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!! 

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  • DramaSoul

    Marcy....did you post the Navy Medicine video?  Sitting here eating my lunch and bawling!  So proud of my son. 

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Yes I did - but forgot the Tissue Alert disclaimer!!! 

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Added a Tissue Alert just for you DramaSoul :)  I love that one.  This is another favorite, as it came out after my son's Fleet Surgical Team took part in the humanitarian mission Continuing Promise on the USS Iwo Jima - he had an incredible experience.

  • DramaSoul

    Thanks, Marcy!  I was prepared for this but I am such a softy!!  I was donating blood on Sunday at a mobile Red Cross unit in Portland in the name of the Sailor who was hurt in the motorcycle accident and the phlebotomist was a retired CPO.  I choked up and thanked him for his service.  Jeez.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Speaking of the Navy and humanitarian assistance, the Navy's annual Pacific Partnership mission commenced this month - U.S. Navy Pacific Partnership 2013

  • PatsFan923 HM Mom

    If you have attended your HMs graduation, have they been able to check out on the day of graduation in lieu of the following day?  My Sailor will be going on leave prior to his next duty station and I have heard that they have to be checked out completely within 24 hours of their graduation, but that they can in fact get completely checked out on the day of graduation, get their travel voucher, orders, etc.  Can someone answer if this is the case?  Thank you!!!!

  • Trish from Texas

    Our son is attending PMT school after graduation, so they told him he had to be checked into the new barracks for 24hrs before leaving for his 2 weeks of liberty. So he can't leave on Monday when he graduates, he'll have to wait until Tuesday afternoon.
  • DramaSoul

    They have to have their room inspected and completely cleaned out. My son's flight was at 0620 the next day and mine was at 0600. I picked him up at 0300. He had finally been checked out at 2345 so he slept in the room of one of his buddies rather than have me come get him and stay in the hotel. He came home on leave for 14 days before he had to report for FMTB @ CP. He had to change his travel voucher.
  • PatsFan923 HM Mom

    DramaSoul when did he graduate from HM A School?  I have heard that they can commence checking out at 1530 the day of graduation and should they finish everything that day/evening, they can depart.  Our flight is at 8:55 AM, which would mean we would need to be at the airport by 6:55 AM.

    Thank you so much!!!!

  • Rhody Navy Mom

    What time does HM graduation begin and how long is it ? Thx
  • PatsFan923 HM Mom

    Nick's Mom from RI - it starts at 1400 and ends at 1500.

  • Rhody Navy Mom

    Thank you!
  • PatsFan923 HM Mom

    Nick's Mom from RI - The ceremony is held in Anderson Hall at Ft. Sam Houston.

  • Rhody Navy Mom

    Thanks PatsFan923. Should I book a flight for my son since he is coming home for 2 weeks before FMTB or should we wait and he can do it?
  • DramaSoul

    PatsFan...My son graduated 2 July 2012. It took him awhile to get his room clean and then get someone to inspect it!
  • Paula's/son/corpsman/

    Hi all, I haven't been here for a while...my son just got orders for Japan! I guess I wont see him for a few years....sigh.......

  • Hm-in-the-Fam-Mom

    Hi Paula/corpsman/son,

    My son is also going to Japan! Hope we can share this experience together! What specialty is he in? Mine is surgical tech..

  • Momof2NavyFemales

    Hi all! I am new to this group. My daughter will PIR BC in GL, IL on 31 May 13, and will be headed to A school in San Antonio with her flight leaving June 2nd.
    She will be HM. This is about all I know. How long is A school, then what comes next?
  • Parkers Mom

    Hello.  I am new to the site.  My SR is still at bootcamp and graduates on July 12th.  So, I have been looking around for information about what will come next and I can have good conversations with him and actually understand what he is telling me :) 

  • Dknoor (03 DIV 184)

    Hi my SN is in Class 160 A at San Antonio corpsman... looking for others in the same class
  • Rachel/Corpsman mom

    Mom in the o.c. they use the locks off of their seabags for their closets. Their rooms can only be accessed by their key cards or if their let the person in. But yes it is a good idea to keep things locked up.

  • Rachel/Corpsman mom

    mom in The O.C. Not sure about a UPS store but my son and his roommate share a mailbox/unit number it costs $50 a month and the mail goes right to the post office on base. My boxes arrive by Fedex right on schedule. Otherwise they have to get a taxi into San Antonio.

  • PatsFan923 HM Mom

    Mom in The O.C. - There is a UPS Store right on the base at Fort Sam Houston.  It is not too far from their barracks.

  • PatsFan923 HM Mom

    Another Flashflood warning has been issued in San Antonio right through 11:30 PM tonight.  For those travelling to graduation for 6/3, you may want to check your hotel, etc.

  • Paulamarie

    Will they have leave between A school and C schools? Or do we still have to wait until C school is over for them to come home?

  • taylormom010313

    My son finishes A school June 17 and he does not get leave till after C school. Which he is staying there for Surgical Tech.
  • Trish from Texas

    @paulamarie-our son is going to preventative med school so he gets to come home for 2 weeks after he graduates A school, and then again after that graduation since they are sending him to africa for a study on poisonous animals, etc. but I think it is different for everyone. Most of it will depend on the days between the graduation dates and the date the new training begins.
  • Navymassmomship13div313

    Hello, Has anyone dealt with a C school graduation? My son graduates from psychology on June 12th my husband and I are going down we made a vacation out of it. There are only 9 navy in this class. Does the navy share a graduation with any other military, not one of his sailmates received orders there was a mess up in the computer system . It is worrying my son and the other 8 because they have no possible choice for there next duty station. Can someone let me know there experience please ?
  • Paulamarie

    Ok. Thank you!
  • Acecase101

    hello everyone my sailor just arrived in San Antonio today to start his A school training does anyone know how long this training is for exactly?

  • jaime30024 SHIP 02 DIV 930

    Acecase it is 96 days, appx. Also depends on if they get started to classes right away or have to wait. My Daughter has PIR this Friday and then she heads to Fort Sam as well.
  • MomOfFutureAM (Ship12Div387)

    hello ladies, i have a question.  How many of you have a female leaving for BC in the next few months with a Corpman rate?

     

  • Navymomx2

    @paigesmom... I do! My daughter leaves for Great Lakes August 20 as an HM.
  • louielou

    My son graduated A School on Monday, so proud of him. He is still waiting for his orders however, so no leave yet.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Congratulations on becoming a Navy CORPSMAN mom!  Navy Class 095 photos

  • Trish from Texas

    @louielou...our son, too! Small world! :)
  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Everyone recognizes the white hospital ships USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy - but just as important to Navy medicine are the Navy's eight LHD-class (landing helicopter dock) warships.  In supporting humanitarian assistance or disaster relief missions, these ships can transport medical workers and essentials to a region, take on casualties, and provide medical care in an onboard facility that includes operating rooms, x-ray facilities, a blood bank, laboratories and patient wards.

  • NavyWifeFal

    Does anyone know during what phase of A school are the HM given their C school assignment? Approximately how many weeks into A school should they know. I know it depends on how fast they class up but on average.
  • DramaSoul

    When my son was in A school, they picked orders a week after the completion of the EMT section. I know he filled out a dream sheet before that.  I have heard that some had it much later than that but when my son was there, the grades they earned during the hardest part of training (EMT) were the order they got to pick from what was available. Important to remember...it's all about the needs of the Navy.

  • jaime30024 SHIP 02 DIV 930

    DramaSoul - thanks for this information!  I was wondering about how they may determine C school.

  • jaime30024 SHIP 02 DIV 930

    Acecase101 - my daughter left for San Antonio on Saturday from PIR.  Her orders included when she would actually start A-School (she is currently holding) and also a tentative graduation date.  Your Sailor should have this information in his orders.  I think my Sailor starts classes on June 19th.

  • Orange orchids

    Does anyone know how long different c schools last? I have not found any information regarding c school on the website just what they are and where they are located... Thank you so much for your help!
  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Which C school(s) are you interested in?  I'm sure a member here or in the Corpsman Moms and/or Corpsman Moms and Dads group will know.  That list is 37 C schools and it took me five years as a corpsman mom to finally figure out how to get that info, so narrowing down will help :)  

  • Trish from Texas

    LOL! I was just thinking that, too. I only know about a few. Dental tech school is about one month. Preventative med school is about 6 months long, but then they told our son they study poisonous species 2-3 additional weeks in Africa afterwards.
  • Momof2sailors

    I know that surg tech is 6 months.
    Maybe we will get them all if we join forces! Lol!

    Little proud mom moment...my daughter has made the Deans list for surg tech!!
  • Trish from Texas

    Exactly! Only 34 more to go! :)
  • Orange orchids

    Thank you, you pretty much answered my question! I wasn't sure if they were all one length or if they did have different time lengths. And you nailed one of the c schools my fiancé has in mind in the first two posts, you ladies are good. I appreciate it. The only information I was finding was from like2001 and it was saying c school was a year long, and that just didn't make sense all of them took the same amount of time...and I wasn't thrilled it being a year and all. He is thinking about surgical tech or physical therapist, but we still aren't sure what's available.
  • DramaSoul

    I know it's not a C school but FMTB is 8 weeks.

  • Jana

    My son went to AVT C School.  I believe it was about 3 months because he started sometime in January 2012 and graduated April 2012. 

  • Katze90210 (3/113)

    Mom in the OC The study groups are formed by themselves. A group of them get together at agreed times and study and quiz each other. My sons group would go out on the weekends but bring their material and set an hour or two durning Saturday and on Sunday before they went out. Of course they study during the week too. He got high 90 s on each test. Just tell your sailor to talk to some of the others to see if they formed a group yet.