[jhawk07]

Ok, I am a sophomore in college, I am still patiently waiting to know if I got into the only nursing school that I had enough credits for. I won't know until February or March. (yuck) Anyway, I am getting married January 1, 2006 and my fiance and I aren't exactly rich. If I join the Navy Nurse Corps (NNC) the immediate money will really help us get through until he graduates. By the way, he is NROTC and will not graduate and get commissioned until May 2008. I will graduate in May 2007. My worry is the long-term commitment. If I graduate in May 2007 and I am in the NNC, I will then go to Rhode Island for OIS that summer then be stationed somewhere after that (away from husband). I don't mind being away from him for only a short time. I worry about a few things:
1) How I can get stationed at the same station as my husband (he will be a submariner, but has to go to nuke and sub school for a year and three months right after commissioning) so I worry about coordinating our duty stations. I know Hawaii, Norfolk, San Diego and I think Washington State have sub stations and a Navy hospital.
2) I really want kids, how easy do you think it would be to be a Navy Nurse and my husband being a submariner?
3) What is Navy nursing like, I have heard horror stories (no time off, long hours, no say because of the rank structure, etc.) about Navy Nursing and horror stories about civilian nursing. I have also heard good things about both. (less good things about Navy nursing). I am really confused about to do. Please help me make an informed decision.

Again my main concerns are family (ability to make a family in which I can raise my children without having to stick them in daycare a lot), being stationed with my husband, and the "job happiness" factor of Navy nursing. I have always wanted to go military, and if I don't do full active duty I will do reserve, but I have heard it is hard to do reserves and civilian nursing.

PLEASE HELP

[Mermaid4]

You have a better chance than many as a nurse with two active duty people BUT as a military "brat" and wife of a Coast Guardsman all I can say to you is good luck with that! It will work but it will NOT be easy...Used to be married couples can be stationed within 200 miles of each other but with him on a sub and you on land, that could be dicey.....As far as kids go and as one who grew up in that environment, make it an adventure and not a burden.....GOOD luck to you both!

[ayndim]

Whatever they tell you know this. The needs of the Navy come first. I am sure they will try but it is possible that you will not be stationed together. My husband and I were both in the Navy (pre marriage and pre kids) and I don't think I would want to us to both go back active duty. One of us would be okay but I think it would be too much for both parents to be active duty. That is just me. And since I wasn't a nurse in the Navy I am not sure how that part works. Not sure if nurses go to sea or not. If they do I would definately not do it.

[Mermaid4]

Exactly..One active duty member works best if you need all those choices met. If it is between you and the Navy, they are first. Recall, there is a war so one or both of you could be diverted without notice and have to go....

[traumaRUs]

We did the active duty thing together too. Except he was Air Force and I was Navy. Four months after our oldest was born, I was due to ship out.