unit affiliation, NMCRC or FMF? I am confused

[Meatfoam]

I enlisted in the reserves, and it looks as if all my initial training (boot, corpsschool, fmss) will take place back to back. Am I correct in that assumption? Or will my NMCRC put me to work before I go to FMSS?
Furthermore, my contract says that I am assigned to my local NMCRC. Will I get my actual or final duty station once I report to them (like a Marine unit) or will I physically be assigned to the NMCRC? Just wondering, as I enlisted wanting to go FMF.
Thanks for all your help, guys. I am excited to get going.

[kamon8404]

Well you are correct in saying that you might be going back to back. Its hard to tell what they are going to do without actually seeing a copy of your orders. If you want, you can fax them to me and I could look over them and find out exactly what will be happening with you, if you wanted.

[DocHayes]

Kamon8404 is absolutely right. I came in under the old APG program, so I skipped A-school, but it took me about 8 months before I could go to FMSS.

There was only one reservist in my platoon who did the Boot Camp, A-School, and FMSS back-to-back. But from the others that I know of who have done that route, there has been some time between A-School and FMSS... Whether you're returned to your reserve center or you PSI someplace for a while, I don't know.

When you check into your reserve unit, your contract should say that you're drilled with the FMF unit that you are assigned to. But as far as issue's of medical, pay, and ADMIN you will be property of the Navy personnel at the NOSC (Naval Operational Support Center- thats what they wanna be called now). But for everything else you'll be part of the FMF unit.

[DocHayes]

Oh yeah, when you do report to your FMF unit, you'll have to do a check-in with the FMF unit- just like any other Marine... Armory, Supply... except for the Marine specific stuff. Make sure you get a Weapons Card. Supply will be liberal about what gear they'll issue you, but don't get shorted on gear just because you're the Corpsman.

[Da-Chief]

Hey,
Ok here's the skinny...

If your NPSB, (Which I believe you are..)

You will have in this order..
Boot, NHCS, (And if 20K bonus) FMSS, before you return back to your Reserve Center for Reserve Duty. So. Boot, NHCS, and FMSS are all "ACTIVE DUTY TIME" and depending on when you get here can take anywhere from 6 months to 9 months if in the winter time and you get hung up on Holiday leave periods.

When assigned to a "FMF" billet I.e a Program 9 unit (read :MARINE) you will do all your drills with said unit, for all intents and purposes you are affiliated with the MARINE UNIT!! The only time you will deal with the Navy Reserves are to get your Pay paperwork in for your drills, Get your PFA info in after you do a PFA, and being assigned to a FMF unit I hope to god you can pass the measly 1.5 miles, and don't fricken tell me your a squid and your going to only do the 1.5. Shipmate, your assigned to the Marines, you had better be able to do their PFT and more.. When the Marines sit down to rest, that's when Doc gets to work, so guess what, your humping all the while and working your tail off during rest time.. No time for the weary..
;-)

I am rambling, oh yeah, one other time you "MUST" get in touch with the Navy side of the house, Make damn sure you know the advancement dates etc.. for the test. Also Make damn sure you in the proper uniform of the day. (READ: Blues during Winter Whites during Spring Summer). Some Reserve centers are real weenies, even though it says uniform of the day, they can't get it in their heads that cammi's are our uniform of the day..

Get used to report times and going home times of "TBA", in other words "WHEN THE $%)(*%$()%*$() JOB is DONE!!!!
;-)

Enjoy your time, I did with I&I..

Da-Chief

[Meatfoam]

Thank you guys for all your help. I did indeed sign up under NPSB, I guess they call it New Accession Training now, and I will be starting basic training on July 2nd. Kamon8404 I appreciate your offer in particular. I would love to have you look over my papers. However, I am not quite sure which parts of my paperwork constitute my "orders".
The "enlistment guarantees" paper is the most specific. No mention anywhere of a Marine or program 9 unit. All it says is: Assignment to NMCRC Cleveland, OH: UIC 62092. That's it. Is that just an administrative adress? Will I get further information once I report there, or will that be my actual duty station? I can't get a hold of my recruiter and this is really bugging me.
Again, thank you guys so much for your help. Can't wait to be a part of this community.
And excuse my ignorance, but I am not familiar with some of the abreviations you used: What are PFA and PSI?

[DocHayes]

PFA= Physical Fitness Assessment (PT test)

PSI= Pre-School Input (kinda like an intership in the field you will be working in, before you have the training)

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

Your terminology is dated and I don't know why Navy & Marine Corps Reserve Center (NMCRC) was used on your orders. The new lingo used by the Navy for such buildings is Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC). As you see here for NOSC Cleveland:
http://navyreserve.navy.mil/Public/Staff/Centers/Forces+Command/Centers/REDCOM+Midwest/Centers/NOSC+Cleveland/WelcomeAboard/default.htm

When you report to NOSC Cleveland, inform them you want to be with the Marines and they'll probably be glad to send you to a local unit of your choice. Your first drill will be an orientation drill done at the NOSC, but after that most should be with the Marines almost exclusively.

Check here for the local Marine units then research who you want to join.
http://www.mfr.usmc.mil/Units/OH.html

[GruntCorpsman]

Meatfoam,

Given the choice, and from what I have read so far, it appears that you have one available, I would recommend service with the FMF, it that appeals to you. I served eight years as a reserve corpsman, all with "the green side" in both Group and Division, and I could not have enjoyed it more. Should you "go green", IMHO, I would suggest taking a line company billet, if available and convenient for you. I was attached to Kilo, 3/25 and her sister companies are in Ohio and are well worth working with, if not for the training, then for the simple fact that no one, and I mean no one, appreciates good corpsman more than infantry Marines. I am out of the game now, but if there is any information I can provide to help you out, just shout.

Doc S.