Army Nurse Corps FY2013

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Hey everybody, I'm starting a thread here for those applying to the Army Nurse Corps in FY2013. I figure this might be a good place to get to know other future nurse corps officers and a place for the veterans of the ANC to pass on some advice.

Share your story and hopefully we will meet down in San Antonio this Winter/spring of 2013

Ill start with my story,

I am a 28 y/o critical care nurse with 2 years experience in a level 2 trauma center in Virignia. I passed MEPS at Ft. Eustis and have submitted security packet, letters of reference and letter of intent.

I am applying to the October review board for Active Duty Army Nurse Corps for the 66H8A(critical care) and 66T(trauma) programs( I am not sure if they are still running this one, but you don't get what you don't ask for).

I am happily married with a baby on the way, my wife is 100% behind a move the Army and I feel blessed to have her love and support.

The road to the Army has been a long one with a degree in Biology, stint as a drug rep and return for an accelerated BSN.

I love being a nurse and love working in critical care. I hope to serve my country in uniform treating service members & their families at home and in forward deployed units.

I want to be an critical care nurse and officer in the U.S. Army and I hope that I will get to meet all of you in uniform at BOLC, at MEDDAC, CSH or FST in CONUS or OCONUS.

Here's to all us achieving our dreams of becoming Army Nurses!

HOOOOOOAH!

I think we all need to be respectful of each others opinions.

Couldnt have said it better myself

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I need to add.........I thank you all for your service. I am deeply appreciative of your sacrifices.

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Specializes in Burns/Trauma.

I think the stress is getting to all of us! I feel like this waiting period and reading all of your posts as made me even more certain of my desire to serve and more anxious for a decision. Praying for us all!

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Specializes in Critical care.
I think the stress is getting to all of us! I feel like this waiting period and reading all of your posts as made me even more certain of my desire to serve and more anxious for a decision. Praying for us all!

Second that. beers at the cove on a bolc weekend when (hopefully) we get commissioned!

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Informatics.

wouldnt it be nice if we all went to the same bolc class? :)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Second that. beers at the cove on a bolc weekend when (hopefully) we get commissioned!

The Cove!!! I loved that place. :) Hang in there, peeps!

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Specializes in Critical care.
wouldnt it be nice if we all went to the same bolc class? :)

That would be awesome!

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.
because you were worried about being a CPT instead of knowing what the hell an azimuth is.

That made me laugh because of how true it is.

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That made me laugh because of how true it is.

LOL. I guess I just want all leaders to be good, knowleadgable ones, with a form knowledge of at least the basics.

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LOL. I guess I just want all leaders to be good, knowleadgable ones, with a form knowledge of at least the basics.

On that note, have any of the hopefuls tried to study sme of the FM's. A few to keep in mind, that may help you before your BOLC are.

FM 3-25.26 Land Nav

FM 3-21.5 Drill and Ceremony

Fm 3-22.9 M16/m4 familiarization

If you can get familiar with these 3, and ace the PT test, I guarantee it will make your training experience So much easier, and better prepared leaders also.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
LOL. I guess I just want all leaders to be good, knowleadgable ones, with a form knowledge of at least the basics.

I understand your point. To be honest, even though I'd been an ER nurse for nearly three years, I was perfectly happy to slide into my first duty station as a 2LT (I was promoted just less than a month later to 1LT due to constructive credit). Doesn't matter your position -- when people see a CPT, they expect a leader who is capable of leading in the Army way. I knew how to be a good ER nurse, but marrying up my ER talent with Army leadership and all that goes with it took a little time. It's just not the same thing as the civilian world at all -- there are more dimensions due to the Army part of the equation. :)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
If you can get familiar with these 3, and ace the PT test, I guarantee it will make your training experience So much easier, and better prepared leaders also.

I would definitely go over drill & ceremony. Those who are chosen for commission will also get a nice (not-so-little) Army Officers Handbook that will be helpful -- my recruiter had one for me when I signed my final contract. Regarding Land Nav and your weapons, we spent a lot of time in classrooms and out in the field on both of those things, so maybe not as big a deal if you can't get to those topics, but they will certainly be less daunting if you arrive with half a clue. I loved Land Nav! I am a dork. My instructors told me, "direct commissions never get it the first time." Haha. Guess what, buddy?? :D

By the way, at BOLC we didn't have to qualify with our weapons -- it was just "familiarization." It amounts to a lot of free ammo and fun! :) When you get to your first duty station, make sure to let your OIC/NCOIC know that you need to go to the range, just to get it done while it's fresh. I was more than 1.5 years out of BOLC when I finally went to the M16 range, and I felt like I had to learn it all over again (although we'd done things like the functions check after reassembly so many times at BOLC that it came back quickly, haha). I qualified easily with the M16 -- no easy feat as that weapon is darn near as tall as I am! Take all opportunities to practice with the weapons when you can. If there is extra ammo after a day at the range, those in charge will often look to burn the ammo rather than account for it and transport it back, so they may offer to let people fire a few extra times. Although I'm not sure we had much extra ammo at BOLC -- lots of people and several tries for some to zero their weapons.

And I agree about the PT test, I cannot stress preparing for the PT test enough -- this is a BIG DEAL. You will have a much easier time if you pass your first record PT test, one less thing to worry about. You will take a diagnostic within a few days of arriving at Ft. Sam, but arrive there knowing where you stand already.

Can't wait to hear all the good news from you guys!! *fingers crossed*

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