Answers needed on becoming a navy nurse!

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I already asked a few of these questions but a majority of them didn't get answered but I got a helpful response from someone who was previously in the navy. On this post I have new questions and i would love it if someone went on my first post and looked at my other questions! :) If you have the answers to any of these I would very much appreciate your help!

1. Of the four main ways to become a navy officer (nurse), which would you recommend?

2. What is OCS and NROTC?

3. Do they pay for college?

4. Is it better to get your degree first and then speak with a recruiter?

5. I was researching and saw A and C school come up, can someone explain exactly what that is?

6. If you already got your degree before enlisting do you have to go to A and/or C school?

7. What kind of benefits do you get?

8. Is everyone with a college degree an officer?

9. What kind of uniforms and how many uniforms do navy nurses get?

10. Last thing, can someone give me a step by step idea of becoming a navy nurse? (A suggestion)

I'm single and don't have any kids. I'm going to keep it that way so I can focus on work so deployments are not a problem to me! I've been a competitive boxer and kick-boxer since middle school, so I'm in pretty good shape. I would also love to hear some stories of your experience or current time as a navy nurse! Thank you for your service and time!

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I already asked a few of these questions but a majority of them didn't get answered but I got a helpful response from someone who was previously in the navy. On this post I have new questions and i would love it if someone went on my first post and looked at my other questions! :) If you have the answers to any of these I would very much appreciate your help!

1. Of the four main ways to become a navy officer (nurse), which would you recommend?

2. What is OCS and NROTC?

3. Do they pay for college?

4. Is it better to get your degree first and then speak with a recruiter?

5. I was researching and saw A and C school come up, can someone explain exactly what that is?

6. If you already got your degree before enlisting do you have to go to A and/or C school?

7. What kind of benefits do you get?

8. Is everyone with a college degree an officer?

9. What kind of uniforms and how many uniforms do navy nurses get?

10. Last thing, can someone give me a step by step idea of becoming a navy nurse? (A suggestion)

I'm single and don't have any kids. I'm going to keep it that way so I can focus on work so deployments are not a problem to me! I've been a competitive boxer and kick-boxer since middle school, so I'm in pretty good shape. I would also love to hear some stories of your experience or current time as a navy nurse! Thank you for your service and time!

I actually rejected an opportunity to direct commission to 0-2 due to the outcome of the last presidential election. I can't serve with Obama as the leader. Sorry if that offends. Just my take on our national situation. If I'd waited a couple of more years a couple of different officers said go in as an 0-3, but if I went in as an 0-2 I'd have promoted to 0-3 in a couple of years anyway, lol.

Maybe I can help otherwise since no one else has stepped up to bat. Take this with a grain of salt and do your own research before relying on anything you're told about any of this. You could direct commission, go to Annapolis, do NROTC, or try and get into ODS which would be similiar to OCS but more slanted toward healthcare officers among others. Granted, the caveat here is being qualified, and for a summary of qualifications use Google. ODS is a five week training opportunity for commissioned officers in a staff or restricted line officer position. NROTC is something you do in college for 2-4 years, and it may be done in grad school also. Google Navy NROTC, Navy ODS, etc. It sums it up pretty well. Google is your friend.

There are collegiate funding opportunities available. Many times that will be for CRNAs, NPs, etc, and/or payback programs, i.e. reimbursement.

If I recall correctly, A school would be military occupational training and C school would be an add on qualifier say an aviator going to flight school and then maybe SERE or something along that tangent. I don't think these are as (or if at all) pertinent to healthcare, or BUMED, officers.

Google military officer benefits, salary schedule, etc. You'll find it all. Basically you get pay, subsistence pay, the possiblity of getting housing pay, and all the typical employment benefits of any large organization if active. There are other benefits if reserve.

I don't know how many uniforms you could get because officers all buy their own, and I believe this has always been the case in all branches of the U.S. military. Again, Google. It's all there. Summer whites, SDKs, SDBs, SDW, NWUs, mess dress, etc. Most of the time you'd probably wear khakis.

Not everyone with a degree is an officer, but having a four year degree is required to become a commissioned officer. Enlisted personnel and warrant officers don't necessarily require higher education, but many obtain them out of personal desire. I was working with a master chief who was a doctoral candidate.

Contact a health professions or officer recruiter. If you go to the navy's website you should find a way to talk online with someone who may point you in the right direction. Alternatively, you may call your local recruiting center, but for Pete's sakes demand the contact information of a healthcare recruiter or officer recruiter and don't stop until you get it.

I hope it works out for you. It's a really good deal overall. I have my personal reasons for not pursuing it, but I'd have loved to.

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I already asked a few of these questions but a majority of them didn't get answered but I got a helpful response from someone who was previously in the navy. On this post I have new questions and i would love it if someone went on my first post and looked at my other questions! :) If you have the answers to any of these I would very much appreciate your help!

1. Of the four main ways to become a navy officer (nurse), which would you recommend?

2. What is OCS and NROTC?

3. Do they pay for college?

4. Is it better to get your degree first and then speak with a recruiter?

5. I was researching and saw A and C school come up, can someone explain exactly what that is?

6. If you already got your degree before enlisting do you have to go to A and/or C school?

7. What kind of benefits do you get?

8. Is everyone with a college degree an officer?

9. What kind of uniforms and how many uniforms do navy nurses get?

10. Last thing, can someone give me a step by step idea of becoming a navy nurse? (A suggestion)

I'm single and don't have any kids. I'm going to keep it that way so I can focus on work so deployments are not a problem to me! I've been a competitive boxer and kick-boxer since middle school, so I'm in pretty good shape. I would also love to hear some stories of your experience or current time as a navy nurse! Thank you for your service and time!

Forgive my grammar, spelling etc...

1. Get in how you can fit in. Honestly, if you go the student route, it’s easier; you compete against a smaller group. If you wait to graduate, you are now competing with Nurses with YEARS of experience over you.

2. OCS is "officer Candidate School" You will not go to that as a Medical Professional, Look up ODS instead. NROTC is simply another way to get a BSN and a commission if you go to a school with a Navy ROTC program.

3. Short answer yes, They Pay for college. After about 2 years (active duty) you can start applying for our "DUINS" program which, if selected, will take you to a Masters or Doctorates in nursing. There is also tuition assistance you can use every fiscal year.

4. NO NO NO! Start as early as possible, timing is everything. wait to long and you will litteraly miss the boat and have to wait a full year. Navy nursing fill up FAST.

5. Those are what we call service schools. You will never attend those as an officer.

6. Just a correction in terminology, you would be "Commissioning" not enlisting, No you won’t ever go to one of those schools.

7. Too many to list!

8. No, some people, even with a degree decide to enlist because thier GPA and other reasons do not allow them to commission.

9. Dress Uniforms (Summer/Winter), Service Khaki, NWU (blue digitals), PT Uniform.

10. An application, depending on your motivation and list of issues, will take about 30-45 days, sometimes longer if we have to work through a lot of issues like medical records, references etc.

~Lewis

Navy Medical Recruiter

Central Texas

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Thanks for your response! I have google all of it and got answer to most! I still have a a year of high school left, so I will think about it and speak to a health recruiter ASAP! Thanks again :)

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...and some commissioned officers don't have a 4 year degree (LDO and CWO), and many enlisted do.

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Lewis

Of all the information I have search for yours has been the most helpful! Thanks so much! So I have a few more questions! (Sorry lol) I just want to be super clear on this. I'm still in high school (planning on doing summer school and doubling up classes to graduate early) and will graduate 2014, so when should I talk to a recruiter?

1. How competitive are those programs?

2. What did you mean by "student route"?

3. I know that being in any branch of military you can encounter dangerous situations, but I just want to know if you have experienced anything as a nurse or know someone who has.

4. Do navy nurses (females) have to cut their hair at boot camp? (Just wondering I don't mind chopping my hair off)

5. How long are deployments? And after book camp then what? Do you get time off after book camp? How do you prepare for boot camp? (If nurse have to go)

I see that your in central Texas! I am too!

Thanks in advance! :)

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1. Very Competitive, new nurses fall into 2 categories, General Nursing or Medsurge (just to start, then you move on from there)

2. Student is someone who is on track to graduate with a BSN.

3. Navy does encounter situations, but its out of the norm for us.

4. Deployments are not usual for Navy Nurses. Unless you are assigned to a Marine unit or one of 2 Hospital ships. Again, not the norm for the greater majority of nurses. "bootcamp" is called ODS for all medical officers. Its about 5 weeks. Look up ODS on youtube, its pretty cool actually.

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Lewis

Of all the information I have search for yours has been the most helpful! Thanks so much! So I have a few more questions! (Sorry lol) I just want to be super clear on this. I'm still in high school (planning on doing summer school and doubling up classes to graduate early) and will graduate 2014, so when should I talk to a recruiter?

1. How competitive are those programs?

2. What did you mean by "student route"?

3. I know that being in any branch of military you can encounter dangerous situations, but I just want to know if you have experienced anything as a nurse or know someone who has.

4. Do navy nurses (females) have to cut their hair at boot camp? (Just wondering I don't mind chopping my hair off)

5. How long are deployments? And after book camp then what? Do you get time off after book camp? How do you prepare for boot camp? (If nurse have to go)

I see that your in central Texas! I am too!

Thanks in advance! :)

I agree with what Lewis said but I have things to add on.

3) The navy sends nurses to gitmo to take care of the detainees. Also there are FRSS (forward resuscitative surgery system) and another trauma suite(forgot the name) close to the point of engagement. Where no one is aiming at you but they were still close enough.

4) No, they will teach you how to do a perfect bun. I am a male but I do remember them using a cut sock and LOTS of gel and hairspray depending on their hair type.

5) deployments last between 6 months to a year. Depending on your designator(specialty) and who your command is attached too. For example our floor has had 3 deployments just this year of 1900s(medsurg). 1960s(ICU) are still deploying to Afghanistan, but not as much as before. Just remember medical staff are one of the last people to be withdrawn from an area. If you want to deploy and make it known you will. I know some Ensigns are going before LTs just because they want to go.

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So is there a certain GPA i need to have or how do you make the program?

Is ODS like NROTC, and is offered at certain colleges?

How does ODS work?

And this may sound stupid but is there a less competitive program? (Just wondering I will do my best in becoming a nurse!)

Thanks!

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DSchulte

Thanks for your help very much appreciated! So if you graduate college and get your bsn and then talk to a health recruiter what are the steps for becoming a navy nurse?

What happens if you don't make a ODS, etc. program? Can you still be a navy nurse?

Thanks again :)

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DSchulte

Thanks for your help very much appreciated! So if you graduate college and get your bsn and then talk to a health recruiter what are the steps for becoming a navy nurse?

What happens if you don't make a ODS, etc. program? Can you still be a navy nurse?

Thanks again :)

Hello DSchulte,

This is what I recommend you do if you want to be in the Navy Nurse Corps.

1)Start college and complete your pre-requisites to nursing school(these are the classes required to be accepted into nursing school like math, english, anatomy/physiology etc). If you don't have a lot of money I would recommend community college to save money.

2)Once you are accepted into a BSN program then talk to a recruiter and talk about applying to either the Army Nurse Candidate Program or the Navy Nurse Candidate program. I'm not sure if the Air Force has one. Either of these will pay for nursing school up to 24 months(must be within 24 months til graduation). Both you get 10,000 dollar bonus(Navy you get 5k about the time you sign on and then other 5k 6months later. Army you get 5k about the time you sign on and then other 5k at graudation if memory serves me correctly). On top of the 10k bonus you will get a 1000$/month taxable stipend while in school. You can use it on anything. Alcohol, partying, clothes. I'd recommend using it on your schooling/living expenses.

You must keep up a 3.0 GPA while in the Nurse Candidate Program. If it falls below 3.0 you will be dropped from the program and will likely have to serve in the military as enlisted(don't freak, just study). Upon graduation you will be have a job as a military nurse. It is a competitive program. A 3.5 is considered competitive. Aim for 3.7

I would not recommend joining the reserves to pay for schooling with the hopes of transferring to active upon grauation. You don't get much money in the reserves and switching to active would not be as easy as it once was.

I would certianly, never, ever recommend waiting until after college graudation to talk to a recruiter or try to commission. Once you graduate you are competing against other people who have YEARS of experience and will likely be passed up. Aim for one of the Nurse Candidate programs.

Training for nurses/healthcare in Navy is called ODS, in Army it is called OBLC. Easy and short compared to OCS or Basic training. Neither you chop your off, you will do a sock bun. Nursing is competitive in the military, there is no easy route but as hard as it seems getting accepted while in nursing school is your best bet.

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So is there a certain GPA i need to have or how do you make the program?

Is ODS like NROTC, and is offered at certain colleges?

How does ODS work?

And this may sound stupid but is there a less competitive program? (Just wondering I will do my best in becoming a nurse!)

Thanks!

ODS and ROTC are two different things. ROTC is where you are in college and the military pays some or all of your schooling and upon graduation you serve time in the military. ODS: You have been accepted into the Navy. This is after graduation and this is about a 5 week training. ODS is like a watered down version of basic training(aka boot camp) for jobs like healthcare and lawyers. OBLC in the Army is like ODS. ODS is not offered at colleges because it is the training you recieve right before you go to your duty station. ROTC is offered at many colleges but require you take extra classes and participate in ROTC activities(look for it on any college website and it will explain what ROTC is). Like I said before there is no "easy" way to get in the Nurse Corps. Takes hard work. Try one of the college routes because those are your best bet. The benefits you recieve for the hard work will be worth it.

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