Getting into FMTB [Archive] - Scuttlebutt Forum by Corpsman.com

Drays1218

10-19-2007, 08:40

Good morning everyone, Just want to drop a line and say I just enlisted into the Navy Reserve as a HM and ship out 20080310. My question is I want to get into FMTB school and heard that all males get sent through. Is this true or do you have to be selected for it during your A school? If its by selection only whats the best chances of getting selected over others?

AndiRRT

10-19-2007, 10:21

Hi. I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I 've been around those who are :) I was pretty sure that all males are going to FMTB, but knew there was a post that verified that. So here ya go...

http://www.corpsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225&highlight=males+fmtb

DeeDee

10-19-2007, 17:58

Congrats on your enlistment and Welcome to the family.

DeeDee
pretty much MOTHER around here :)

WARNING - we have a tendency to get a little crazy sometimes ;)

Drays1218

10-21-2007, 15:48

Thank you very much Dee Dee for the warm welcome.... Glad to be here and a new player on the team... Im sure Ill have more questions but I got alot of website to look through first, Great site by the way:D

HMC-FMF-PJ

10-21-2007, 16:48

If you are eager to go to FMTB, then try to get it squared away before you go to Boot Camp. If it is in your contract it is a no brainer that you will go. If it is not on paper then it is a bit more fuzzy.

Speaking of contracts, if you sign up to go HM-8404:
(a) then FMTB is 99.999% guaranteed
(b) you will go work with the Marines (FMF) (or SeaBee's)
(c) there is up to a $20,000 signing bonus
(d) there is the MGIB "Kicker" program which will give you about an extra $300 in additional monthy educational benefits.

There is plenty of info on both programs posted elsewhere on the site. Get all bonuses in writing before you ship out and keep a personal copy in a safe place.

Drays1218

10-22-2007, 08:30

ajnagy

10-22-2007, 20:16

wow how did you get a bonus? when i went to meps they said there was no bonus. and the contract i got at meps only guaranteed corpsman A school. am i suposed to ask for fmtb in my contract?

Corpsman77

10-23-2007, 06:48

Ajnagy,

Are you Non Prior Service Basic? (NPSB) That's the only group getting the 10k and 20k bonuses right now.

HMC-FMF-PJ

10-23-2007, 08:30

Heres whats on my Guarantees list

Call your Recruiter and verify what the $20k is for. I would guess it is for a 6yr HM-8404 obligation, but "guessing" isn't good enough.

Listen for your recuiter to say keywords like: FMSS, FMTB, 8404, FMF, Marines, field medical technician

If you are getting your bonus for signing a 6yr contract as a Hospital Corpsman with NEC 8404 then you are also entitled to apply for the MGIB Kicker program. Visit your recruiter's office and sign more paperwork to get the kicker. IF he is reluctant, show him the NAVADMIN and maintain a professional persistance.

See NAVADMIN 142/07
http://www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLibrary/Messages

ajnagy

10-23-2007, 16:07

corpsman77,
im 18 and just graduated high school. hope that answers ur question.
also i ship December 13th this year.

Drays1218

10-23-2007, 17:24

Ajnagy,

Are you Non Prior Service Basic? (NPSB) That's the only group getting the 10k and 20k bonuses right now.

Im joining the Reserve in the NAT program, non prior service... I heard only Reserve is getting the bigger bonus due to being undermanned

Drays1218

10-23-2007, 17:29

Call your Recruiter and verify what the $20k is for. I would guess it is for a 6yr HM-8404 obligation, but "guessing" isn't good enough.

Listen for your recuiter to say keywords like: FMSS, FMTB, 8404, FMF, Marines, field medical technician

If you are getting your bonus for signing a 6yr contract as a Hospital Corpsman with NEC 8404 then you are also entitled to apply for the MGIB Kicker program. Visit your recruiter's office and sign more paperwork to get the kicker. IF he is reluctant, show him the NAVADMIN and maintain a professional persistance.

See NAVADMIN 142/07
http://www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLibrary/Messages

My recruiter really doesnt know hes head from his rear when it comes to the FMF/Corpsman... He even told me before I went to MEPS to dont even ask for it cause there over filled..

HMC-FMF-PJ

10-24-2007, 06:25

Call your Recruiter and verify what the $20k is for. Apparently my guess of HM-8404 was incorrect.

However, there are other jobs that qualify for the bonus and the kicker. You are an adult and you are the one negotiating a binding contract, but here are a few steps I would take.

[A.] Read NAVADMIN 065/07 at http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/FE3C2290-B12A-481C-9C19-07CB1A8C4842/0/NAV07065.txt

[B.] Print out the NAVADMIN and highlight paragraph 8

"8. SAILORS SERVING IN RATINGS AND SPECIALTIES LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 7 ABOVE MAY APPLY FOR THE MGIB-SR KICKER PROGRAM, PROVIDED THEY MEET ALL OTHER PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA..."

[C.] Show the NAVADMIN to your Recruiter and request the MGIB-SR Kicker. Since your bonus came from paragraph 7, paragraph 8 says you can also go for the kicker which I think gives you an EXTRA $200 to $300 a month in educational benefits for 36 months.

[D.] If he says you do not qualify, politely ask him why. This could be a $10,000 question so put a little effort into it. Be polite. Be professional. Be persistent!

[E.] Come back and give us an update.

Drays1218

10-25-2007, 10:57

A. ENLISTMENT BONUSES (EB).
(1) NEW ACCESSION TRAINING (NAT) BONUS (MEMBERS WITH NO PRIOR
MILITARY SERVICE):
SIX-YEAR CONTRACT = $20,000 (LUMP SUM)
SKILL NEC NOTE
BU
CE
CM
EA
EO
HM 8404 1,2
IS
MA
SW
UT

I see that the list of ratings shows HM and says 8404, no other rates on the list show an NEC, I have a DEP/PT meeting today so I will bring a copy and ask my recruiter and or the NC1 there, thank you very much for the info. Ill let you know what he says tonight

HMC-FMF-PJ

10-31-2007, 05:17

Awaiting feedback...

illinois doc

11-04-2007, 17:15

All of these ppl going to NHCS makes me feel kinda funny. Is this that "old" feeling that my Cheifs always talk about?

puckmedic

11-05-2007, 06:42

Wait til your 45, retired and out of the game then speak of old feeling. If I knew half of what these guys do now, heading in, I would have jumped into a technical field like lab tech or xray, got a re up bonus along the way and civilain certification for my "2nd life".

Looks like I got to do this on my own now.

Da-Chief

11-05-2007, 10:56

Plane and simple..

20K = 8404.. Period..

Don't know what your recruiter is saying about 8404 being overfilled.. I just got off the phone with NOLA QMC ROMER NAT program mgr..

8404 is "CRITICAL" hence the 20K bonus..

AJNAGY.. Call your Recruiter.. your getting stiffed!! You should be able to get the 20K ..

Any other questions?? Bueller.. Bueller... ???

Da-Chief.. Is out..

Kaylen

02-06-2008, 08:54

I'm curious if there is any way females can go to FMTB, I've read some things on some other boards and stuff that it is possible, there is an extra pt test or something, I don't know, I'm just curious about it because if it is possible it is definetly something I want to do, It's always been what I wanted to do. :)

8404

02-06-2008, 13:22

Kaylen:

I just got off the phone with my contacts at FMTB, Camp Pendleton, California and obtained the most current information regarding this:

Females CAN and do attend FMTB, however females only attend at the Camp Lejeune, North Carolina location.

Be advised, you may not attend FMTB right away. Additionally, when you first report in to FMTB, you will be screened for two things:

1. Body fat ratio
2. Physical readiness, as in a passing PRT

During the course of FMTB, you will be expected to pass the Marine Corps PFT, which is their physical readiness test.

FMTB is a physically demanding school and everyone, (male & female) should prepare themselves well in advance, to be able to meet the demands of this course.

I'm not sure if this is still true, if you fail the initial physical screening at FMTB, the individual is administratively separated from the US Navy. That means discharged, dismissed, you're done. If someone else has an update on this, please advise.

I also put in a plug with the FMTB duty instructor for corpsman.com and asked that he share us with everyone there.

Corpsman77

02-12-2008, 13:31

If you fail the initial physical at FMTB you will be placed in SATT PLT. That PLT is full of the washouts, overweight people, etc. You will be cleaning up the grounds, pulling duty during the day when all the students are out training. If during this time you get your weight down, etc, you will be given a chance at the next training cycle. Fail that, and you're sent away, maybe. When I went through there was a guy there for 6 months due to physical issues (heart) and eventually after being cleared he was allowed to go through with us.

If you can't run at least 30 minutes without stopping don't even bother showing up. It's not about miles there, it's about time.

You will start at 2 miles and eventually you'll be running 4-6 depending on the agility group you are in. Mind you, in that run is stops for wind sprints through waist high brush, push-ups, pull-ups, and the gratuitous swims(ha) through the creek beds. You're wet and covered in mud 70% of the time there. It makes it all the harder to do anything.

Here is my myspace. On the front page is a video of just ONE of the things you will be required to pass.

http://www.myspace.com/wolfeman77

Also there's a video around here of my PLT doing all kinds of stuff if it survived the great crash of '07.

Snack Dragon

05-28-2008, 16:40

I'm at FMTB east right now and I can tell you that if you are wanting to get FMF then your only hopes for it gareenteed are to go out for the RECON(MARSOC) indoc and do reconnaissance Corpsman or to have it gareenteed in your contract. Be careful though when getting the contract gareentee because the recruiters or MEPS may try to talk you into NCS, which is not the worst option , but if you are really hoping for college then you can pretty much hold the phone on that. Those are the main two that I know of. Other then that it all comes down to luck of the draw

DocFMF

05-29-2008, 04:17

Actually, I believed it's based more on availability than luck. I also went to FMTB (FMSS then) at Camp Johnson. It wasn't in my contract, but since I requested to go w/the Marines, it was required training. Having it already in your contract is a guaranteed way to go, but not the only way. You may not "class up" directly out of A-school, but it'll happen if you plan to go FMF. I went to a shore command (clinic) for a few months (TAD) before I classed up for FMSS, then went back to the same clinic as my first duty station. We did have females in my class that had to perform just as well as us males. Their qual. times varied, but they weren't cut much slack just for being female. You definitely want to be in good shape before you get there. A good start is being able to pass the Marine Corps PFT.

Going Recon is a good way to go to FMTB, but most people that try for Recon are already FMF qual'd. If that's the route you want to take and the lifestyle you can handle, there's great training opportunity within the Recon pipeline. But most people can't handle the sacrifices that come with the title.

F.Y.I. - Whenever you negotiate for your contract, it's a good idea to do your homework first. Talk to people that's already been through it (like on corpsman.com), research everything about the job so you know what to expect when you go in there. And you'll leave knowing you got everything you're entitled to, such as bonuses, ed. benefits, schools, etc.

DocFMF... out!

8404

05-29-2008, 04:37

Actually, I believed it's based more on availability than luck.

Exactly!

You may not "class up" directly out of A-school.....I went to a shore command (clinic) for a few months (TAD) before I classed up.....

This happens frequently, but again it depends on available 'seats' at the time the student graduates Corpsman 'A' school, (budgets and time of year).

F.Y.I. - Whenever you negotiate for your contract, it's a good idea to do your homework first. Talk to people that's already been through it (like on corpsman.com), research everything about the job so you know what to expect when you go in there. And you'll leave knowing you got everything you're entitled to, such as bonuses, ed. benefits, schools, etc.

Excellent advise!

... Going Recon....

There are Recon Recruiters at FMTB. You will have an opportunity to attend and try out for a Recon 'screening'. If you pass, you will PT with Recon while at FMTB. This may have changed, as this was the method in 2005.

Doc_D

05-29-2008, 08:58

Speaking of contracts, if you sign up to go HM-8404:
(a) then FMTB is 99.999% guaranteed
(b) you will go work with the Marines (FMF) (or SeaBee's)
(c) there is up to a $20,000 signing bonus
(d) there is the MGIB "Kicker" program which will give you about an extra $300 in additional monthy educational benefits.

Heres whats on my Guarantees list

option (1) Hospital Corpsman School Guarantee
option (2) Assignment to Navy Reserve Center Tampa, FL (i know i know "weekend warrior"):)
option (3) Enlistment bonus $20,000
option (4) SDN: <------- (what does this mean? it was left blank)
No where on my contract does it have the number (8404), it just says Corpsman

Good Morning Drays1218

After reading your questions, I would like to offer up some answers. Typically, ALL New Assesion Training (NAT) HMs, which is the Navy's way of saying Non-Prior Service Reserve, are guaranteed FMTB in their contract. The reason you would rate a $20,000 enlistment bonus is because Corpsman, on the reserve side, is a Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) job and that is the big push for Reserves. Your contract generally wouldn't say anything about 8404, as 8404 is the "job code" that you would recieve for completing the training.

I would recommend that you contact your Recruiter, or the Recruiter-In-Charge for the recruiting station you enlisted out of. Professionally let them know that this is what you are wanting to do and that you would like them to check on it as soon as possible. Don't be afraid to ask for a deadline for your answer. Just please be aware that Recruiters are busy sailors, whether we look like it or not..lol

Their inquiry will require them to contact MEPS to see about amending your contract to include the requested training.

Hope this helps. Please continue to keep us informed.

R/

Doc_D