This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
FIRST TIME HERE?
FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GET STARTED:
Choose your Username. For the privacy and safety of you and/or your sailor, NO LAST NAMES ARE ALLOWED, even if your last name differs from that of your sailor (please make sure your URL address does not include your last name either). Also, please do not include your email address in your user name. Go to "Settings" above to set your Username. While there, complete your Profile so you can post and share photos and videos of your Sailor and share stories with other moms!
Make sure to read our Community Guidelines and this Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist - loose lips sink ships!
Join groups! Browse for groups for your PIR date, your sailor's occupational specialty, "A" school, assigned ship, homeport city, your own city or state, and a myriad of other interests. Jump in and introduce yourself! Start making friends that can last a lifetime.
Link to Navy Speak - Navy Terms & Acronyms: Navy Speak
All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018.
Boot Camp: Making a Sailor (Full Length Documentary - 2018)
Boot Camp: Behind the Scenes at RTC
...and visit Navy.com - America's Navy and Navy.mil also Navy Live - The Official Blog of the Navy to learn more.
OPSEC - Navy Operations Security
Always keep Navy Operations Security in mind. In the Navy, it's essential to remember that "loose lips sink ships." OPSEC is everyone's responsibility.
DON'T post critical information including future destinations or ports of call; future operations, exercises or missions; deployment or homecoming dates.
DO be smart, use your head, always think OPSEC when using texts, email, phone, and social media, and watch this video: "Importance of Navy OPSEC."
Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:
Events
**UPDATE 4/26/2022** Effective with the May 6, 2022 PIR 4 guests will be allowed. Still must be fully vaccinated to attend.
**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
**UPDATE 7/29/2021** You now must be fully vaccinated in order to attend PIR:
In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
**UPDATE 8/25/2022 - MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED. Vaccinations still required.
**UPDATE 11/10/22 PIR - Vaccinations no longer required.
RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021
Please note! Changes to this guide happened in October 2017. Tickets are now issued for all guests, and all guests must have a ticket to enter base. A separate parking pass is no longer needed to drive on to base for parking.
Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.
Format Downloads:
- Graduation Info
- PDF – 2.7 MB
- PNG – 2.3 MB
- JPG – 3.4 MB
- Printable PDF – 2.0 MB
Navy Speak
Click here to learn common Navy terms and acronyms! (Hint: When you can speak an entire sentence using only acronyms and one verb, you're truly a Navy mom.)
N4M Merchandise
Shirts, caps, mugs and more can be found at CafePress.
Please note: Profits generated in the production of this merchandise are not being awarded to the Navy or any of its suppliers. Any profit made is retained by CafePress.
Navy.com Para Familias
Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
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HM (Hospital Corps) "A" School in San Antonio
Information
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!
Location: San Antonio, TX
Members: 795
Latest Activity: Sep 19, 2023
WELCOME!
Please say Hi and introduce yourself in the Comments section.
ALL the info at these links is relevant to your corpsman.
About the HM Rate, HM Rating Card/navy.mil, Overview from navylive.dodlive.com, and Navy Medicine Almanac 2015 p. 28-29.
PROGRAM DURATION: The actual time that a Sailor physically spends at the HM school in Fort Sam Houston, TX is 96 days. The Sailor is in the seat, learning, Mondays through Fridays for 70 actual instructional days. The course covers emergency medical technician training, nursing skills, knowledge specific to the Navy Hospital Corps, and clinicals.
Program Overview: METC/Basic Medical Technician Corpsman Program
Liberty Phases at A School: Liberty Phases
Before posting a Discussion with a question, please ask it in the Comments section, and look through the Discussions - you may find what you need, plus a lot more. This is a good one: Info for those new (or not so new) to Hospital Corps A School. For some questions, your best bet may be to call the quarterdeck or campus support center at METC.
There is a graduation ceremony, and families and loved ones are invited to attend. If you go, here are Hotel recommendations for San Antonio/Ft Sam Houston from corpsman moms, and this pdf with Directions to Ft Sam Houston/Walters Gate/Anderson Hall. Anderson Hall (MIF 4) is on Cpl Johnson Road between Garden and Womack, and there is a parking lot on Cpl Johnson Rd across the street.
Navy Medicine Training Support Center, San Antonio, TX - see tabs "Visitor Info" and "Student Life." For your sailor heading to A School: "NMTSC Welcome Aboard."
The METC Online website for Medical Education Training Campus at San Antonio has a live-chat function. Campus Support Center phone number: 210-808-6382 (210-808-METC). Click here for the METC brochure and a brief overview.
This METC Program Catalog includes course descriptions for Basic Medical Technician/Corpsman A school (page 10) and C schools (see Index). Video - "METC sailors marching to chow hall"
METC on Facebook: Medical Education Training Campus on Facebook
GRADUATION SCHEDULE: your sailor is your best source for date, time and any changes. Basic Medical Technician Corpsman Program on Facebook is NOT an official page, but they do post some photos of graduations.
Read this to find out What is Field Medical Training Battalion (FMTB)? (They have a great graduation ceremony for families to attend, too!) Most corpsmen attend FMTB sooner (straight from A School) or later. It does NOT mean that they will necessarily be assigned to a Marine Corps unit.
VIDEO: What to expect at Fleet Medical Battalion-East. https://www.dvidshub.net/video/455508/fmtb-east-command-video#.VvdFmMdH0_V
Field Medical Training Battalion East at Camp Lejeune, NC official website then -> Students -> Course Description
Females go to FMTB-East only. Otherwise, it's up to the needs of the Navy as to which location a Corpsman is sent to.
FMTB West Camp Pendleton CA official site, and Camp Pendleton Moms on N4M. Video: "What's FMTB-W REALLY Like"
Corpsmen serve in a variety of settings. "Blueside" corpsmen serve in hospitals and clinics and on ships. "Greenside" corpsmen are with forward-deployed Marine units and where one can earn the hard-won and highly valued Fleet Marine Force (FMF) qualification. There is nothing like the love that Marines have for their "Doc." Seriously.
Hospital Corpsman Navy Enlisted Classifications (NECs) - There are 38 - thirty-eight! - specialties within the HM rating, from Search & Rescue (8401) to Dental Lab Tech/Maxillofacial (8765). Here is a list of HM NECs and C school locations.
Rating/Rate in ascending order:
HR: Hospitalman Recruit (E-1); HA: Hospitalman Apprentice (E-2); HN: Hospitalman (E-3); HM3: Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (E-4); HM2: Hosp. Corpsman 2nd Class (E-5); HM1: Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (E-6); HMC: Chief Hospital Corpsman (E-7); HMCS: Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (E-8); HMCM: Master Chief Hospital Corpsman (E-9).
How to read a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) (your sailor accesses his/her LES by logging in at https://mypay.dfas.mil)
IMPORTANT: Read and follow these Operational Security (OPSEC) guidelines. N4M is an open website that can be read by non-members; and not all members are necessarily what they seem. Be smart and keep yourself and all our sailors safe. Keep YOUR safety in mind too. It's human nature to trust and want to share, but don't provide personal information to others. Great and lasting friendships are made on NavyforMoms.com, but use common sense and caution before proceeding. Online chat safety tips
Once your sailor graduates from A School, more NavyforMoms.com groups include Corpsman Moms & Dads; Corpsman Moms; Corpsman Wives, GFs, Moms; and FMF Corpsman Moms plus the FMTB groups listed above.
Bookmark this for the future! Navy Credentialing Opportunites Online (Navy COOL) for HM
METC brochure, click to enlarge:
5/17 Video: Intro to Medical Education Training Campus San Antonio
NAVY MEDICINE
Discussion Forum
Death in the family
Started by Worldtravel4ever. Last reply by Worldtravel4ever Jul 31, 2019. 5 Replies 0 Likes
My mother just passed away today, and of course I have to let our sailor know. I am worried though because I just don’t want to derail my sailor in A school. I notified the Red Cross and am waiting to hear back from my sailor. Has anyone had…Continue
A School Graduation in San Antonio
Started by wfhcs. Last reply by mern May 30, 2019. 3 Replies 0 Likes
My son graduates on June 5th from A School. I am trying to verify the time of the graduation so I can book a flight in and out that day. He understood it to be at 10am or 12pm. I was trying to see if it is a set time. Thanks again,Continue
Photographs from Graduation
Started by m3mmarianne May 16, 2019. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Does anyone have access to the photos from graduation yesterday or know where we can search? Thank you in advance.Continue
Intro
Started by AmyBeth1991. Last reply by NavyMoeder May 4, 2019. 4 Replies 0 Likes
I think I sent everyone a message, when I thought I was posting. Please forgive me. I didn't see this until after. I have a son at HM school who will graduate next month. Any advice appreciated. I will be flying to San Antonio. My husband is a…Continue
Comment Wall
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Comment by DramaSoul on August 5, 2015 at 8:40pm
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Marcy...OMG! I re-read what I had written which is now 3 years ago! I teared up just reading the post. I had the opportunity to fly to my son's new duty station for his Frocking Ceremony. It was a quick trip...flew in on a Thursday and out on Sunday. While the ceremony was only an hour, I was so glad I could make it! I got to meet my son's co-workers and friends as well as his superiors. His Chief gave him the day off since I had flown 3,000 miles for that ceremony. I love getting these glimpses of his life. I know he was really happy that I was able to make it.
I can't believe how fast the time has flown!
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Comment by Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom on August 4, 2015 at 1:34pm
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Welcome DrSally and augie1116!
DrSally, there's a lot of good info to read through at the links above.
augie1116, here is member Dramasoul's description of her experience in 2012 - HM graduation reflections.
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Comment by DrSally on August 4, 2015 at 1:17pm
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My son (in the much younger picture with this post) will be going through his PIR on Friday. Soon after, he's off to corpsman school in SA. He has grown so much since beginning BC. He really has a sense of purpose now. I look forward to learning all I can from the moms on this site!
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Comment by augie1116 on August 2, 2015 at 12:51pm
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Hello Everyone, My son will be graduating from A school, next tuesday, August 11, 2015..We are so proud of him...We will be flying in to see the graduation...any tips on what to expect at the graduation....
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I think of it like this - when a person begins their career at their first job, they don't expect to get vacation just six months or less after their start date. Boot camp and A School are really days at work - they're being paid, so it's not like being at college or whatever. Hopefully she spoken with her sponsor regarding her arrival date. Enjoy your visit, congratulations on her graduation and best wishes to her at her first duty station.
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Welcome, MidwestMomNancy! Congratulations on your soon-to-be corpsman. Enjoy the reading and ask away with any questions :)
Mother of Twins - Regarding your message, I just sent you an email with some options.
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Comment by MidwestMomNancy on July 26, 2015 at 8:51pm
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Lots of good info here; I'm looking forward to reading! My son arrived last weekend and begins school tomorrow, class 15-205, if I understand the schedule.
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Thanks to amber02888 for the hotel info; I added it to the Discussion "Hotel Recommendations." Everyone's experience helps the next person!
A big thank-you also to wigglyturtle for providing an update on Liberty Phases! The updated info is at a link above with the permanent info. Hopefully she'll share how she came up with that name soon too! :)
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Comment by amber02888 on July 23, 2015 at 12:22pm
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I've gone to visit my fiance twice and we've booked my hotels thru this website: www.ihgarmyhotels.com
The Candlewood Suites (Bldg 2426) was the perfect location on base, pet friendly and a great hotel overall. The Riverwalk is about a 10-15 minute drive from base.
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One of our own has just been named Navy Times' Sailor of the Year!
"It takes a special person to dedicate their lives to be a corpsman, so they are naturally some very motivated individuals, but Petty Officer Freeman is a special individual who exceeds even that high standard that a corpsman brings to the fight," Cmdr. Nathan Almond, Ike's senior medical officer, said. http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2015/07/20/2015-navy-times-...
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