Military/VA RN's - Please post experiences for Students

All branches of the military require a BSN (I believe - Military people help me out please). I am not sure what the age cut off is, but perhaps others reading tyhe thread can answer.

I am very happy with my full time SICU position at WHC but I have always wanted to volunteer a shift a week or so at the VA because my father was a Vietnam vet. I think I tried calling just last Friday here in D.C. and the guy told me that they were overwhelmed with volunteers and that they didn't use nurses as volunteers. Do you know if there's any way around that? I don't think they'd hire me for just a shift a week or less, would they?

Thanks for all the responses and info. I did have some bits of my own research to offer. The reserves....not all but AirNG and ArmyNG will take ADN's but they must earn the BSN within 5 years. I am not aware of any active duty branch taking less than a BSN though.

I have one year left on a ADN program, then I am enrolling in the RN to BSN program so in 2 years if all goes well I will have a BSN. I am considering the AF reserves or AirNG in the meantime as I am on a scholarship and committed to work as an RN at my local hospital for 2 years after graduation. Plus hubby will be here for 3 more years in engineering school. He is currently AFreserve and prior AD AF so that is why I am considering the AF as well.
The ultimate goal is for both of us to go back to active duty with a commission.

I jsut hope they will accept me. As a kid my records had Chronic Otitis Media stamped all over them. I'm fine now but here's to hoping for a wavier but not holding my breath.

The V.A. has 5 grades for RN's from 1-5 with 13 steps in each grade. The salary range that I am quoting is for the area that I live in. Each area pay scale differs somewhat do to locality pay. Grade 01 step 01 in this area has a base pay rate of $39,110. The top is nurse 5, step 13 which has a base pay of $131,400.