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!
I know that the HM rating requires a voluntary extension of 12 months because of the length of A-school, but I was wondering if being chosen for C-school after A-school also requires another extension? Does it depend on how long the C-school is? I was just doing some research on possible C-schools with nothing specific in mind, so I apologize if this is actually a more complicated question to answer.
Camillez- my husband just completed C school for Xray tech and had an additional year added to his contract for it. Its ok for us because he plans on doing at least 20 years.
I think it really depends on the C school and what the Navy is requiring at that specific time.
I hope that other Corpsman loved ones don't take this the wrong way, I am in now way trying to discount quad zero corpsmen. But the Navy spends a LOT of money on a corpsman that attends C school. And a corpsman that attends C school is specialized in something and will most likely be able to find a civilian job making more money right out of the Navy than a quad zero corpsman. So in my opinion, having to sign a contract to extend a year would be totally worth it. Think of how many months or years it would take in a civilian school to be an xray tech? I think most programs are 9 months, plus having to wait to take the boards and you would have zero job experience. Coming right out of the Navy you would be set. I think this applies to all Corpsman Specialties.
I'm so excited that my daughter is in San Antonio. She is so happy to be out of the snow. I know she still has a long haul, but she is strong and just being able to talk on the phone has been amazing. She will start classes on Monday and said she should be done June 4th. I wish I had a definitive date because I have to plan a wedding for her sister when she comes home on leave. Busy busy...
My son told me that they can take the EMT test, the Navy will pay for the first go around. The test is not taken on base and my son said it was about 15 minutes from base.
As far as the taxes, yes there is someone there to help them. Speaking of which I need to send my son the rest of his W-2's. Maybe I will scan them to him:)
Joey's Momma....ah. What C school...Prevent Med? My son is going to Okinawa with a Marine unit. He completed FMTB in September 2012. He's been on a Marine base since that time.
I texted my son to find out more information about the taxes. He wasn't sure who but I think he is going to look into it. I will let you know when I find out more information.
They can obtain their w2 thru mypay. Once they have that info they can file thru turbotax for free (federal) and most states are free to file as well. At least California was free for us. We have used turbotax for the last 3 years and it is really simple to use. And FREE :)
I think Ft. Sam has a tax place come in and do taxes but they have to pay for the service and they have to make an appointment. Good luck them getting out of class to go to a tax appointment. They wouldn't even let my husband out of class to go to the move office so we could set up our DITY move. Or go to any of my prenatal appointments.
Wonder if it's the same as at Naval Station Norfolk, where a tax preparing company sets up a temporary location in the parking lot of the Navy Exchange? Anyway, hopefully their instructors can help them figure this out. I did find this, at http://www.samhouston.army.mil/502MSG-JA/ - might be worth a phone call to check it out and see who's eligible. Otherwise…H&R Block at the nearest Wal-Mart? ;)
Tax Clinic The Legal Office operates a free tax clinic from early January to mid-April, preparing and filing federal and state tax returns for eligible persons. Assistance is provided by appointment only Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, please call (210) 295-1040. To schedule an appointment at BAMC, please call (210) 916-1040."
Good evening! My son just went HM A School San Antonio January 26. Says classes are difficult. But he is loving the challenge. Lots of tests. We are planning a trip out there in a couple weeks. He says he should be phasing up to level 2 by then. Does anyone know the liberty policies?
I think phase 2 means they have to be back on base by a certain time weekend and I'm not sure about weeknights. My son is phase 3 and he can leave base for the whole weekend and be back Sunday by 10pm, and again, not sure what time he has to be back weeknights. I think it's either 10 or midnight. We just got back from fort sam and it was nice to be able to check him out for the weekend. We got him a hotel room next to ours. Maybe you would rather make sure he phased up before your visit so you can spend more time with your sailor!!!
Hi Mom4! Whether or not they are paying state taxes depends on their "home" state tax laws. Usually, even though military people can work in several states during a year, only "home" state filing is needed.
Question: Can they have cars/trucks during A school? My son s PIR IS 3/14/14 but he said he will be at phase 2 when he starts HM A School We live 5 hours away and could bring him his little truck if he has a place to park it and can use it?
Karin417, My son also bought a car to take to San Antonio and had it during A school. They have rules in order to have it there so check into that, he then drove it back to IL for leave before driving to Camp LeJeune NC. When he graduates FMTB on March 6th he will be driving to San Diego. Thankfully he bought a car that gets 36 mpg. Again, check the rules as they seem to be a little different for each stage of their training and base. Most of the information can be found on the website of each base. Good luck, and God Bless!
Quick note, I have 2 boys, 19 and 21, we live in IL and they each have 1 speeding ticket each. Both got a speeding ticket in Texas. I think they target out of state vehicles so beware. Both were less than 10 over the limit. We get passed here if we are going that slow. lol
Thanks All! Yes Tx is really bad about bumping up the buget w speeding tickets and they will pull you over for less then 10 miles over the speed limit seriously! I think the officers get incentives, but trust me it's not just out of state! They are ruthless!
My husband got a speeding ticket while we lived in SA. He was going very fast in a car with CA plates. He got a $200 ticket. More than a year later it still has not shown up on his driving record. Most cops in SA and the surrounding areas are not very nice when it comes to speeding/breaking traffic laws.
Unless the rules have changed, most sailors are nit allowed to have vehicles during A school. Ft. Sam simply doesn't have the capability for that many parking spots. They do make exceptions for fleet returnees.
Even during C school my husband had issues with parking our vehicle on base while he was in class during the day. There were only certain places they could park. I would wait until they get in a class and ask the instructor what the current rules are for having a vehicle.
Trust me, they find out! Lol when my husband was in C school there was no parking in the student lot one day so his classmate parked in the staff area. He got in BIG trouble and they gave him a counseling chit.
I have seen cars being towed out of both parking lots near the dorms. Because they weren't allowed to be there. This was about a year ago. So I would definitely check with the instructors and see what the current policy is.
When my husband was in A school. Students weren't even allowed to step foot in the parking lot. If you got caught there it was an automatic counseling chit. I know sometimes the rules seem silly, but they are in place for a reason.
And that is awesome about the speeding ticket not going on his record. He was going at least 10 mph over the speed limit on 35 going thru Kyle, TX. And the cop was not nice about it at all.
My daughter graduated A school in Dec at SA and she was not allowed to have her car there; she came and got it during the Christmas holiday before she started C school. Personally, I wish she hadn't got it; she has become a taxi driver and I also think it's given her too many opportunities to spend money. :)
Our son was there in a school in 2011 and they were not allowed to have a car until he completed a school. Good Luck to all your sailors. Tell them to study like crazy.
Mom2Bryan- since he is the service member he is automatically covered under Tricare. He does not need to enroll or anything. If he is active duty, I would drop him from your insurance. All of his healthcare needs will be taken care of by the military now.
And you shouldn't have to wait for the enrollment year to end for your insurance to drop him. It is a "life event" so you should be able to drop him at any time.
Mom2Bryan- there is no card needed. All of his medical care will be handled by the military. Meaning he will be seen at military treatment facilities. If he is sick, he goes to sick call. If he needs an annual physical, the military will schedule it for him.
In the rare case that he gets hurt while on leave and needs to see a dr. He should go to the nearest emergency room and show his military ID. But he MUST let his command know that he went to a non MTF (mil treatment facility).
If he is married then there are different steps the spouse must take to get enrolled/ see a dr. Please let me know if you need that info.
My son graduated A School in June, and they were not allowed to have a car. One of his friends who is from TX did bring his car there after he got to Phase 3, but he had to get permission.
As Phases go, in Phase 2 they get to leave base for longer on the weekends and they don't have to be in Uniform, Phase 1 a uniform is required at all times. In Phase 3 the can have over-night liberty on the weekends. My son had several friends from the TX area that went home on the weekends. They are only allowed to go a certain distant however, so no out of state trips. You can see the links above that will have all the liberty info.
They are enrolled in Tricare as soon as they start BC, so for anyone on here who still has insurance for their child in BC, you do not have to wait until A School to drop them. With that said, most do wait because unfortunately if something happens in BC and they get separated, you will have to go through the hassle of adding them back to your insurance.
I highly recommend using Turbo Tax or H & R Block, both offer free tax filling. Some bases do offer a free service, my son is stationed at Camp Pendleton and they have a free service, but they don't take appointments and it serves the whole base. State taxes are based on your sailors "home" state.
Thank you everyone for all the information, every bit helps :) Does anyone have any specific recommendations for any extra class/study materials that will help? I read that workbooks and flash cards are helpful, but haven't found much specific information about them.
She'sLove, if you're talking about review prior to starting A school, this is a good one, and is available on Amazon (click the link) - EMT-Basic Review by Kaplan.
Hi Joey's Momma - and I only wish I could be all-knowing! :) You and 'Dramasoul' are both moms of corpsmen headed there. For the moment all I can offer are these groups - Corpsmen in Okinawa and Japan Moms and I'll see what else I can find out for you both.
There is cellphone service, and I'm confident that when your corpsman arrives, the other corpsmen will get him set up with whatever they've figured out is best.
Viber is great for free calls, texting and photos; Skype the same for a minimal cost; and Whatsapp is good for free texting and photos. And there's always FaceTime if you have an iPhone or iPad.
Of these, Viber doesn't work consistently for my corpsman in Italy but I use it talk to friends in Bangkok and Mandalay as it they're next door.
Our son is headed to Japan as well. We have T-Mobile for cell service with the unlimited family plan. They said that text and pictures are still unlimited and included, but that calls are 20 cents a minute. Hubby bought him a laptop with a webcam so we can Skype each other instead. I'm sure the sailors over there have things figured out (like Marcy said) and will be glad to share useful tips with them when they arrive. :)
OK I'm chatting with someone there now (bless you Facebook!) so give me your questions!
I asked about best cellphone provider there. He says "Coverage-wise, AU; phone-wise, Softbank; and Docomo is EXPENSIVE."
Trish, we use Skype Mobile too, so we can use cellphones vs being tied to a laptop only. Verizon has an international plan for $3.99 per month which reduces the per-minute cost, but I don't use it when Viber is great service and free, and Skype is next to free :)
Marcy - our son seems to only be concerned about the quality of the food available on base...which doesn't surprise me :) After the food in San Antonio, I guess that's what he wants to know most. LOL!
camillez
I know that the HM rating requires a voluntary extension of 12 months because of the length of A-school, but I was wondering if being chosen for C-school after A-school also requires another extension? Does it depend on how long the C-school is? I was just doing some research on possible C-schools with nothing specific in mind, so I apologize if this is actually a more complicated question to answer.
Feb 8, 2014
Jana
camillez--my son went to C school right after A school and there was no extension
Feb 8, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
I think it really depends on the C school and what the Navy is requiring at that specific time.
I hope that other Corpsman loved ones don't take this the wrong way, I am in now way trying to discount quad zero corpsmen. But the Navy spends a LOT of money on a corpsman that attends C school. And a corpsman that attends C school is specialized in something and will most likely be able to find a civilian job making more money right out of the Navy than a quad zero corpsman. So in my opinion, having to sign a contract to extend a year would be totally worth it. Think of how many months or years it would take in a civilian school to be an xray tech? I think most programs are 9 months, plus having to wait to take the boards and you would have zero job experience. Coming right out of the Navy you would be set. I think this applies to all Corpsman Specialties.
Feb 8, 2014
Kaiti's mom
I'm so excited that my daughter is in San Antonio. She is so happy to be out of the snow. I know she still has a long haul, but she is strong and just being able to talk on the phone has been amazing. She will start classes on Monday and said she should be done June 4th. I wish I had a definitive date because I have to plan a wedding for her sister when she comes home on leave. Busy busy...
Feb 10, 2014
DramaSoul
Joey's Momma...Is he green side (with the Marines)?
Feb 10, 2014
Kat72
My son told me that they can take the EMT test, the Navy will pay for the first go around. The test is not taken on base and my son said it was about 15 minutes from base.
As far as the taxes, yes there is someone there to help them. Speaking of which I need to send my son the rest of his W-2's. Maybe I will scan them to him:)
Feb 10, 2014
DramaSoul
Joey's Momma....ah. What C school...Prevent Med? My son is going to Okinawa with a Marine unit. He completed FMTB in September 2012. He's been on a Marine base since that time.
Feb 10, 2014
clover65
Kat72 do you have any more info regarding the person on base that can help them with their taxes? Where can he/she be found?
Feb 10, 2014
Kat72
Clover65,
I texted my son to find out more information about the taxes. He wasn't sure who but I think he is going to look into it. I will let you know when I find out more information.
Feb 10, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
Feb 10, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
Feb 10, 2014
clover65
Thank you very much Kat72,
Feb 10, 2014
clover65
Thanks Britt, I will pass the info to my son.
Feb 10, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Wonder if it's the same as at Naval Station Norfolk, where a tax preparing company sets up a temporary location in the parking lot of the Navy Exchange? Anyway, hopefully their instructors can help them figure this out. I did find this, at http://www.samhouston.army.mil/502MSG-JA/ - might be worth a phone call to check it out and see who's eligible. Otherwise…H&R Block at the nearest Wal-Mart? ;)
Tax Clinic
The Legal Office operates a free tax clinic from early January to mid-April, preparing and filing federal and state tax returns for eligible persons. Assistance is provided by appointment only Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, please call (210) 295-1040. To schedule an appointment at BAMC, please call (210) 916-1040."
Feb 10, 2014
wesmom
Good evening! My son just went HM A School San Antonio January 26. Says classes are difficult. But he is loving the challenge. Lots of tests. We are planning a trip out there in a couple weeks. He says he should be phasing up to level 2 by then. Does anyone know the liberty policies?
Feb 11, 2014
EmilyD
Feb 11, 2014
IrinaNavyMom
Feb 11, 2014
Karin417-14/DIV104
Feb 11, 2014
vanjr1
Karin417, My son also bought a car to take to San Antonio and had it during A school. They have rules in order to have it there so check into that, he then drove it back to IL for leave before driving to Camp LeJeune NC. When he graduates FMTB on March 6th he will be driving to San Diego. Thankfully he bought a car that gets 36 mpg. Again, check the rules as they seem to be a little different for each stage of their training and base. Most of the information can be found on the website of each base. Good luck, and God Bless!
Feb 11, 2014
vanjr1
Quick note, I have 2 boys, 19 and 21, we live in IL and they each have 1 speeding ticket each. Both got a speeding ticket in Texas. I think they target out of state vehicles so beware. Both were less than 10 over the limit. We get passed here if we are going that slow. lol
Feb 11, 2014
Karin417-14/DIV104
Feb 11, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
Feb 11, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
Even during C school my husband had issues with parking our vehicle on base while he was in class during the day. There were only certain places they could park. I would wait until they get in a class and ask the instructor what the current rules are for having a vehicle.
Feb 11, 2014
Smile09 AD/HM Mom
My sailor is in A school right now and says that they may not have vehicles:)
Feb 11, 2014
Karin417-14/DIV104
Lol
Feb 11, 2014
Karin417-14/DIV104
Feb 11, 2014
vanjr1
Ok, my son was considered a "Fleet Return" so maybe that's why he was ok. Or he just didn't tell anyone. ??
Feb 11, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
I have seen cars being towed out of both parking lots near the dorms. Because they weren't allowed to be there. This was about a year ago. So I would definitely check with the instructors and see what the current policy is.
When my husband was in A school. Students weren't even allowed to step foot in the parking lot. If you got caught there it was an automatic counseling chit. I know sometimes the rules seem silly, but they are in place for a reason.
And that is awesome about the speeding ticket not going on his record. He was going at least 10 mph over the speed limit on 35 going thru Kyle, TX. And the cop was not nice about it at all.
Feb 11, 2014
vanjr1
Yeah, he can pull a lot of things off but most likely not hiding his car from the Navy. lol
Feb 11, 2014
MorningGlory
Feb 11, 2014
EmilyD
Feb 11, 2014
Karin417-14/DIV104
Feb 11, 2014
carfruit
Feb 11, 2014
Echo3
My son wants his bike at A school. It might be nice if he sent me his address first!
Feb 11, 2014
Maria ( 9/132 - HM- 04-2011)
Feb 11, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
Feb 12, 2014
beachwalker
Right on Britt - dropped my son at the end of the year and save $400.00 a month!
Feb 12, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
Feb 12, 2014
Britt<3Corpsman Wife
In the rare case that he gets hurt while on leave and needs to see a dr. He should go to the nearest emergency room and show his military ID. But he MUST let his command know that he went to a non MTF (mil treatment facility).
If he is married then there are different steps the spouse must take to get enrolled/ see a dr. Please let me know if you need that info.
Feb 12, 2014
louielou
Welcome to all the new members!
My son graduated A School in June, and they were not allowed to have a car. One of his friends who is from TX did bring his car there after he got to Phase 3, but he had to get permission.
As Phases go, in Phase 2 they get to leave base for longer on the weekends and they don't have to be in Uniform, Phase 1 a uniform is required at all times. In Phase 3 the can have over-night liberty on the weekends. My son had several friends from the TX area that went home on the weekends. They are only allowed to go a certain distant however, so no out of state trips. You can see the links above that will have all the liberty info.
They are enrolled in Tricare as soon as they start BC, so for anyone on here who still has insurance for their child in BC, you do not have to wait until A School to drop them. With that said, most do wait because unfortunately if something happens in BC and they get separated, you will have to go through the hassle of adding them back to your insurance.
I highly recommend using Turbo Tax or H & R Block, both offer free tax filling. Some bases do offer a free service, my son is stationed at Camp Pendleton and they have a free service, but they don't take appointments and it serves the whole base. State taxes are based on your sailors "home" state.
Feb 13, 2014
She'sLove
Thank you everyone for all the information, every bit helps :) Does anyone have any specific recommendations for any extra class/study materials that will help? I read that workbooks and flash cards are helpful, but haven't found much specific information about them.
Feb 13, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
She'sLove, if you're talking about review prior to starting A school, this is a good one, and is available on Amazon (click the link) - EMT-Basic Review by Kaplan.
Feb 13, 2014
Emptynester
Thank you Marcy. I took your advice to She'sLove and ordered the book for my son. I do love this site!
Feb 13, 2014
carafid1
Feb 13, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
Hi Joey's Momma - and I only wish I could be all-knowing! :) You and 'Dramasoul' are both moms of corpsmen headed there. For the moment all I can offer are these groups - Corpsmen in Okinawa and Japan Moms and I'll see what else I can find out for you both.
There is cellphone service, and I'm confident that when your corpsman arrives, the other corpsmen will get him set up with whatever they've figured out is best.
Things I CAN offer right now, are to get Viber, Skype Mobile, and Whatsapp Messenger installed on your smartphone.
Viber is great for free calls, texting and photos; Skype the same for a minimal cost; and Whatsapp is good for free texting and photos. And there's always FaceTime if you have an iPhone or iPad.
Of these, Viber doesn't work consistently for my corpsman in Italy but I use it talk to friends in Bangkok and Mandalay as it they're next door.
Feb 14, 2014
carafid1
Feb 14, 2014
Trish from Texas
Our son is headed to Japan as well. We have T-Mobile for cell service with the unlimited family plan. They said that text and pictures are still unlimited and included, but that calls are 20 cents a minute. Hubby bought him a laptop with a webcam so we can Skype each other instead. I'm sure the sailors over there have things figured out (like Marcy said) and will be glad to share useful tips with them when they arrive. :)
Feb 14, 2014
Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom
OK I'm chatting with someone there now (bless you Facebook!) so give me your questions!
I asked about best cellphone provider there. He says "Coverage-wise, AU; phone-wise, Softbank; and Docomo is EXPENSIVE."
Trish, we use Skype Mobile too, so we can use cellphones vs being tied to a laptop only. Verizon has an international plan for $3.99 per month which reduces the per-minute cost, but I don't use it when Viber is great service and free, and Skype is next to free :)
Feb 14, 2014
She'sLove
I think grad dates through mid-June have been posted on the FB! And thanks Marcy for the workbook recommendation!
Feb 14, 2014
Trish from Texas
Marcy - our son seems to only be concerned about the quality of the food available on base...which doesn't surprise me :) After the food in San Antonio, I guess that's what he wants to know most. LOL!
Feb 14, 2014