17 marked the Hospital Corps' 115th birthday.

The other corps comprising the Navy Medical Department are:

-  Medical Corps (physicians of various specialties); 

-  Medical Service Corps (naval officers in med support duties - scientists, researchers and healthcare administrators),

-  Nurse Corps (naval officers of the rank ensign and above); and

-  Dental Corps (naval officers who hold DDS or DMD).

Marcy,

Thank you.  I'm in my third day of my son being a Hospital Corpsmen so your information is very helpful.

Wow, congratulations and welcome 2tyme!!  

ps those are all links in my post - it's interesting to read about the different Navy Medicine corps :)

2TymeNavyMom, here's another good group if your corpsman hasn't completed A school yet, lots of good info there too:  http://www.navyformoms.com/group/hmhospitalcorpsmanaschoolinsanantonio

Marcy,

I like the picture on their page.  I believe it is a picture of the Hospital ship floating next to the Stennis which is my daughters ship.

Thanks for all the great info.  I look forward to learning.

Mom in the oc.  My son did the same thing, from A school after being top of his class chose to go to the Hospital in San Diego.( why not hawaii, I do not know :):):) He has had the opportunity to work in a couple of jobs, giving him a clear picture where he wants to go.  He is now applying to go to C school and get more trainning, he did have to extend his contract to two more years. He has top 3 choices  but he knows is up to the Navy what trainning is neede of him.  Good luck to your sailor.

Celina, not sure where you are from. My son, even being semi-Hawaiian, would choose SD over HI anyday. Growing up in So. Cal made it too close to want to be there for a station. Most people don't realize that Island fever sets in and some don't like it. It can get REALLY boring. And its only Oahu. SD can offer so much more. My son has his mother's family there and knows it like the back of his hand. He would much prefer SD because you can go to HI easily if you want, but on HI you have to first get to SD to go anywhere else stateside.

BTW, thanks to all the 'moms' on here for your support.

Kathy, thanks. I don't know if he knows or not. I think it is the Hospital though. It just gives him more impetus to pass the Spec Ops test at the end of FMTB!

Tamme, i think it was wise too for a 19 year old to get a bit more maturity under his belt. I have seen an incredible change in those two years. They also usually begin to fill out abou tthen too, which will help in the FMBT.

Tamme - prayers and good thoughts to your son.  I am so very thankful that my son has not had to go "there" since going in the Navy.  He will be deploying soon though and I'm not so sure I like this whole being attached to a Marine Unit.  But that's the Mom in me coming out.  :)  He loves Hawaii but has only been there since the first part of the year.  Still in the "honeymoon" stage. 

Bobbo, you are right, Hawaii would have been "my choice", but again HE is the one in the Navy:):)  He loves SD, surfing without a wet suit.:):) (we are from the Pacific North West) Housing at Beacon is awesome too.

Bobbo, I lived two years on Oahu (Hawaii Kai) and agree about island fever :)  

My feelings are same as many here, that a few years' experience (in life as well as TCCC) before going FMF would be best.  

In re being stationed close to home, my corpsman took the Navy at its word about seeing the world, and vicariously enjoying his world travels and experiences has been priceless :)   

hello

Hello, Marika! welcome! 

I just had to say that I got to meet OC Mom today. We had found out that we live next to each other but that our sons are just a little too far apart to have known each other. She and a friend came over to the festival I was volunteering at today. It was great having another real person going through the same thing. NOt sure about others here but we don't have any other friends going through the Navy program. Thankfully my pastor's son is also a medic but in another branch.

Does anyone know what time of day A-school for Corpsman is? Early morning like PIR or more in the middle of the day? Do they get to spend time out with the family again? Same program pretty much or completely different?

Thanks in advance.

2tymeNavyMom - small world.  I have a Corpsman and also a son on the Stennis.  We just went on the Tiger Cruise with him in April. 

Tamme,

Its me, lreece, I was scolded for opsec and persec on the Bootcamp moms site and rather than argue I made some changes.  Working on the picture next.   I figure I should have both kids in the pic.

That's funny - I am going to have to get used to your new name.  I need to change my picture as well to both boys. 

Sorry Mike's mom, no it doesn't. Thank you for answering though. My son just passed his last test in A-school. He is unofficially now a Corpsman. Just awaiting graduation ceremony in about 3 weeks. I am trying to get the time of day for his graduation ceremony from there. Is it early like PIR? Or is it at a different time? Also, do they (like PIR) have liberty for the rest of the day and, maybe, the following day? I am just trying to figure out flights there and back.

Sheryl Navy, yes, it does. Thank you so very much. Basically the same schedule as PIR on that day with a later return to base. From your description, I'll see about grabbing a flight the day before and leave the morning after. Can't believe I was thinking about 75 as a class size. Just figured w/ all 4 branches and stuff...and the dropout rate, it would be just under 100.