Corpsman Moms

I got the Gerber tool at Academy here in Texas...sports oriented with a gun department...that kind of store. They are a hoot to see them use, Corpsmen pull them out like Jesse James drew his gun in a gun fight...

2thidy, I am suggesting again that the group for moms with kids in Iraq/Afghanistan would hold a world of information for you...including links to sites that will be helpful with mailings etc..

Fox Sox has that Soldiers program...they shipped to Iraq, but not Afghanistan? Maybe because we're winding down and not so many bases. 

As a Navy Mom, I am horrified at the events happening at the Navy Yard in DC.  What is the world coming to when we are not safe in our own workplaces?

Just home from cataract surgery to find this horrific situation in the Navy Yard. Prayers for the families and loved ones and safety of those responding.

Docsmom!  My son was an instructor at Camp Bullis, not the Corp/medic school, maybe your son will get moved over there. I got the idea they don't know where they are actually going to be until they get there. My son had several different scenarios thrown about. He'll love San Antonio, and he's in a good spot for anyone suffering any effects from 5 deployments. Very strong community. My son taught combat medical technique at Bullis. Tell him if he gets through the instructor training without strangling any Air Force medics taking the course, he'll do fine. 

I totally agree Pam! My sailor is afraid to deploy after C school and here our sailors are under attack at home.

doc's mom - so happy for you to have your son coming home and he'll be close!  I can't even imagine 5 deployments.  My son has been greenside since January and I miss hearing from him because all they do is train! 

I literally get sick to my stomach every time one of these "events" happens. 

Pipckmcov - If you SR request leave for Christmas and it is approved (make sure to plan early), your SR will be able to come home.  They do shut down school for approx 2 weeks around Christmas time.  My son was able to come home for five days - they do use their leave time for this.  Yes, he can leave the base on weekends, however, they do need to stay close to base.  Remember they need to study lots and don't really have alot of free time.  Good luck to your SR.

My son was about on that same schedule, with A School started in early November...and yes,  he came home for Christmas. In fact, it worked out that he came home for every Christmas the whole 7 years...but sometimes for just a few days and in general it was the only time we saw him. One time they postponed the Iraq deployment for a month, and he drove his car home in March, so we had a few normal "not holiday" days with him before putting him on the plane. 

I know about those "not holiday" days TDM - it seems our son always comes home when it's a holiday and I wish he would come home once during the summer so we can just hang out.  I remember when my son went to A School at Great Lakes, they were only allowed away from base for 100 miles I believe.  And that was after they were there a few weeks and earned off base time.  There's different levels of freedom that he'll learn all about.  Rules might have changed a bit when it moved to SA, so Pipckmcov, you might to join the Corpsman A School Group.  They would be better at answering your question!  Good luck!

Thanks for the input.  Would he be able to come home for Thanksgiving too?   I am just  try to plan around him.     We are from boston  We could spend time with down there.  I just don ant to see him alone for the holidays

Pipckmcoy, I had those same feelings...and Thanksgiving didn't seem to bother him, he liked coming home for Christmas. Plus, remember, in the Navy your son is never ever really alone at all...there is ALWAYS someone around. There will be others there...and if I end up cooking, he can always come to Austin for turkey and football....

My son was at Camp Pendleton going through FMTB over Thanksgiving and he said they had a huge spread for the holiday and there were families that invited Sailors into their homes.  He had duty that day so he had to stay on base but he was not alone.

I spent 21 years in the Navy and some of the best food I ever had in the Chow Hall was Thanksgiving and Christmas. I even have the menu from our meal at Portsmouth, Va Naval Hospital because it was so amazing. Now my son is in and he said they still do the holidays up right. San Antonio is one of my favorite cities and I know your son will find something special to do for the holiday besides studying.

Would like to point two pet peeves of many corpsmen (I hear it from my son and his colleagues and read it on corpsmen sites).  One, they are NOT Marines.  Second, they are NOT medics.  They are Navy Corpsmen.  I know I have been guilty of calling corpsmen medics, especially when describing what my son's job is to someone who doesn't know what a corpsman is/does.  My son corrects me and I try to find other ways to describe his job. 

"The Hospital Corps, which consists of more than 25,480 active duty and reserve Navy hospital corpsmen, is the largest and most decorated rating in the Navy."

Also, Marines are not in the Navy.  Although they are under the Department of Navy, they are a separate branch of service. 

This may seem like just semantics to those of us not in the military but it is important to our Sailors, Marines, and corpsmen and, probably, to Army medics.   

I got the "I'm a Doc" call on Wednesday!  His whole group passed FinEx - congratulations to these fine men and their families.  Crazy Proud FMTB Corpsman Mom  :)  Now the hard part - waiting for the next orders.  I so hope he can come home for a bit. 

Congrats to our new Doc.  Keep us posted on his orders. 

IDCmom#1 - I have the same pet peeves!  Imagine that!

power 0806 - Congratulations to your new Doc!  It's an accomplishment he should be very proud of (and you!).

Happy Mom tonight - finally heard from our son!  Breath in breathe out...

Pam, I so share in your sentiment.  Just seeing his name pop up occasionally in my e-mail box makes me breathe easier.  Three months to go....

During my son's Iraq deployment, it was myspace...and seeing that last date logged in...he'd check for messages there and then look at whatever photos I had put up that day. I still have that account. Can't close it...all those photos!

Just a note...because we've had this discussion here before and this was one of my son's pet peeves. FMTB is training to serve greenside with Marines. FMF is the qualification earned during that service with Marines, and that, according to my son and his buddies, is when a corpsman becomes a Doc. It is an honor bestowed by his Marines.

And evidently, once a Doc always a Doc, I read the posts from his Marines that follow his fb page, and love seeing that salutation to him. Who knew that little blonde brat would ever garner that much respect from US Marines? 

There is more about FMTB and FMF up in the links above this discussion area. FMTB is quite an accomplishment! Power0806, unless you already know he's going greenside, it does not mean he will be assigned to a Marine unit. So don't start worrying yet!  Inga's daughter did FMTB and then taught at A School for several years. She finally went greenside a couple of years ago, deployed with the Marines and earned her FMF. 

Thanks Ladies!  I can't let him know how much I worry, so it helped just to type those words in here.  My son is currently working on that FMF pin.  He's always made friends easy and seems to have really integrated very well into his Unit and has a lot of them posting on his FB page.  He's the first born so he has that "way" about him.  Yes, the bossy way.... LOL

Are there any people out here who have Corpsman stationed in Washington State?

Our Corpsman's twin brother is stationed in Washington State.  He is an Electrician's Mate. 

I am going to have a corpsman at Bremerton in December.

Thank you Tamme and HM_Mom Ruth for replying.  HM_Mom Ruth, will your Corpsman just be transferring from a duty station to Bremerton?  My Son is stationed at the Naval Hospital in Bremerton.  He arrived 6/15/2013.

Tamme, is your Sailor at Kitsap?

My daughter is transferring from the clinic in Newport to the Hospital in Bremerton.  I am sending you a friend request.

I believe it is Kitsap - he is on the USS Stennis.

anyone son or daughter in Newport? I have a couple questions for you.

I have a girl in Newport, RI.  If that is the Newport you mean, send me a friend request.

HM  Mom Ruth  I just send you a friend request

He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home! He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home! He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home! He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home! He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  He's Home!  My newly graduated FMTB-West Corpsman Surprised us last night!  Traffic on the road stopped to wave and honk horns.  He left home in January with nothing but the shirt on his back. He carried into the house 100lbs+  of uniforms and laundry in 3 ginormous sea-bags and a backpack.  That better not all be socks!   (How the heck did he store all that in the barracks racks?)  And yes he made his bed this morning!  :)

power0806 - enjoy your time with your son!  And yes, it's like the seabags explode.

Power0806, that's great news.  Where is he stationed now?

Time are a chaning...and quickly. Think twice about what specialty your corpsman goes for:

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/09/future-of-medici...

Power0806...What tremendous news!  There is nothing like having your sailor home, is there?  May you have a blessed time and get to hear lots of stories :)

MORE on BONUS.  As with everything military, there are already changes to bonus administration.  This is the latest at Navy Times:

http://www.navytimes.com/article/20131001/CAREERS/310010012/Update-...

Wondering if anyone has some experience with this scenario....

My daughter is graduating today and reports for duty in Bethesda Oct. 15th.  She wants to come home (Spokane, WA) and then drive her car.  With her orders today was a plane ticket to Maryland.  What is your experience (I know with the shutdown it may be different) with getting a ticket re-routed (and she paying the difference).

Thanks!

jaime30024 Ship 02 Div 930 - yes, she can get a ticket to go home (or you can do it for her) and when she arrives back home, have her decide what day she wants to arrive in MD (in case she wants to save some leave), phone the number on her orders packet to pay for a ticket from home to MD.  If her departure date is tomorrow (typically the day after graduation) and her report date is not until 10/15 she is authorized leave, thus, she can go home and re-route her ticket to report no later than 10/15.

We purchased our son's ticket from SA home and paid for his re-routed ticket from home to WA - it was a simple process, however, the military travel group - not sure how many civilians are employed by the gov't - did not put him on a direct flight - so be prepared for at least 1 stop from WA to MD if not more.

My son was deployed to Guantanamo several years back for six months.  He was at the detention camp so it was a different experience than being stationed there. Lots of snorkeling and boating (just don't go out of bounds in the water because they will get yelled at).  It isn't lush like I thought Cuba would be.  Lots of iguanas sunning themselves and huge banana rats. 

I know they try to keep the sailors and marines away from the young dependent girls.  Since I was one of those young dependent girls in the Panama Canal Zone many, many years ago and married my airman, I know exactly why. 

congrats gcnavymom - we found out that my son as nominated too.  I'm still gathering information but found alot just by doing a search for US Navy Junior Sailor of the year.