Army Nurse Corp questions.

LLLovely, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2008

The total obligation for just about any individual joining is eight years. The portion of that spend on active duty will depend on the details of the program under which you enter, but for officers it is usually four years active. The remaining years can be spent as an M-Day drilling Reservist or National Guardsman, or on th IRR list. That is your choice unless otherwise specified in your contract.

The three years you did before will count for pay purposes, though you would be able to get a direct commission as an officer, probably 1LT or CPT because of your experience. The PTSD is a tough call. The things they will look at will be course of treatment, medication, functional abilities. They will also look at the differences in those things between the time immediately after diagnosis and now. Google AR 40-501 and search PTSD for more details and remember that just about everything can be waived.

lifeafter40 · Jun 30, 2008

Hi everyone.

I also have a couple of questions for any Active Army Nurse Corps Officers out there:

1. When I was enlisted, we got very general assignment orders (replacement/reception BN) It is my understanding that Officers get pin point assignments... I was wondering how that works, and how far out you get orders

2. Are Officers with Dependants always granted concurrent travel? (to non-hardship tour Assignments)

3. As an Officer, do you get preference input on all duty assignments, or only your initial duty assignment? (I understand that "needs of the Army" takes precedence over all)

4. When do you get to chose your Nurse specialty course. And at what point do you typically get a class seat?

JDCitizen · Jul 1, 2008

I have spent hours reading similar threads, great info here.
When one joins the ANC how long is the reserve commitment? How long is the active commitment?
I am a 40 year old RN with 13 years experience and in my senior year of BSN. I did 3 years active Army as an 11B from 88-91. I am interested in returning to service doing something else other than infantry.
I am also diagnosed with PTSD from Desert Storm. Will this keep me out?

Have you tried military.com? ie recruiting questions..

Specifically: http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/78192862

The guy that runs this forum is full of himself but he seems pretty up and up with the recruiting questions such as yours.

If you go feel free to tell him I recommended him :jester:

cnelson2 · Jul 2, 2008

Hi Lifeafter40,

Regarding Q1: After your paperwork is submitted by the recruiter and any waivers accepted, you will receive a phone call from HR who will ask where you want to go, and then check on the hospital openings in the computer. If none of your choices are available, they will then ask you what other hospitals you would consider and then you can pick one of those openings or tell HR you don't want any of the choices presented. HR can wait for more choices to open up and then call you/email you with new choices a little later. I did it this way and HR called me after 2 weeks with several more choices. Then, HR will put in a RFO (request for orders) which will take they say 4-6 weeks (processing is in St. Louis). It's been about 6 weeks for me this week-I'm still waiting for my orders.

Regarding Q4: You get to choose your nursing specialty when the final paperwork is typed up at the recruiter's office and you go in to sign on your final forms. HR told me that I would be able to go to the specialty course after the 2 year mark into my 4 yr.obligation because there are many nurses waiting to take the classes and they can't get you in earlier. I think it's first come-first served. You are obligated to 1 year of service after your specialty course ends.

Sorry, I am unable to help with your other questions.

Cnelson