Deployments for RNs by Branch?

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I am in final stages of deciding on a Nurse Corp (ANC vs AF NC).

1) I know the Army just upped the deployment terms to 15 months. Are RNs seeing full deployment lengths?

Recruiter states "orders are cut for 179 days but are told you're going for a year... Sometimes you stay, and some are sent back early."

Anyone with firsthand experience or at least direct knowledge to confirm or dispute this?

2) AF recruiter stated "tours are 3-4 months ... some longer, some shorter..."

Again, any direct or firsthand exp/ knowledge?

Any sage thoughts or admonitions?

Delaying MEPS to make this final decision...

Thanks for your help and your service.

Brian

Specializes in med-surg/tele/ortho w/ICU,NI,Trauma.
Hello,

I recall reading from more than one ANC officer who said that as a new nurse I should expect six months bedside, (if even) before possible deployment. The sites and information says a year but, that would be "then" not now.

Good luck to the OP, I went "Green":balloons: :monkeydance: and caused my recruiter to do much work which he did and I commend him, (even as I was complaining before...they have a thankless job and countless hours!)

I agree that we must be informed ourselves especially to avoid "selective hearing" which some recruiters are very adept at influencing.

Gen

Thanks Gen, I'm glad things have finally worked out for you... I read about your trials trying to commission. Good luck.

Beanseye RN

The army nurses are deploying for a year. I am an active duty nurse, gradutated from OBC in Apr '05, spent one year on station and then deployed from Apr '06 - Apr '07.

There is a nursing shortage all around. Our tour was 1 year, the only people that were there for 6 months were the surgeons and ortho docs.

We all have families and/or people that are important to us. The main thing to remember is that you are making a contribution that is very important. Besides, it will be something that you will remember for the rest of your life. And yes, deployments are stressful, but it can take your nursing to another level. And the friendships that I made were great.

Specializes in med-surg/tele/ortho w/ICU,NI,Trauma.

Thanks Military Girl for both your insight and your service.

I just got wavier for glaucoma to green light a trip to MEPS.

Will get answers soon.

Any suggestions for these final stages?

If all goes well, I expect to do OBLC in October.

Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Thanks Military Girl for both your insight and your service.

I just got wavier for glaucoma to green light a trip to MEPS.

Will get answers soon.

Any suggestions for these final stages?

If all goes well, I expect to do OBLC in October.

Hi Beanseye,

Did they add another OBLC? Initialy I thought I was going in October then I heard that the last one of the year starts on Aug 5th.

Later I read that they were trying to add one more rotation of OBLC a year but that it wasn't "on" yet.

My hope is to have my NCLEX-RN results in time to go to Aug 5th OBLC because then my permanent post is squared away.

So, if you go in August you might be in it with myself and with CME, (I think it is CME) from here.

Here is to hoping!

Gen

Specializes in med-surg/tele/ortho w/ICU,NI,Trauma.

gen,

i'm not sure what you were told, but i read they hold oblc 5x/yr. to quote my recruiter:

" brian, here are the next two dates for obc:

report start finish

5-aug-07 6-aug-07 23-sep-07

8-oct-07 9-oct-07 24-nov-07 "

i look forward to meeting you if we end up training together.

beanseye rn

Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
gen,

i'm not sure what you were told, but i read they hold oblc 5x/yr. to quote my recruiter:

" brian, here are the next two dates for obc:

report start finish

5-aug-07 6-aug-07 23-sep-07

8-oct-07 9-oct-07 24-nov-07 "

i look forward to meeting you if we end up training together.

beanseye rn

hi,

possibly it wasn't confirmed by the time i signed or when my recruiter last spoke to me. possibly again they wanted to make sure that i could enter within the same fiscal year as i oathed.

so, then again, the anxst over when i start is a bit of an issue for me because i'm a student, (i.e. with no income in and living on student loans) and need to pay 1k a month rent here in chicago. also the darn timeline of test to licensure is too long to comfortably say i will indeed be in the aug 5th start.

wishing you the best and if we are in together, see you then!

gen

The ATRRS course catalog does not list a course for Oct. Aug is the last one for 2007. Unless it hasn't been updated and they added it.

Some AF deployments are no longer than 3-4 months so that is truth. I have a co-worker who was deployed with her AF unit and the rotation was 3-6 mos. She came back after 3 months.

Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
gen,

i'm not sure what you were told, but i read they hold oblc 5x/yr. to quote my recruiter:

" brian, here are the next two dates for obc:

report start finish

5-aug-07 6-aug-07 23-sep-07

8-oct-07 9-oct-07 24-nov-07 "

i look forward to meeting you if we end up training together.

beanseye rn

hi,

i think i just understood this above.

start of august 5 finishes oct 8.

start of aug 6 finishes oct 9.

start of sept 23 finishes nov 23

however, since the start date is august 5th and your recruiter says here are the next two start dates i do not know why he listed three start dates?

gen

Specializes in med-surg/tele/ortho w/ICU,NI,Trauma.

gen,

this is how i understood it>

" brian, here are the next two dates for obc:

....report ........start .........finish

#1 5-aug-07 ...6-aug-07 ...23-sep-07

#2 8-oct-07 ...9-oct-07 ...24-nov-07 "

i checked the atrrs site and as of today the 08 oct class still shows as the last class. i don't think it has been updated though. time will tell. i still can't go to the 05 aug oblc.

brian

Specializes in US Army.

The latest deployment info... the 28th CSH who is currently in Iraq just got their 12 month tour extended to 15 months, and the 86th CSH who's coming in to replace them will be there for 15 months. So yes, right now Army nurses are doing 15 month tours in Iraq.

Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
gen,

this is how i understood it>

" brian, here are the next two dates for obc:

....report ........start .........finish

#1 5-aug-07 ...6-aug-07 ...23-sep-07

#2 8-oct-07 ...9-oct-07 ...24-nov-07 "

i checked the atrrs site and as of today the 08 oct class still shows as the last class. i don't think it has been updated though. time will tell. i still can't go to the 05 aug oblc.

brian

brian,

thank you for listing it this way, now i get it. if they oct date is good to go it might be likely that they will send me to that one. yet, i have no clue just now how to hang on for three more month's worth of rent with student loans due and no income!! yikes. this is the same old worries that i had before...student status...sigh...hangin in there.

gen

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