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

Yes, I did. It was beautiful. Everytime I read it I get goosebumps and tears in my eyes. Thanks Craig for sharing.

Thanks so much, Kathy!!! I will check with my Sailor about the color. 

So who's going to the Sept 5 graduation?  I know my wife and I will be there.  

We need to think about a get together.  

Still looking for someone in 160C.  My daughter wants to play a trick on him/her that she learned from my sailors friends when she was growing up. She knows the Navy 100% and knows all the fun stuff and jokes we did when I was in.  Just don't tell your son/daughter.  

Wish I could be there just to see the tricks!

Craig...just bought the JFK Challenge Coin. I can't wait to see it in person! I am going to print out the information on Challenge Coins.  As I recall you haven't written out anything on the JFK, right?  I just find all of this sooo interesting. I love learning what each of the symbols mean. Beautifully done and I appreciate your 'picky-ness'!!

Drama - The challenge coin really looks good.  I have 4 of them which they give me to write the story about. After I'm done, I give them to my daughter to "coin" sailors in Fort Sam.  She has a blast doing it.  

I just haven't had time to write about the JFK with all the stuff going on in my life. Luckily, they understand.  Those guys are pretty quick getting stuff out,  from what others have told me.  

They haven't said anything yet, but you can tell they just hate when I reject the design.  I just know what is right and what is wrong.  I can't have a sailor have the wrong stuff.  I bet after reading the write up you'll look at that flag in a different way now.  So many people just don't understand the story.  They should ask the sailors going up for Sailor of the Quarter (SOQ) what the meaning is.  i can tell you, only 1% would know.    Heck the moms will know more than the sailors ~ha....

@Britt: We just returned from four days in SA, visited our Sailor. We stayed at the Best Western Plus Country Hill Suites. It's about 10 or 15 minutes from Ft Sam and was a really nice place to stay. I went thru Bestwestern.com and got a suite with two queen beds in one portion of the room, with a queen size pull out couch in a sitting area with it's own tv and desk, microwave and fridge for 84.00 a night, that's with a govt/military discount. I'm law enforcement and they honor that with ID, but no one asked when we got there. Nice, clean hotel with nice staff and a full hot breakfast every morning, not just a continental breakfast. Also had a pool and hot tub. Next to a shopping center strip mall with a WalMart and H.E.B grocery store. The H.E.B is a very nice grocery store where we bought some food for hanging out in the room. There's a Sonic, Whataburger and a great Mexican Restuarant called Las Palapas that we went to a couple of times. Great food! If you need a car, I got ours on hotwire.com for 8.95 a day! Great deal and got a 2012 KIA that was excellent on gas. Hope this helps.

@Craig: Just read your tribute, very moving. I didn't realize there was more than one Sailor that was present in the theater in Colorado. So very sad. My oldest son was a CTI for six years. They hold a special place in my heart.

I think they are changing Graduations to Tuesday. Bf's graduation is TODAY at 11am. He said that they have been doing things different and been changing things with his class... They have pretty much been the guinea pigs for everyone else, hence clinicals before graduation instead of after like everyone else. Anyway thought I would share since ppl were asking.. Time to get ready. 

 Craig,  Your daughter is Graduating on a Wed.? So there is no set day?  Also, If my son graduates on Aug. 28th and has a couple of weeks leave time before going to his duty station...do they usually leave Fort Sam Houston the next day?

Britt, I was just there a week 1/2 ago &   stayed at IHG Army Hotel about 5- 10  mins. from Base...depending on what gate you went in. $ 93.00 night includes tax, etc.I would definitely stay there again. Friend req.me  if you want more info. Dont want to put out too much info. on here. I could see sons barracks from my window.

1proud - The reason they are doing it Weds is they are coming off a 3 day weekend  (Labor day).  So they will give them Tuesday to get there heads together and will graduate them Weds.  Yes, they could graduate them on Tuesday, but lets face it, the command is putting out "fires" that happened over the long weekend and they need that day to recover.  Long weekends cause a lot of problems for commands.  The sad truth is the command will be reviewing DUI's, domestic problems and all the other stuff that holidays and alcohol brings.  

It is really normal to always graduate sailors on Mondays, not sure about HM the rating, this way the sailors don't unnecessarily use up vacation time.  They let them bond one last time, then they move them out on Mondays.  

Secondly, many commands shut down on fridays.  The civilians are gone (they have their time in), and the military is really laid back.  Nothing really happens on fridays.  This is your taxpayers money at work.  But think of it as a "payback" for them standing duty every 5/6 days on ships.  It all equals out.  

JUst heard from my sailor.  He picked orders today and was able to get Surgical Tech (his first choice).  He graduates 5 Sept and apparently class starts the same day, so unfortunately he won't get leave between A school and C school.

So good neews and not so good news,  Just part of the journey.

Hi Tally Navy for Dad, congrats to your son and also my daughter! She got Bethesda and she  is so very happy. She also graduates on the 5th and I will be there.   God Bless our fantastic Sailors!!!!

Robert/HM Mom-

Congrats to your daughter on getting orders to Bethesda.  Best wishes to her and your family.  Safe travel to San Antonio.

Thank You Craig, that makes sense!

Is there a link on here that explains what happens before, during and after the Graduation? Who makes all the reservations???Sailor, Navy?  If Navy...what if he comes home before reporting to duty station, etc. for the 2 weeks? Who pays for it if he comes home 1st?

Proud as I understand it, they are given the airline ticket. If it they want to fly home first and it's not where they are going they have to first to get permission first or could be held in contempt for not following orders. Once they are given permission to change the ticket, they can at the Sailors expense. 

I'm a little slow with my responses! Thanks -- so if I get him a book, he can start to study, right? Or is that a crazy idea since he will be issued one?

NavyGirlz - I don't think they will do that.  But I'll ask.  They are kind of hard core about things.  I know they are trying to build their inventory, but heck, if it were up to me, I'd pre-sale everything.  I think they fear that I will reject it, and then they would have a bunch of messages to send.   I know the molds I've seen so far look pretty cool...  I don't think I will reject them....

Go I-35 and exit the Walters St exit, that is the main gate.

The main gate is Walters St, if you go through any other gate without your Sailor the guards will tell you to go to the main gate. FYI

When I was there, I went in the Harry Wurzbach gate which seemed easier to get to the Navy barracks just past Anderson Hall. However with all of the construction, I am guessing it may be necessary to go in a different gate.

Several times my Sailor wasn't with me but I had to show my ID.  I made several trips on my Sailor's last day there getting stuff of his that I was going to put in my suitcase.  The police officer who was at the gate had noticed I was from Oregon.  So the third time I was goin' through the gate he started to joke with me and said "What did you forget this time, Oregon?" I told him the cooler weather!

1proudmom...My son came home for 14 days before he went on to Camp P.  He had to make the change in the plane ticket through the airlines so that he went from SA to Portland and then Portland to SD.  He had to pay the extra which ended up being $92 which was the difference in the cost of the ticket.  He did not pay a fee for changing the ticket or for any luggage.  He had no problem and it was fairly straightforward.  He got the initial ticket when he went to the admin briefing after graduation.

@Katze90210: Thanks for that info. I'm having trouble finding out exactly what he will be doing in Corpus after Lejune training. We are going to talk to him this weekend and get more in depth info.

txbabydocmom...I think the reason my son used the Wurzbach gate had to do with the fact that it was a mile from the bar he and his buddies would go to on occasion.  They would go by cab there and then walk back later.  He also knows I am seriously directionally challenged and he knew that route well.  Also, after going through the gate there, you turn left and then left again at the first street (not light). I followed that around to Garden where I turned right and then left on White (I think that's the one that runs by Anderson Hall and the barracks?) Anyway, I am sure there was a more direct route but this one I didn't get lost doing which is like a first for me!

Teach glad the taxi idea worked for you. I know it did for us. My son also got his second tattoo a week before we visited him. Have your son talk to who ever is in charge and see if they can't phase him up or lift it while you are visiting. Sometimes they will allow them to stay with family while they are visiting. It doesn't hurt to ask. My son and his room mate failed room inspection and were not allowed weekend liberty when we visited. His room mate had left some stuff out and they lost liberty. When his room mate found out we were in town, he went to his commander and told him it was his fault. They dismissed the penalty and were allowed out. Sometimes it works 

My son got his first last summer...he got the hebrew characters that say Psalm 23:4--not the whole verse, just the designation.  He just got his second; he got a tribal that he designed...turned out A LOT bigger than he has originally thought.

I worried that it would show under his short sleeve uniform and his response was...mom, this is the Navy, it's part of the culture :-/

My son got his first just before he turned 18. It's a tribal cross on his left arm. The one he just got a couple of weeks ago is on his right arm of a Wolf. I said I thought they were not allowed yet. His response was, if they can't see it, it doesn't exist!

Cindylou I like your son's tattoo, it came out nice!