Advice to choose between Army/AF/ Navy reserve corp... HELP!!

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Specializes in cardiac and neuro surgery; obstetrics.

Hi,

I'm looking for any and all advice to help me figure out the pro's and cons of each branch nurse corp. I have always dreamed of military nursing but put by spouses army career before mine. He is finishing up school with his GI bill scholarship and he is also looking at reserve duty. i am a BSN, RN 2.5 years critical care, and 3 years inpatient obstetrics experience. Fetal monitoring, STABLE certified, BLS, ACLS, NRP certified.

given my experience i have a couple of Q's...

1. What rank should i expect to enter in as?

2. Pro's and cons of each branch reserve nurse corp.

3. Promotional and professional opportunities for all branches?

4. Average deployment schedule if activated?

5. Nurse corp entry training and education for reservists.

6. Particularly interested in flight nursing, always dreamed of this. don't want to do OB nursing in the military. loved critical care, but on really bad civilian unit and no openings in ED. Have obstetric OR, triage, inpatient experience too.

7. What awesome opportunities are there for me, as a 25 year old and no dependents, just my spouse and I right now.

Thanks, appreciate all advice. Want to make the best choice possible and recruiters and not always the most reliable for info.

Emily Neigh, BSN, RN

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

hello realnut:

have been super busy.....i would first suggest you look over this particular forum. i am sure you will find some of the answers you seek, especially when they deal with a service other than the army.

what rank should i expect to enter in as?

i would think you would enter in as a 1lt

2. pro's and cons of each branch reserve nurse corp.

i would suggest that you try to surf through this forum for some of the questions/answers you seek

3. promotional and professional opportunities for all branches?

again, can only speak for the army side of the house: you will get out what you are willing to put in. educational opportunities are endless

4. average deployment schedule if activated?

for reservists: can be mobilized up to 12 months; depending if your entire company is being deployed you can be gone for 12 months. when, and if, your tpu (troop program unit) will be deployed depends upon their at home dwell time (the last time they were deployed, the cycle is around 5 years, so if your tpu deployed in 2005, you wouldn't expect to be re-deployed until 2010, but then again, things have a habit of changing suddenly and without a warno....repeat after me: the needs of the army, the needs of the army....

5. nurse corp entry training and education for reservists.

for the reserves only: you can have your adn and attain the rank of cpt. any "education" you receive while attending your ba (battle assembly or drill) will depend upon the metl (mission essential task list) of your particular tpu.

6. particularly interested in flight nursing, always dreamed of this. don't want to do ob nursing in the military. loved critical care, but on really bad civilian unit and no openings in ed. have obstetric or, triage, inpatient experience too.

i don't have any information available, right now, on flight nursing, but as i stated above, go through this forum or type in flight nursing in the search area and see what pops up.

7. what awesome opportunities are there for me, as a 25 year old and no dependents, just my spouse and i right now.

the opportunities are endless, especially if you are seriously thinking of the armed forces. go to the various web sites and check out the army, navy, air force, ang (army national guard)

but i can not impress upon you or anyone enough: the needs of the army come first (or navy, air force....) i think, with the rc (reserve component) you have a little more leeway in making a decision (example: you can choose not to volunteer for a medical mission or to help out with a srp; but then again, oftentimes a mission is mandatory, even in the reserves) while you are in the reserves usually the citizen soldier also has a civilian job. in the active component, the army is your full-time job. big, big difference.

you have a lot to think about. if i or another member of this forum can assist you, don't hesitate to ask!

athena

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Specializes in ICU- adults, Flight RN peds/neo.

Flight RN-----try the AF or Civilian, not so much in Army.

c.

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