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:

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:

RTC Graduation

**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:

Latest Activity

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

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!! 

Location: San Antonio, TX
Members: 797
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

and Camp Lejeune Moms on N4M.

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 & DadsCorpsman MomsCorpsman 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

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

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

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

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

Comment

You need to be a member of HM (Hospital Corps) "A" School in San Antonio to add comments!

Comment by Mommabear on August 31, 2015 at 1:57am

Thank you Marcy - Corpsman Mom!! Great article. Those FMF corpsman are dedicated and selfless. I pray for each one. May their families be supportive and strong. NMHs

Comment by Marcy ~ Corpsman Mom on August 29, 2015 at 11:44pm

For those whose corpsmen will go on to Field Medical Training Battalion - and nearly all corpsmen do eventually, whether they are going FMF or not - here is an special report about FMTB from this month's Sea Power magazine, published by the Navy League of the United States.  It starts on page 38.  http://www.seapower-digital.com/seapower/september_2015#pg41

Comment by Trish from Texas on August 29, 2015 at 4:11pm

DREW7062 - Our son needed an entire day to sleep once he got to Japan, but they adjust pretty fast.  The time difference was tough for us, but we Skype between 8pm-midnight Friday and Saturday (our time) which is late morning Saturday and Sunday for them. 

Our son is in Okinawa, first at one base, but now another.  The clinic he is attached to required them to purchase cell phones so that they could be contacted for emergencies.  He doesn't use the cell phone to call home since that would cost him more.  We use Skype for video calls twice a week when he's on base.  His orders were for 2 years (I think most are) and so he picks orders in a few weeks and will transfer to his next duty station next May.  We're praying the next duty station is MUCH closer to Texas, or at least in the U.S. :)

Last year he was fairly new to the base, so he only got 12 days of leave to come home for Christmas.  They gain a day coming home, but then lose 2 days going back, and they really need a few days of rest to get re-acclimated to the time difference, so that cut into his leave quite a bit.  This year, they had a week off right after a float, so we met halfway in Hawaii to cut down on his travel and expenses.  The ticket home last year was about $1,500 for business class.  This Christmas, they have approved his leave for longer, so he'll be able to come home for Christmas again.  

I hope your son enjoys his time in Japan.  Our son has really enjoyed visiting the surrounding communities and all the restaurants.  They are so busy there that the time seems to just fly by!   

Comment by DREW7062 on August 28, 2015 at 9:44pm
Trishmim: my son is in Yokoska or however you pronounce it lol. I'm excited for him how did your son adjust to the time change OMG I don't know if I could get used to sleeping while we're awake and vice versus. Lol how does your son like Japan and what part is he in? How lone is he signed for? My son is signed for 2 years. Tell me does your son have a cell phone and if so how does he use it to call the U.S. he has emailed me. Has your son been back home in that year or have you visited him? I know a lot of questions. Lol
I hope you enjoy your day
Comment by Trish from Texas on August 28, 2015 at 12:01pm

my2navygirls - I don't visit this site as often as I used to since our son has been in Japan for over a year now, but I saw your post today and wanted to tell you I understand what you must have been feeling.  I'm a prior Navy corpsman myself (Gulf War).  I have had a lot of learning to do since our son joined the Navy.  Things have definitely changed over the years.  I remember we used to get paid tickets to go home for a visit before jetting off across the world to a new duty station, and especially now that our son is in Japan, that would really come in handy, believe me!  So many things about today's Navy are much better, though, and far outweigh the few perks we used to have. 

In particular, the changes to the G.I. Bill make it so much easier for our kids to get the college education they earn by serving our country.  They have way more opportunities to earn college credit, and complete job certifications while they are active duty, too.  There's no other "job" I know of that has the benefits of the military. 

With housing and food taken care of, our son decided to put away a small part of his paychecks into a savings account he builds up to help pay for his airline tickets home (usually around Christmas), and we pay the rest.   He hasn't been able to visit every year, due to deployments and such, but when he's on base, we Skype at least once a week.  We also email almost daily wherever he's at. 

Marcy made a great point about remembering this is the beginning of their career.  I keep that in mind whenever I am feeling anxious about scheduling issues.  We may not know until the last minute when he's coming home, but we know he's going to get a lot out of this experience and have opportunities to succeed in life whether he decides to stay in or make a career out of it.  He gets a sense of independence and achievement and we know he's learning, growing, fed, housed, and living within a set of pretty rigid guidelines which keeps them much safer than if they were out there on their own.  For sure!  :)

On his last float (deployment), I was telling him about some crazy stuff we did on the ship when we didn't have patients to treat, and he joked back, "Hey, Mom, did you know that we don't actually row the boats by hand anymore?".  Ha, ha, ha!  See?  Things DO change for the better, sometimes!  LOL! 

Comment by Trish from Texas on August 28, 2015 at 11:21am

DREW7062 - What a coincidence!  Our son has been in Japan for over a year now and we've been emailing while he'd been on a deployment for the last few months.  He mentioned that a couple of new corpsman were arriving about the same time they were getting back (yesterday).  Your son must be one of the new guys! 

Not sure what you're son brought with him, but when the corpsman rotate out, they usually have some big items to sell, like cars, new TV's, etc.  Buying a huge, new, TV from a sailor transferring back to the U.S. for about $75 is pretty common...and a pretty great deal!

Comment by DREW7062 on August 27, 2015 at 2:22pm
Navy mom : my son started A school in San Antonio April 24 week and he graduated August 4 and came home for 2 weeks and arrived in Japan yesterday. I'm so proud of him. And good luck to you and yours!
Comment by Bobbi H on August 27, 2015 at 2:02pm
Hey Navy Mom. My son just graduated 8/18 and finished to leave base 8/21. He arrived 5/2. The days she is including may also be the first almost 2 weeks are spent in briefings and don't count as classroom days. Hope that helps clarify.
Comment by Navy Mom on August 27, 2015 at 1:47pm

Hi everyone. My daughter just went through PIR on August 21 and is now at A School in San Antonio to be a corpsman. You site says that the training is for 94 days, but my daughter says that it is 115 days excluding weekends. Can you help clear things up?

Comment by Bobbi H on August 10, 2015 at 4:43pm

Anyone on here Class of 150 and going to graduation next week?

 
 
 

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