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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  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    That commercial came to me via "Gloria - corpsman's mom" - another "seasoned" corpsman mom :)  Good example btw of how you can make good friends here - when we learned my son was headed to a humanitarian mission on USS Iwo Jima, what did Gloria do but go straight to the Iwo during Fleet Week in NYC (during a heat wave no less) and get me a pink cap and T shirt with the ship's name on them and mail them to me … which I wore to homecoming four months later!  So thoughtful and so cool  :)

  • Bobbo

    Pink cap and tee shirt???

    That's just wrong. No wonder the Army jokes about sailors.

    ;-) haha.
  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Hey that "LHD-7" cap looked good on the news that night!  

  • Bobbo

    Oh, that's a NEWS FLASH ! It looks good on gorgeous blond. Really??? Quick, tell the Madison Ave. marketers. They could use that info for selling products.

    Marcy, pink in the military??? No, sorry.

    ;-)

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Haha well feel free to tell USS Iwo Jima what to sell to Navy wives/gf's/moms then; however I think they're doing it pretty well!  That Homecoming was so much fun, I hope everyone whose corpsmen serve on ships gets the opportunity to attend one.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    ps and why should you care what Army says about Navy anyway?!

  • Bobbo

    True and true.

    As proud of my son being an 8404, I wish that I could see some ship ceremonies too. I think it must be a great feeling to see your son/daughter on the rail with all the others as the ship comes into port. I can only imagine the pride you and the others feel.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    bobbo your son could very well be with a MEU on an amphibious ship at some point, that's how Marines come and go most places, ya know  :)

  • Bobbo

    true. And there is always submarines, too.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    well…no, that's not for Marines and 8404's, that for an IDC :)  but nice try!

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

  • Bobbo

    exactly.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Tissue Alert!  This is such a great video of a ship homecoming - gives a great feel for what they're all about, and focuses on the "mom" perspective too!  :)

  • DramaSoul

    Thanks for the tissue alert, Marcy!  My son is picking orders now for September and it's gonna be sea duty. He is doing really well now so that will just be another part of the adventure!

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    DramaSoul, just when we get used to something, it's time to switch it up!  I'm so glad to know things are going well for him, time has really flown by, hasn't it?

    btw bobbo, SARC vs. Sub IDC (8402) - not the same thing, darlin'  :)   

  • 1sail

    My son just received his orders for Lab Tech. Not even close to any of his choices - he was 3rd in his class.Navy hand picked the top 6 students - middle of the pack all got their first choice. Very disappointing! Anyone have some positive thoughts (besides earning college credits)?  He is not keen on looking at urine and blood for the rest of his career.

  • Bobbo

    Marcy, I think you are looking at the photo differently than me. We were originally talking about the way 8404 Corpsmen get deployed. SARC's use subs in addition.

    :-D
  • MorningGlory

    1sail, my daughter was at the top of her class, and she requested Histology and received Surgical Tech. Ironically the only Corpsman to receive Histology wanted Surgical Tech! So as I have read many times on this site, it really is about what the Navy needs and wants. The positive aspect about this is that my daughter, who has dramatically changed since becoming a Sailor, is embracing being placed outside her comfort zone and will work toward her ultimate goal eventually, and I'm sure your wonderful and brave son will do likewise!
  • vanjr1

    I agree, The short time we have been involved in the Navy through our sailor, it seems there is no rhyme or reason to what they do. He changed his mind on his first choice, got to A school finished and didn't get what he chose but a new door opened for him after he got his orders and hopefully that will work out for him. Bottom line is, this is a character building experience for them all and I think they adapt well. That's why they chose the Navy, Right?   

  • squid

    At what point do they pick their top 3 (?) choices?  My daughter started A school in san antonio in Dec '12.

  • Momof2sailors

    My daughter did not get her choice either! She got the opposite of what she wanted but she is doing awesome and feels that it is what she is supposed to be doing! She loves it!(surg tech).
  • MorningGlory

    squid, my daughter said they made their choices around the end of their emt training, and it's called the dream sheet.
  • squid

    Hmmm, I will have to ask her about the Dream Sheet!  Thanks!

  • clover65

    My son is doing great and is very happy, he is going into dental, Proud Mama, San Diego is great eventually my sailor would like to end up there as well.

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    Proud Mama, it's likely won't know where he'll be assigned till he gets there - but it's all good!  

    1sail, this article was recently published in Navy Medicine magazine - METC Medical Laboratory Technician Program.  I wonder if he could propose a swap with another corpsman, or opt to remain a quad-zero and request a C school later on.

  • rhonda/ship 13 div 102

    Do the students get to decide if they want a C school?
  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    "The needs of the Navy" come first always, but it would be worth asking.  

  • Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom

    I just heard back from an instructor who said it's not like it used to be; now they have to fill all C school billets, with about 98% of them pipelined from A school.

  • Bobbo

    As I mentioned before on at least one of these forums, is that rules change occasionally. The paradigm that they were constructed around changes and they cease effectiveness. This happened about a month ago in accessing  Spec Forces candidates. Rules changed.

  • EmilyD

    That stinks. My son had filled out his dream sheet about a month ago. They had them redo them yesterday for some reason. He completely changed his and wants to go quad zero for now bc he said there are NO c schools that he would be happy with available. However, his roommate got his orders yesterday, and he got exactly what he wanted. I guess you just never really know.
  • carafid1

    Same here for my son he had to redo his too he is changing his mind as well also heard a lot might be sent to FMtB think I got that acronym right lol
  • EmilyD

    Well I have been wearing my knees out praying that my son WON'T be getting fmtb!!! Is your son in class 030?
  • DramaSoul

    Marcy...thanks for the info on SARC vs Sub IDC's.  Heard from my son last night via text.  He has just about completed the instructor's training for ACLS and when the other instructor leaves the command in the Spring, he will become the ACLS instructor.  This all came about after he passed the ACLS last Summer with such a high score, he qualified to become an instructor!  Sooo proud!

  • Kat72

    Hi All,

    I need help what does SARC and Sub IDC?

    My son started A school on December 2 or 3rd, does anyone know when graduation is?  Or when he has to turn in his dream sheet?

  • Kat72

    Also what is FMTB?  All this Navy language is so new to me, this is my frist experience with anything military!

  • squid

    My daughter stated on Dec 2 also.  I talked to her last night, she said they get their dream sheets today!!   Sorry, I don't know the answers to the other ?'s

  • Kat72

    Proud Mama,

    Your Sailor and my Sailor sound a lot a like.  I swear if it weren't for the other mom's out there I would know nothing!

     

  • Kat72

    Squid

    Do you know when graduation is?  Are you planning on going?  How awesome that they get there dream sheets today, I hope they get exactly what they want

  • carafid1

    He is in Charlie 040 he just asked me to scan his college transcripts for his c school not sure why he needs them it should be in his service jacket
  • Kat72

    My son asked for the same and I don't have them anymore, he needs not only his college but his HS transcripts.  I swear it is never ending!

     

  • squid

    My daughter said they need to show their transcript to see if they qualify for C school.  We are scambling to get hers to her too.  SHe called her recruiter and he emailed them to her yesterday.  SMart girl.  I would have thought they would be in her service jacket also.  But her recruiter here pulled thru for her!  Now we willl see if she gets one of her choices.

  • Kat72

    Yeah for recruiters!  My son's recruiter is faxing me his as we speak!  :0)

  • MorningGlory

    LOL! When my daughter needed her HS transcript, she tried really hard to take care of it on her own, but finally called mom after failing to reach her recruiter or her high school. Apparently the recruiting office had a late start for some reason, and her school was closed for fall break! Fortunately, I had her official transcript at home, so I just went home and scanned and emailed it to her. And, I had to laugh because she said "Mom, I have to have that transcript, and I have to have it NOW!" If you knew my daughter before she joined the Navy, you'd understand why I thought that was so amusing!
  • Kat72

    That is awesome, it is still nice to be needed:0)

    I really hope our Sailors get their dream jobs!!!

  • Britt<3Corpsman Wife

    My husband's recruiter told him he needed his High school transcript 2 days before he left for boot camp. My husband graduated high school in 1998. He didn't even remember where the main office was. He had to go to the school and walk around.

    I believe they use the transcript to see what their highest Level of math that has been completed.
  • carfruit

    My son just told me a couple of days ago that a lot of C schools require them to have had a chemistry class whether high school or college. That may be why they are needing the transcripts.
  • carafid1

    My son just texted me this morning he needs his college transcripts I'm sending his high school as well so I don't have to keep digging lol
  • carfruit

    FMTB means Field Medical Training Battalion. It is training with the Marines. They would be the Corpsman attached to a Marine Unit. That was my son's first choice.
  • Kat72

    Thank you.  My son has changed his mind so many times on his dream job, so I am not sure what he is actaully going to put down.  His first thought was FMTB...as a mom I am hoping that is not the job he gets!

     

  • carfruit

    I feel the same way. I'm not crazy about him choosing that but I want him to be happy and I'm very proud of him.