I keep being told the ARMY is changing; How is this affecting Nursing.

Msmedic68w, MSN, RN · Dec 18, 2012

My good friend is in the ARMY, he's getting out in May because he says he hates the way it's changing. That the ARMY is treating good soldiers poorly, overly punishing minor infractions, and just in general not keeping consistencies. He keeps trying to tell me not to go in, but I also have been told that AMEDD is different from being a normal soldier. He's an 11B, E-5, and really hasn't had much contact with the medical field. I wanted to know if the Nurses that are in are feeling that the ARMY isn't treating them right? Or if there are new changes that are causing people who had thought they were lifers to get out.
ALSO: I was speaking briefly to a recruiter who said I could go enlisted or CO. But I haven't found ANY information about going enlisted. I was wondering if anyone had any more information of this option.

I am in the Army as a medic. Medics are enlisted. Nurses, doctors and specialists are officers (there is no nurse with a BSN who is enlisted-EVER). You would direct commissioned and go to Fort Sam Houston and do OBC, I believe it is 6 weeks long. There they teach you about the Army and how to be an officer. Once commisioned you would enter the Army as a 2LT, or possibly a 1LT depending on your experience and education. The highest rank one can be commissioned at is a LTC. (those people are like brain surgeons and other crazy things). The Army is changing for the fact that it is downsizing a great deal. Benefits are the same but bonuses have dwindled. Also the war in Afghanistan is coming to a draw down, so you might not ever deploy. Seems ideal until you look around at all the other people with a deployment patch and you don't have one, you won't get the same respect. Senior NCOs are getting out because if they haven't made a certain rank by a certain time they are being forced out, therefore cannot be "lifers". Know that if you join the Army you are at the needs of the Army, you may never touch a patient. Or you could work in a MEDAC unit in some surgical ward and see and touch people all day, it depends. The nurse I work with no never touches a patient, he does a lot of admin. The Physician Assistants are the most hands on.

As far as being "treated right" what do you mean? You sign the dotted line and your life is theirs to do what they want. It is what it is, there are less than 1% of the population serve in the Army, it isn't for everyone. You'll have it easier being an officer then us enlisted, but get ready for some petty politics. "Rank makes you right even when you're wrong" If someone outranks you, then they have the final say, even if they are an idiot. I am not staying in the Army once I get my BSN. I will work for them as a civilian but I wont stay in past my 4 years.

Sorry my post is so long, I am overwhelmed with all I could tell you about the Army, nurses and so on and so forth. This doesn't even skim the surface.

Pikake · Dec 20, 2012

I know that if you are a new grad RN in the Army, all you will do is patient care because you have to learn how to be a bedside nurse and critically think. OBC is about 9 weeks long and promotion to CPT is 42 months and it is competitive, so basically you have to show the Army why you deserve to be a leader. The ANC is no different from griping about any other job but it will let you take reigns of practicing autonomously and promote and encourage leadership development.