ADN RN wanting NP, ARMY ?? NAVY ??

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2010

You can do Army Reserves with your ADN but slots are limited. Yes it is a long process 6-12 months for most people from time of starting paperwork until joining a unit. There is the GI bill for reserves, not as good as active duties but not bad. Also there is tution assistance for reservist. There is also the STRAP program to help pay for school. Not sure about if it would cover a ADN-MSN program thou. If you use the STRAP there is a pay back of 2:1 if you stay reserves and a 1:1 for active duty. One good thing about the STRAP program is that you will not be activited while using it. Good luck

tmcwharton RN · Jan 27, 2010

So am I able to enter the reserve as an officer? Then when I get my MSN how does it work if I transition to active, are you still required to meet the same training requirements when you are in school and in the reserve ?? Thanks a lot for the reply

Todd

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2010

When you transfer to active nothing changes as far as your rank is concerned. When you do transfer to active you will have to go thru the board process again. If you are in a drilling status your requirements are the same as if you are not in school. 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks a year & deploy if activited. But as stated before if you are in the STRAP program you will not be activitied plus you have the choice if you want to drill or not. What I mean by that is you either do the standard 1 weekend a month etc. or you do not drill at all while in school. There is no inbetween choosing when you want and do not want to drill.

armyfnp72 · Jan 31, 2010

I would strongly advise you to not enter the Army.

I will say that I was in a similar situation that you were in.

The army nurse corps in nearly 100% contentious, backstabbing, and sorority-minded *.

They will look down on you that you went from a ADN to a MSN.

You are a male, so reverse discrimination will be just below the surface.

You will be rated and judged by RNs who are not even FNPs.

You will not be supported unless you keep so under the radar that no one knows you exist and you agree to everything they say.

The bottom line is you are in the army to serve the leadership and their goals - not yours.

If you are looking for an ER or battle field type experience as a FNP in the army, you can forget it.

FNPs only work in family practice clinics for the most part. The PAs work with the soldiers.

I have spent 3 years in the active duty army as a FNP and while I am grateful to have served my country - overall it has been a very bad experience. If you are looking for loan repayments, for the next three years just work 2 jobs. It is about what you will do in the army anyhow, that is super easy if you work 12 hour shifts.

Good luck.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2010

I would strongly advise you to not enter the Army.
I will say that I was in a similar situation that you were in.
The army nurse corps in nearly 100% contentious, backstabbing, and sorority-minded *.
They will look down on you that you went from a ADN to a MSN.
You are a male, so reverse discrimination will be just below the surface.
You will be rated and judged by RNs who are not even FNPs.
You will not be supported unless you keep so under the radar that no one knows you exist and you agree to everything they say.
The bottom line is you are in the army to serve the leadership and their goals - not yours.
If you are looking for an ER or battle field type experience as a FNP in the army, you can forget it.
FNPs only work in family practice clinics for the most part. The PAs work with the soldiers.
I have spent 3 years in the active duty army as a FNP and while I am grateful to have served my country - overall it has been a very bad experience. If you are looking for loan repayments, for the next three years just work 2 jobs. It is about what you will do in the army anyhow, that is super easy if you work 12 hour shifts.
Good luck.

After reading some of your post it sounds like you are very bitter about the Army. Just remember the grass is not always greener somewhere else. The Army is like the civilian world, you have some good leaders and you have some bad leaders. I have worked as a nurse in both the civilian world and the Army and there are some leaders (civilian & Army) I would go into combat with and others I would not. Hope that the rest of your time in the Army improves and when you ETS you leave the Army without a bitter taste in your mouth.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2010

After reading some of your post it sounds like you are very bitter about the Army. Just remember the grass is not always greener somewhere else. The Army is like the civilian world, you have some good leaders and you have some bad leaders. I have worked as a nurse in both the civilian world and the Army and there are some leaders (civilian & Army) I would go into combat with and others I would not. Hope that the rest of your time in the Army improves and when you ETS you leave the Army without a bitter taste in your mouth.

Thank you. Seriously.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2010

I don't know a whole lot about the Army - I've learned a lot off this board. I'm currently an RN in the Air Force and am prior enlisted Air Force.

What jeckrn said is completely correct. When I was enlisted I had commanders who weren't worth the trouble and commanders who were positively brilliant who should have been running the whole Air Force. I served with people who hated everything about the Air Force and those who would have done anything for it. Currently I have a wing commander who by all accounts is brilliant (and seems to be) and a flight commander (sort of the unit manager) who is more pro-person than any commander I've met, and who would do anything for her people, enlisted and officer alike. Our group commander (who would sort of be like a department head) is personable, very pro-Air Force (as he should be) and at the same time very pro-individual as well. I've chatted with him several times and he's very impressive. Our chief RN emails us at least once a week with career and officer advice and guidance and over the course of the next several months is meeting with EVERY SINGLE ACTIVE DUTY RN who works for her to discuss career development. I'm actually seeing her tomorrow at 1300 myself.

In short, I have an outstanding unit - and it's been recognized; Wilford Hall has more than one Presidential unit citation to her name and has been called the "most combat-ready unit in the Air Force" by more than one multi-star general.

And out there in the rest of the Air Force (and I'm sure even on the rest of Lackland Air Force base) there are commanders who should be planting flowers and not commanding troops. And you know what? That's why God made orders - to get away from folks like that. And you CAN get out of anywhere if you're willing to do the legwork - it's a heck of a lot easier for officers than for enlisteds.

Idiots, I'm sorry to say, are everywhere.

Look at the positive individuals - active duty Army, Reservists, and National Guard folks - who love what they do and are happy with their chosen branch of service. Please don't let one person who's been unfortunate enough to have a crappy experience color your enthusiasm. The military is a wonderful opportunity for those who are willing to adhere to its standards. You seem very excited about the possibilities and I'd like to see you stay that way.

Good luck and keep posting and reading these boards.

tmcwharton RN · Feb 1, 2010

Thanks a ton to everyone posting, I appreciate all of the honest feedback this is a decision I will not take lightly and I have just started in the process. From what I have looked into so far and one chat with an AMEDD recruiter it sounds like my best option is Army Reserve. He said it would be difficult for me to advance my rank due to my age 38 and other factors. So I'm considering the 3yr obligation for service. Here come questions.

1) I'm located in Whitefish Montana how do I find out what unit I would/should be associated with, look into their deployment history etc.

If I'm a student in the reserve the only way to avoid deployment is to be in the STRAPP program correct so I need to be prepared??

2)It sounds like the application process is long if I begin this I have not actually raised my right hand yet I have to be accepted first correct ?

3) OBLC is a ten week commitment when does this get scheduled and or how long do you have to do it?

THANKS

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2010

I'm a little curious as to why he would say age would hold you back rank wise. Everyone competes for rank past O4 and age has nothing to do with it - no, you might not be around long enough to make O5 but I know people who started out as Lts at age 22 who retired as O4s. In some career fields (and in the Air Force nursing's one of them) making O5 is extremely difficult. I have every single reason to expect retirement with an O4, and if I make O5 I'll consider it gravy (though of course I'm shooting for O6 - LOL).

Have you seen the projected retirement pay for an active duty O4 with twenty years? It's over sixty grand! And you'd retire at 58! I'll be 52 at retirement and fully expect to be able to keep working - and I'd take that 60K, no questions asked.

If you really have your heart set on active duty, I'd question that if I were you. Just my two cents' worth.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Feb 2, 2010

I'll also be 38 this summer when I graduate, and presumably when I join the Army, if all goes well ... I was curious about the rank issue as well. (Wonder if not looking even close to my age helps, ha ha. ) And yeah, I also looked at the pay chart. 58 for retirement sounds good to me!

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2010

I've come in with a year's time in grade, so I'll make first Lt in December. Then Captain in 2012. After that, I'm eligible for a majors board in 2018. So I will probably only retire as an O4, and yes, that is due to my age right this second - but it's not going to stop me from actually advancing in rank, it just may determine how far I get, because in the AF I'm not sure if you can stay in over twenty with the rank of major - I think you can do twenty-two.

A lot of people retire as majors. There's certainly no shame in it.