I wanted to start a thread for all of the people who are waiting for the November ANC selection board, specifically if you have/waiting on the M5 identifier for Emergency Nursing. I thought we could suffer together and update each other while we wait. You are welcome to post if you have another specialty or none at all.
My status:
I have submitted all documents, and waiting on M5 identifier approval, physical approval and for the packet to make it past QA.
There must be something with these letters of rec. I decided to try to join you guys on active duty this year instead of wait till gpan in 2012. I boarded last year and commisioned as RC so they have most my stuff. Just needed the 368 and letters of rec. I got the letters of rec and the said they werent long enough and didnt talk enough bout my character. So I have to have mine redone too.
@mbarn08
My recruiter told me I qualify to go straight to the critical care program after obc since I have 13 mos med/surg and 3 months cvicu exp. I guess well find out if thats true or what. Im not excited to work on a medsurg floor anymore either. I still have to sign the docs, I guess mon. or tues. and she told me the course was one of the docs I had to sign. If its just a course guarantee I guess thats no good if its like a guarantee within 2 years. Either way, ive decided im all in and will go back to medsurg if thats what I must do...
The recruiter said the are not accepting any age waivers this year...I have 6 years active duty prior service, and it still doesn't matter.
Now there are two less candidate for this coming board. I am also out. I only sent one recommendation letter from my current nurse manager. My previous supervisor did not reponse to my phone call and email to redo her recommendation letter and send it in. Suppose to be due tomorrow. Oh well! I am so sad....
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
now there are two less candidate for this coming board. i am also out. i only sent one recommendation letter from my current nurse manager. my previous supervisor did not reponse to my phone call and email to redo her recommendation letter and send it in. suppose to be due tomorrow. oh well! i am so sad....
not true. last week i thought the same (this is prior to my last post) because i just needed to get one letter from a doc i had not seen or talked to or needed treatment from in almost ten years. i asked my recruiter, "what are the odds of me going for november boards?" my recruiter informed me that even though stuff is not going to be in by november 2 (the recruiters' deadline), we should still work on the packet being complete because there sometimes is a chance that there is a second boards (not the official name) a few days later. the reason being some recruiters apparently send packets that are not qualified or are not what the selection board is looking for... i was shocked to hear this given the hoops we are jumping through, but apparently it happens. thus, this should give you some hope. keep plugging away and if you miss the recruiters' deadline, it does not mean that you are out of the running.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
@mbarn08
my recruiter told me i qualify to go straight to the critical care program after obc since i have 13 mos med/surg and 3 months cvicu exp. i guess well find out if thats true or what. im not excited to work on a medsurg floor anymore either. i still have to sign the docs, i guess mon. or tues. and she told me the course was one of the docs i had to sign. if its just a course guarantee i guess thats no good if its like a guarantee within 2 years. either way, ive decided im all in and will go back to medsurg if thats what i must do...
well, i was given a course guarantee. you sound like you will be a 66h with a course guarantee, but no guarantee to transfer 8a. am i correct? if not let me know.
my only problem with my scenario is that i have not read and i do not know of contracts that read as mine may, 66h with a course guarantee. do the contracts read that i get a course guarantee and a transfer into an er upon completion? if not, is there a way to make a contract read as such?
my understanding is that when people transfer in the military they do so based upon available slots (needs of the army). the only thing in my favor without a guarantee to change over to m5 is the fact that there will not be new people coming into the military with this identifier on a monthly basis. so there is less competition from the outside to take the course. however, there are officers serving now who also have the same contracts and, of course, those officers will be selected to take the course before me. also, those officers will have a better chance of transferring sooner because many have put in 1-2 years.
plus i heard that nurse corps officers move up the food chain pretty quickly if his/her service records are up to par. if i put in 1 or more years med surg prior to m5, how will i get m5? i will be a charge nurse by the time i want to transfer. how will i get to be a charge nurse in m5 when i am new m5 nurse? btw, i do not care to be a charge nurse any time soon. i am just pointing out how there is a strong possibility i will not land m5 going this route because it makes no sense to send a charge nurse (captain) from med surg to be a new nurse in m5???
besides i love the er. i do not want to return to med surg because i love the er too much. my goal in joining the army has always been to serve as a trauma nurse. that is my dream and i want that to be my reality. i am literally a few months away from qualifying. i already have the number of hours, skills, and certs needed to work as a m5 nurse. i just need to have worked as a licensed nurse for two solid years. that is a problem i can fix by continuing to work with my current employers for a few more months. what is a few months compared to the possibility of 1-2 years on a med surg floor, where i will not be able to practice my critical care skills or thinking? it makes no sense for me to join right now.
as i have posted earlier, i am continuing to work on my packet because i have numerous crazy things that need to be fixed, but i will probably wait for a board that meets after december to be selected. if anyone can shed light on any of my misconceptions, i would definitely appreciate it... for now i am confused and do not see a choice but to wait even if it is another year to get my identifier guarantee.
As I have posted earlier, I am continuing to work on my packet because I have numerous crazy things that need to be fixed, but I will probably wait for a Board that meets after December to be selected. If anyone can shed light on any of my misconceptions, I would definitely appreciate it... For now I am confused and do not see a choice but to wait even if it is another year to get my identifier guarantee.
I think you're right to wait, as much as it saddens me ... I wanted all of us at BOLC/OBLC/whatever they're calling it at the same time! Rats. I didn't even realize 2 years was required for the M5 identifier, but I went back and looked at the letter my clin spec/manager had to write, and it does mention something about two years ... but it was that I'd worked in the ED at least 1500 hours during the last two years. I wonder if this was just another way to trim down the number of applicants?
I did get the feeling, however, that there would be more than one board for specialty nurses during FY2011. My recruiter said they would accept packets for review starting in November, and then every month thereafter. So things might still turn out as you planned, even with all the packet revisions.
Specializes in Pediatrics, home health, travel nurse.
If it makes you feel any better my recruiter is really convinced that there will be a board in march/april area. He has an applicant that is dealing with MEPS issues and will not be making the november board. But he is still working with the applicant for the board he preceives that will occur during that time. Also, i know you guys mean well but it kind of offends me how you guys think 66H AOC is the lowest thing in the world. I will admit that i have never ever done adult med-surg, i am a peds nurse and that is all i know and am saddened that i may loose that by going in with this identifier. But if i get in and they throw me on a med-surg floor I WILL feel like a fish out of water but i am open to learning and growing...even though MS probably feels stagnant and suffocating. I am convinced that the army is all about growing and learning and developing their nurses. Read the blog "Built to serve, Trained to save" he discusses his journey as a 66H nurse and his learning and development activities he participates in. Now i know you ER nurses are special breed of folk (i worked adult ER for 2 months before i wanted my babies back) and would have a REALLY REALLY hard time going from 150mph hour to MS floor pace so i do understand your qualms. But if it makes you feel any better one of my recruiters was a 66H and he states commanding officers do look at experienced nurses experience and background with their placement. Take me for instant i would be a 66H but they see i am certified peds nurse and they need a nurse in the PICU or peds floor or NICU or nursery they have the authority to place me there...you're not stuck with this identifier. I graduated with a girl who is a 66h at Hood and she is now working mother/baby or another nurse their is a 66h working labor and delivery without even taking the specialty course yet. Soooo....that was long winded
well, i was given a course guarantee. you sound like you will be a 66h with a course guarantee, but no guarantee to transfer 8a. am i correct? if not let me know.
my only problem with my scenario is that i have not read and i do not know of contracts that read as mine may, 66h with a course guarantee. do the contracts read that i get a course guarantee and a transfer into an er upon completion? if not, is there a way to make a contract read as such?
my understanding is that when people transfer in the military they do so based upon available slots (needs of the army). the only thing in my favor without a guarantee to change over to m5 is the fact that there will not be new people coming into the military with this identifier on a monthly basis. so there is less competition from the outside to take the course. however, there are officers serving now who also have the same contracts and, of course, those officers will be selected to take the course before me. also, those officers will have a better chance of transferring sooner because many have put in 1-2 years.
plus i heard that nurse corps officers move up the food chain pretty quickly if his/her service records are up to par. if i put in 1 or more years med surg prior to m5, how will i get m5? i will be a charge nurse by the time i want to transfer. how will i get to be a charge nurse in m5 when i am new m5 nurse? btw, i do not care to be a charge nurse any time soon. i am just pointing out how there is a strong possibility i will not land m5 going this route because it makes no sense to send a charge nurse (captain) from med surg to be a new nurse in m5???
besides i love the er. i do not want to return to med surg because i love the er too much. my goal in joining the army has always been to serve as a trauma nurse. that is my dream and i want that to be my reality. i am literally a few months away from qualifying. i already have the number of hours, skills, and certs needed to work as a m5 nurse. i just need to have worked as a licensed nurse for two solid years. that is a problem i can fix by continuing to work with my current employers for a few more months. what is a few months compared to the possibility of 1-2 years on a med surg floor, where i will not be able to practice my critical care skills or thinking? it makes no sense for me to join right now.
as i have posted earlier, i am continuing to work on my packet because i have numerous crazy things that need to be fixed, but i will probably wait for a board that meets after december to be selected. if anyone can shed light on any of my misconceptions, i would definitely appreciate it... for now i am confused and do not see a choice but to wait even if it is another year to get my identifier guarantee.
you can review the course guarantee info and it is not available for er.
the available options for course guarantee are the following four options: critical care, pscyh, or and labor/delivery.
Without anyone feeling as if they're being attacked, this forum was started for all us 66H who are striving for our ASI M5. None of us have ever said there is anything wrong with Med/Surg nursing, we just wish to continue our ER path. Most all of us have been Med/Surg nurses at one point or another and have the utmost respect for those that choose that as their specialty. We have just chosen another path and are in this forum for that very reason. We are all 66H as far as the Army is concerned and if need be, we could be taken from the ER at anytime to be placed on Med/Surg should the Army need us there. So as Lunah stated, to our knowledge, noone as purposefully been disrespectful to anyone for wanting to be a Med/Surg nurse. All of us are nurses first and supporting all that are choosing to be Army Strong...no matter their specialty!
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
i think you're right to wait, as much as it saddens me ... i wanted all of us at bolc/oblc/whatever they're calling it at the same time!
lol!!! you are funny, lunah, i was thinking the same thing last week. i was thinking about how i started posting on this forum last summer ('09) and how many of the posters and i were set to be together... but now..??? lol!
the other day i got a trauma (two at the same time since that is just how the er works.. never mind that an hour earlier i had plenty of time) and i was thinking that there is no way i could give this up. i tried to think about going back to med surg and i keep being reminded at work about how far i have come since working med surg. my clinical abilities plus my critical thinking skills are incredible in comparrison to when i first started. there is no way i can go back and lose all that i have gained to work under a different set of rules (the focus on med surg is totally different then the er). not to mention, how much i continue to learn about what i love (trauma nursing). trauma nursing is the reason i went into nursing and one huge reason i want to join the army as a rn. the fact that i am only a few months away from qualifying to make m5 a reality makes me feel as if i am quitting on my goal with only a short distance left to run.
i didn't even realize 2 years was required for the m5 identifier, but i went back and looked at the letter my clin spec/manager had to write, and it does mention something about two years ... but it was that i'd worked in the ed at least 1500 hours during the last two years. i wonder if this was just another way to trim down the number of applicants?
i was told by my former recruiter that two solid years of work experience was not required. the 1500 hours, where 750 hours was worked within the last two years consecutively is the requirement. however, the cv people disagree and have added that identifiers require nurses to have been licensed and worked for two solid years. thus, it is possible that it helps to weed out applicants for the identifiers and replace the current officers working 66h with nurses that have work experience.
i did get the feeling, however, that there would be more than one board for specialty nurses during fy2011. my recruiter said they would accept packets for review starting in november, and then every month thereafter. so things might still turn out as you planned, even with all the packet revisions.
i agree. i have a gut feeling that if i wait a few more months i will not have to wait too much longer to submit a package for m5. i had this feeling ever since i was told that i needed to change to 66h for the november boards. i also have the gut feeling that if i go the 66h route i will regret it because i will not transfer over to m5 even when i get to take the course (no gurantee when it will be... it could be at the end of my first contract). others may report transfering over, but i do not think that will be the case with me. i have yet to have my gut feelings fail me, though in the past i have failed to listen to my gut feelings.
jerrylundergard
128 Posts
There must be something with these letters of rec. I decided to try to join you guys on active duty this year instead of wait till gpan in 2012. I boarded last year and commisioned as RC so they have most my stuff. Just needed the 368 and letters of rec. I got the letters of rec and the said they werent long enough and didnt talk enough bout my character. So I have to have mine redone too.
@mbarn08
My recruiter told me I qualify to go straight to the critical care program after obc since I have 13 mos med/surg and 3 months cvicu exp. I guess well find out if thats true or what. Im not excited to work on a medsurg floor anymore either. I still have to sign the docs, I guess mon. or tues. and she told me the course was one of the docs I had to sign. If its just a course guarantee I guess thats no good if its like a guarantee within 2 years. Either way, ive decided im all in and will go back to medsurg if thats what I must do...