Can you go into the Air Force, Army or Navy Reserves as an OB nurse

[im_an_honest_1]

I have 3+ years experience as a RN-BSN in labor and delivery. I have NEVER worked anything else (no med/surg - no ICU/ER & don't plan to ever). I am just researching some options and happened to come across the Navy's website and it piqued my curiosity. So a few of the questions I have are:

1. Can you be guaranteed a specialty based on your experience as an RN

2. Can you expect to be deployed - I prefer to stay stateside as I have four children, 2 stepchildren and a grandchild (I meet age requirements - I'm only 34)

3. How can I find a "good" recruiter? After searching through these message boards I have found numerous people who post trying to help out others going through the process as their recruiter failed to fully inform or follow through with instructions.

I am just learning about the Air Force/Army/Navy. I need to take in a lot more information before I contact a recruiter because I'm afraid as soon as they find out I'm interested I will be hounded with multiple phone calls (like when I was in my early 20s because I scored so high on my ASVAB).

Any insight that anyone has about my specialty as well as any tips about if this would be a good/smart decision for someone with my family situation would be really appreciated. My main motivator is career advancement & student loan repayment (I have $81K in student loans to pay back so a Masters or Doctorate is out of my reach until that is satisfied) Thanks a bunch.

[ksuheather]

I can't speak to anything other than, you can not join the military and expect to never deploy. That is unrealistic. Lot's of soldier deploy and leave children, stepchildren and grandchildren at home in the care of spouses, family or friends.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I would hope your motivator would be to serve our soldiers and their families. Just about everyone deploys these days. You should contact a recruiter, they are the best source of information. Some branches (maybe all?) have medical recruiters. Otherwise contact the recruiter who works with a medical unit.

[midinphx, BSN]

Sure, you can go in as an OB nurse - if that is the need of the branch you choose. However, you will be deployed. And not as an OB nurse. OB nurses deploy often as med/surg nurses, PACU nurses, etc.

The recruiter will NOT "hound" you - you will be tracking them down. None of the military branches need you as much as you need them. The military is being cut - no secret, it's in the news. Look around this site. Fully qualified amazing nurses who want to commission and are willing to sacrifice so much to have the chance to serve our country are being turned away.

You sound in this post like you are more concerned about what you are going to get out of the military rather than what you can contribute. You can't expect to get student loan repayment on your own terms.

This sounds really harsh of me, I know. But the truth is that serving is a way of life. Those who come in and expect to get everything are simply miserable - and make others around them miserable too. If you want to give up your freedom for the chance to care for our fellow soldiers/marines/airmen/sailors/and other humanitarian needs, only then should you even consider asking a recruiter for his or her time to help you prepare a package to ask for the privilege to serve.

You don't get to choose your recruiter. There aren't that many healthcare recruiters in the nation. They cover large regions and you get the one assigned to your region.

Evaluate your motives before you pursue....