HM (Hospital Corps) "A" School in San Antonio

Sailors becoming Hospital Corpsmen at A School in San Antonio, TX - best rating in the Navy!  The Hospital Corps is the Navy's only enlisted Corps and the most decorated in the Navy.  Families, friends and loved ones, join in!  

WELCOME!! 

Load Previous Comments
  • sheryl Navy 2

    taking our sailor to the airport this morning .Has been a great leave for our family all 4 kids home they gradually head out to San Antonio,twin of him goes to Belize next week for school she can't wait . another son is moving back to Hawaii and my last and eldest goes off to GreatLakes mid Jan ...a lot of changes hence our move to South Carolina via Buffalo .....Looking forward to meeting any of you who will be in Sa For 010 graduation Jan 24 ...Happy new year to you all and your families .IF any of you ladies haven't checked out MAS group do so lots of pillowcases needed to be decorated !!!
  • shoprat

    MySailors Awesome, Don't feel too bad about the last minute travel; I've been checking for airline deals to SA from Michigan and I've yet to see a really good deal. ( since September) I'm thinking that because of frequent travel to and from that area, because of the military base, the airlines don't drop prices.

  • MySailorIsAwesome

    Shoprat: Lol...I told him a month and a half ago I should book. He dawdled and I fumed!!! You can find deals to SA or Austin (1hr and half drive) IF you book way in advance or when there's sale fares.

    So he tells me to come down this weekend less than 7 days out! Umm...apparently he wasn't listening almost 2 months ago when I 1st brought it up. Soooo I took the half of ticket I already had and am in Miami. Am very sad without my LPO Awesome, but a Sailor's gotta learn lol. With planning I can spend $500 to visit...last minute costs over $1K!
  • Sara Ship 07 Div 012

    MySailorisAwesome, you would think that the prices would be cheaper the closer the day gets.  Don't they want to fill the seats???  That is my thinking anyway.  My nephew is in the air force and had to fly home two weeks ago for my father in laws funeral.  It cost him $1100...isn't that terrible.  Like you can always plan way ahead when you need to fly somewhere...

  • Tink

    shoprat - Yes, she came home on Christmas eve and leaves the 2nd. I believe it is still rumors for the grad date, but, she also said that is the date Chief gave as well. I am hoping that is correct because that is when I am booking my trip for.

  • Jana

    I am sitting here in the Shreveport airport with my sailor son waiting for him to catch his flight to Pensacola for AVT C school. It has been so nice having him in Texas since boot camp graduation. I am really going to miss him, but it has been great having him home the last 2 weeks.
  • jacketfan24 (corpsman mom)

    Doreen, my son mentioned the same thing about people trying to give him money when he's in uniform; he didn't wear the uniform on his flight because he didn't want to deal with it.  He doesn't feel like he deserves the  thank you's yet since he is not 'doing anything' to serve yet.  He leaves to go back tomorrow, and is at my parent's house studying today.  I think he will miss us, but it ready to go back and get back to it. 

    We still had to work while he was home, even though I worked a light schedule, and he was trapped at home since he only has a motercycle here and we had a LOT of rain.  So he hung out with his younger brother a lot; little brother is already telling me how much he will miss him.  His flight leaves at 7am tomorrow morning, so I have to get up about 3 to drive him to the airport; it was cheaper to fly into the airport in another state than it was to fly into the one here. 

  • sheryl Navy 2

    One sailor gone ,next son flies out to SAnta Barbara tomorrow . this doesn't get any easier . Hoping to get to graduation next month . I did see a lot of Air force in uni . Our sailor chose civvies as he didn't want a fuss as its not like he's a hero he told his brothers ! he did get upgraded to first class though so at least I know he gets dinner !!!!
    Enjoy all your last few days with your sailors befor they are all back to the grind .
  • proudascanbe

    Anyone else in Class 040? 

  • Charle&Brandon3

    Okay so I have a question. My husband is a hospital corpsman and I was wondering if he has to go to marine fleet training in san diego or if he goes straight to san antonio for his A school? I thought he just went to A school but other women are saying that he has to go to san diego too.

  • Charle&Brandon3

    Yes he is in bootcamp right now. He wants to work in a hospital so if he chooses that in A school he wont have to go to san diego for the marine training right?

  • Charle&Brandon3

    oh okay. well thank you. these girls said their husbands already knew that they were going to the marines too but my husband never mentioned it so i assume hes not going..

  • Charle&Brandon3

    Kathy (HM A school)- Yes the other guys are still in bootcamp. I know that they pick what they do after A school from a list and they pick in order of class rank but my husband wants to work at a hospital (he always has, loves people) so if he chooses to be a general corpsman or something could he pick a base after A school or does everyone do some type of training after A school?

  • Jana

    Charle&Brandon3--Not everyone does some type of training after A school.  My son just graduated from A school there on December 13 and he picked AVT C school in  Pensacola.  He flew there yesterday, but a lot of his Navy buddies and classmates picked a hospital.  I know several of them are stationed at a hospital at Great Lakes and some are stationed at a hospital in Pensacola. There are a few that went to FMTB also.

  • Charle&Brandon3

    Jana- Thank you so much! We are hoping to get a hospital (:

  • Charle&Brandon3

    jana- did they get a long list of choices? just curious if he said anything about that. i know it's different with every class.

  • Jana

    He didn't really give me much information.  Getting anything out of him is like pulling teeth.  All he said was he was going to Pensacola to AVT C school and he almost picked a hospital in Guam!  

  • Jana

    Charle&Brandon-I just texted him...he said they just showed him a list of what was available and he chose from the list.  He said it was not a long list.

  • Jana

    Kathy-I totally understand about hard to get anything out of them...lol...he will answer my questions with as little information as possible, but will hardly tell me anything without asking...yesterday when we were at the airport, can you believe that he told me I was being too much of a mother??!!

  • Charle&Brandon3

    Jana- Oh goodness. Well I hope we get what we want! Thank you so much for finding that out for me (:

  • Charle&Brandon3

    Kathy (HM A school)- Thank you for the details (: Well at least I know he will have some choices and he might get what he wants.

  • shoprat

    He will choose orders from what is available on the list ( where he ranks in class will determine what is available to him) He should be doing some homework; looking into the different bases, and which ones he would like to apply to if they are available. He can find all of the bases online; when the time comes he needs to be ready to make his choice.

  • Charle&Brandon3

    shoprat- He studies like crazy! Which is amazing. I know that he will leave it up to me mostly to decide on a few bases that I like. How do I find the websites to them?

  • dadyellow

    Hi we are new to this Discussion

    Our Sailor Graduates from Bootcamp on Jan. 6 2012 he heads for SA Texas on Jan. 7 for Corpsman school. His contract states that his job title is FTSHM Full time support Hospital Corpsman. Does any one know if this is a spesific job or will he choose what's available after A school?

     His recruiter said he could possibly be stationed at Fort Snelling in MN. working with Marines and Navy Reserves..any truth to that.

  • kimberlydale (corpsmanmom)

    Hi dadyellow, our son also graduates 1/06/12 ....and is heading to SA for corpman school too. Don't know any of the answers to your questions but just th0ught I would start connecting with the next group of amazing, knowledgable lovely ladies who's loved ones are in the same boat!!!! :):):) Good luck to your son and maybe we will meet at grad. what div is your son in??

  • wlbradford (Rota Spain)

    Dadyellow...one thing we learned, don't take too much of what your recruiter says to heart. The Navy will let him pick where to go based on their needs, availability and his class position. They told my daughter she'd be stationed in San Diego for sure, but because she's #6 in her class and Spain was available, she's going to Spain. There's just a lot of variables that can't be known before A school.
  • dadyellow

    Thanks wlbradford I know with the armed forces things are never set in stone.

    kimberlydale our SR is in ship 7 div 35. I suspect to get a call soon that he is a Sailor.

    Happy Newyear to all !!

  • Renee

    @wlbradford - well said!  I'm happy to hear that you daughter's plans haven't changed!

    Wishing everyone here a very Happy New Year!!!!

  • wlbradford (Rota Spain)

    Happy New Year!!! :)
  • wlbradford (Rota Spain)

    LOVE IT!!

  • sheryl Navy 2

    Kathy love it . Sent it to my 2 sailors .

    Happy New Years to everyone
  • Doreen(07/272)

    Moms...question. My son is stuck in Dallas. His plane is already an hour delayed. Will he be in trouble if the airline delayed him for check in?

     

  • Vipergirl

    Check out Basic Medical Technician Corpsman page on Face Book. It has the graduation pictures for Class 235 and other classes.
  • Renee

    @Doreen - I didn't think they HAD to be back until tomorrow night...  My son is leaving from ATL in the morning.

  • Judi(NavyMom)

    My daughter leaving in AM also

  • medic mom

    My son left today but he did say that they didn't have to be back til tomorrow.
  • ilovemysailor 009/021

    Question! Has anyone heard of the processing center on the Fort Sam Houston being closed on the weekends? My sailor doesn't have to check in till monday but was going to go sunday to be safe, but now we see they might be closed

  • ddsweety

    I have a question, my husband asked me to ask, does anyone here know of a FMF recon detailer phone number or e-mail address? Or know how to maybe get that info?

     

  • Renee

    @ddsweety - be sure to post this question over in the Corpsman Moms group as well.  That group has families of corpsmen (FMF and others) who are actively working all over the world.  Texasdocmom is a wealth of information over there!  Best of luck in your quest!!!

  • Sethsmom

    Does anyone know if they can have a small first aid kit in their room? I got Seth one without any Motrin or other OTC first aid capsules b/c I thought that may be frowned upon but did get him one with band aids, newsprint and such.
  • Sethsmom

    That was neosporin - not newsprint. Spell check strikes again!
  • CDMom

    My son leaves Saturday morning after PIR for San Antonio and is a Hospital Medical Corpsman.  Do they live in dorms?  What kind of living arrangements do they have in A School?

  • joemama

    Are they allowed to have their car at A school?

  • corpsmanwifeschu

    There's very little parking. I wouldn't recommend a car. It stinks for them to grab a cab to go somewhere off base, but they're only there for a couple months. I drove my hubby his car to him after he left and was got to Camp Pendleton.
  • tripletmom+2

    suck it up sailors!!! Walk!  I keep telling my daughter to check out the other cafeteria across campus. "It's to far to walk"  Really!  Lay off the pudding and tv  dinners!  She is killing me!!!! lol

  • JAsmom

    gcnavymom, my son flew out of Midway on his way to San Antonio.  We flew in and out of O'Hare but we had a rental car so it was not a problem to get to Midway.  They were bussed there at 1:00 in the morning and we still had to go back to the hotel to pack up as we were leaving later in the day.

  • Renee

    @gcnavymom - my son flew out of Midway to San Antonio.  They were taken from GL to the airport early in the morning and spent most of the day there before departing.  Quite a few (hundred) sailors were leaving from there.  We were able to meet him there and visited for awhile before he checked his bags and went to the USO - I'm sure some folks stayed longer and perhaps went to the gate.  Nice small airport and the USO takes good care of the sailors.

  • Doreen(07/272)

    They don't really know what airport they fly out of...they usually find out the day before or day of PIR. Most of them leave extremely early-1 or 2 in the morning. If you bring your sailor's electronics, bring them to the airport...that is where you can give it to them. They are not allowed to bring anything back to base when liberty is over. If you bring it to the airport, place it in an all black bag. My son was able to slide his laptop, ipad and cell phone in the backpack that the Navy provided.

  • shoprat

    My daughter flew out of O'Hare.

  • NavyGF [SHIP 02/DIV 913]

    Sooo many questions.....My SR will be attending A school in San Antonio, TX....

    How long is A school usually? I have heard it could anywhere from a few weeks until a few months.

    From what I have read C school can be anywhere?

    When do they usually get their orders for C schhol?

    When can they get visitors?

    How long is each phase and how many are there?

    Is the graduation like PIR meaning do they fly out the next day and how does that liberty work and what day of the week is graduation usually on from A school?