Army Reserve CRNA

wspfan · Aug 22, 2010

Be very careful about signing up for Army Reserve unless you are willing to deploy at any given moment. Also, if you do not get to deploy while you are in school, you will most likely deploy as a CRNA for around 12 months.

I am not Army, but have many friends who are and who encouraged me to join the Air Force Reserve, which I did. I plan on deploying immediatlely after I finish CRNA school, as I can not think of a more useful thing I can do in the military than to go there and be the guardian over the men and women in theater. It is an honor to be in theater with them and protect them as they protect us.

RN1980 · Aug 22, 2010

im sure you have contacted a medical army reserve recruiter. there is a poster by the name "olderthandirt2" i believe is in the army crna program or has just finished it, dont know if he is reserve or reg. army. private mail him for some info. good luck.

iodine66 · Aug 22, 2010

As a former Air Nat'l Guard Flight Nurse, I can assure you that as a Reserve officer, you will have the thrilling opportunity to spend some time in a foreign country---maybe a year at a time. So, balance your desire to serve with your plans for paying off loans and party time in the pvt. sector.

Find the number for your local Reserve, call them and set up an appt with any of the medical officers and see what they have to say.

My activbe duty time was some of the best nursing I've ever done, but it sure wasn't all fun and games. Or one weekend a month.

rnto? · Aug 22, 2010

I don't know about CRNA in the army, but my dad was in the reserves (we just had his retirement party) and he was gone twice during my childhood, for almost a year each time. The most recent time was with the Iraqi conflict and he developed health issues related to his deployment, so he came home early and recieved an early retirement/medical discharge. I have considered the armed forces myself but the reason I have not joined is because you can't really not fully commit yourself. If you are a reservist, you can be called to active duty at any time. Once called, you have no choice. You can't say, no, I've changed my mind, or quit. And in the past decade they have been using reservists alot more for operations at home and abroad. It might be that you never get deployed and do your 1 wknd per month, 2weeks/year for 20years while your education is paid for, but you can't predict the future. Alot of reservist units are support staff, so with the current objectives of rebuilding Iraq, you cna bet the reservists will be utilized.

Emilynn09 · Aug 23, 2010

I have a girlfriend who was in the Army Reserves working Medical Supply, she did this for eight years. Out of those eight, she spent about 5 on Active Duty; either deployed or training. Just because you will be a reservist doesn't make you "safe" from deployments. Expect that you WILL be deployed.

delilas · Aug 23, 2010

I looked into AF because I'm close to Wright Patterson and have always had an interest in military nursing. However, I couldn't come to terms with the fact that I could be sent anywhere at any time. I love a good adventure, but I couldn't leave it to fate that I could be stationed anywhere in the nation, not necessarily the huge base close to me. My father is sick and if I was deployed when he was in the hospital, I'd go crazy. Be sure to know how well you'd respond to being gone for 12 months at a hitch. My brother is Army Reserves and has already been deployed.

double d · Sep 1, 2010

I graduated from CRNA school in December of 2008, and have been in the reserve since 2006. Prior to that I was in the Army national guard for 6 years and broke from service for 6 years. While in CRNA school, you are in a non deployable status. You will not be deployed at least until after you graduate and pass boards. The military is making an investment in you and does not want to misuse that asset. I am myself deploying in March 2011, but as a CRNA in the army reserve, you only deploy for 90 days (approx) at a time. The reason for this is that as CRNAs, the military treats us the same as the physicians and doesn't want to ruin our practice. That ruining the practice was alledgedly a reason a lot of health care providers left during the 90's because of long deployments. It is my understanding that we are deployable about every 18 months. Not really sure about that one. I volunteered for my deployment so that I would know my own fate versus just being picked out of the crowd. There were also many stateside options to volunteer as opposed to going overseas. If you are interested, contact an Army Reserve healthcare recruiter and also ask them about the Army Professional Managment Command. The Air Force Reserve has similar deployment practices as far as I know. The Army Reserve has been good to me and I have no serious complaints.

Hope this helps

misscece · Sep 2, 2010

Question - what happens if you sign a contract to become a CRNA with the help of the Army Reserve and then fail your boards?

double d · Sep 3, 2010

Check with a recruiter, but I think you get a couple of times and then you are put in a slot as ICU nurse which would mean a year long deployment.

misscece · Sep 6, 2010

Thanks but question isn't for me so I don't have contact with recruiters. Was just wondering in general what would happen in that situation and thought someone here might know :)

Emilynn09 · Sep 13, 2010

Thanks but question isn't for me so I don't have contact with recruiters. Was just wondering in general what would happen in that situation and thought someone here might know :)

Recruiters are easy enough to find though for you to get in contact with. :)