Army Nurse Corps? How did you know?

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I have just graduated with my ASN and am about to take my NCLEX. I will be graduating with my BSN in 2017 and have worked for a full year as a med/surg floor nurse. I am very much considering Army Nursing. I have no relatives or friends in the military, and quite frankly I'm not sure the first thing of what to ask a recruiter. I realize it is different than enlisting, and I would be looking most likely at active duty.

What I wanted to know was how long deployments usually are, are they always outside the country, and what does "Completion of a qualified course in public health nursing or one year of supervised experience" specifically mean? Should I study public health for a year?

Lastly, how did you know it was for you? I don't have problems staying long periods of time away from my family, I don't have children or other means of roots at home. I know that I want to help people, I want to help soldiers, I want to help the public in times of need. I love to travel and I think it would be a once in a lifetime learning experience.

If anyone could share their experiences that would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

Welcome to AN, I see this is your first post. You may have better responses if you post under the Government/Military forum. Yellow tool bar, under specialties then scroll down. Be sure that you are talking to a health care recruiter for Nurse Corps officers, Do Not Talk to Enlisted recruiters. You can also search the military forum for similar questions as yours. ROTC may be an option depending on the school you choose.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Military Nursing forum.

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

Army nursing is currently drawing down — cutting numbers. Definitely contact a healthcare recruiter, he or she can give you the bigger picture, but don't be discouraged if they don't respond until you are closer to the BSN. Commissioning as an active duty nurse from civilian status is very competitive, and honestly you probably have a better chance at the Reserves. In any case, keep your GPA as high as possible (it really matters to the military) and ensure that your physical fitness is top notch.

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Last time I checked they wanted 2 years of experience in a specialty and they were not interested in med-surg (at least not active duty) in any capacity for the fiscal year. Maybe do a few years of public health nursing and check back? Even reserve numbers were very low.

As Pixie said check with an AMEDD recruiter.

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I apologize for putting this on you post, but I to had some questions on becoming a Army Corps Nurse. I have been talking to a SFC Rowe, I know he isn't an officer but he is in the medical field. He is telling me since I'm not prior Military and have not had ROTC that after Fort Sam Houston BOLC I would have to go to Ft Sill for BOLC. Now is that true? Should I be talking to an officer about all of this. When I have been pulling up information on Nurse Corps it just says San Antonio TX is where I go for so many weeks nothing about Sill, and when I looked up Sill it's about Artillery. I'm lost and ladies anything you guys know will help me out a lot.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I apologize for putting this on you post, but I to had some questions on becoming a Army Corps Nurse. I have been talking to a SFC Rowe, I know he isn't an officer but he is in the medical field. He is telling me since I'm not prior Military and have not had ROTC that after Fort Sam Houston BOLC I would have to go to Ft Sill for BOLC. Now is that true? Should I be talking to an officer about all of this. When I have been pulling up information on Nurse Corps it just says San Antonio TX is where I go for so many weeks nothing about Sill, and when I looked up Sill it's about Artillery. I'm lost and ladies anything you guys know will help me out a lot.

If you are commissioning as an officer with a BSN, no — Ft. Sill is not a part of the training. BOLC for AMEDD is at Ft. Sam Houston, where the AMEDD Center & School is located. You should speak with a healthcare recruiter — don't trust anyone else to give you info.

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Specializes in CNOR.

Actually, when I was at BOLC in February, they were talking about making FT Sill BOLC I and FT Sam BOLC II. I don't know when the changes were going into effect, but that's what we were told.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Actually, when I was at BOLC in February, they were talking about making FT Sill BOLC I and FT Sam BOLC II. I don't know when the changes were going into effect, but that's what we were told.

Currently still listed at Ft. Sam. Did they say why?

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Ok so the SFC maybe right (whenever they change it) do you know how long both of the BOLC are? And if I do go to the second one does my family travel to, I seen on there website that it is a TDY but again I don't know how much is true. I appreciate the reply back

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Thanks Pixie for the reply back I appreciate it. He said he is with the Army Medicine Department. Is he the right healthcare recruiter? I do have a couple of more years to graduate but I just wanted to get a peace of mind from people who have been through the experience

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Specializes in CNOR.

I'm not sure how many weeks the Sill one would be, but I wouldn't plan on bringing your family to either. From what I was told, Sill would be like going away to BCT for enlisted, so pretty restrictive. I did the reserve portion which is the last few weeks of BOLC. The active duty class was there for approximately 4 weeks before I showed up. We were mostly in the field, minus weekends.

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