Army - Your 1st assignment and deployment

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Hi everyone! Just curious to know what was everyone's first assignment in the nurse corps, how long you stayed there, and where was your first deployment? I am considering joining the ANCP this fall and wanted to get some insight on what I may expect after OBLC.. thanks:nurse:

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Im in the ANCP and I graduate this June. I have been told by my CO that I will be going to OBLC in OCT and after I will be going to Tripler in Hawaii for a One year RN Residency. The residency is a 12 month training period where as a new grad I will be able to train in all areas of the hospital. The program is designed to prepare all new RNs to be proficient in any aspect of the military. Pretty cool!

Hope this helps

-Dave

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hi everyone! Just curious to know what was everyone's first assignment in the nurse corps, how long you stayed there, and where was your first deployment? I am considering joining the ANCP this fall and wanted to get some insight on what I may expect after OBLC.. thanks:nurse:

Hello,

I graduated from OBLC this last fall.

The Army is such a personal decision and I commend you for considering it, it definately changed my life.

While they told us repeatedly during Nurse tract at OBLC that we would not be burried on midnight shifts, and that we would be allowed lots of trainings and that we would not be deployed prior to our first year...this is untrue for me.

Then again, my HN...[snip] editing since it is obvious what unit and what center I am at!

I have been burried on midnights...have been continually denied any classes or trainings that I've signed on for and was selected for deployment to a CSH in less than one year of being on the floor. So, take it all with a grain of salt.

Cheers,

Gen

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Hey there Gen. Its good to hear from you again. I read your last posting about being put on night shifts early on and being deployed sooner than expected. Do you still feel as though you made the right choice?

This maybe kind of a personal subject, I guess. I am sorry for asking and will have no negative answer if you do not answer. However, I am VERY close to swearing in and want to make sure this is the right thing to do for myslef and my family. Thank you for all your time and posts you have put into this site, I have learned a ton from you and others!

Cajun

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hey there Gen. Its good to hear from you again. I read your last posting about being put on night shifts early on and being deployed sooner than expected. Do you still feel as though you made the right choice?

This maybe kind of a personal subject, I guess. I am sorry for asking and will have no negative answer if you do not answer. However, I am VERY close to swearing in and want to make sure this is the right thing to do for myslef and my family. Thank you for all your time and posts you have put into this site, I have learned a ton from you and others!

Cajun

Hello Cajun,

The Army changed my life and I would commission in again in a HEARTBEAT. :)

Coming in as a 2LT we naturally will have to pay our dues as having no seniority and no preferences or say in much at all. I'm going through some growing pains in my current situation but, have been assured that even though my start may have been bumpy, (shift-wise and situation-wise) that it is not what was anticipated for me and the higher ups have definately let me know that they care what I take from my experiences here in the Army. Even before they let me know this I still felt that the Army change my world in a good way and that I'd do it again. The only difference is that I NO longer want to be a lifer at all and am looking to just get through my obligation and move on.

Cheers,

Gen

edit to say: my deployment has been changed, (now not less than a year on station) because someone else really wanted to go...thing is, I'd started to accept the idea and it really would've been just fine for me to go sooner, I wanted to but, will wait.

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Thanks for the reply. What has made you not to want to be a "lifer"? If I remember correctly, you are at BAMC, right? I recieved orders today and will be there soon! Looking forward to it and can't wait to get started!

Cajun

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Gen - just wanted to say that I'm glad you are enjoying your new life. The military isn't for everyone, but your life is fore-ever changed when you raise your hand and swear-in!

Thanks for your service.

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello All!

I do understand where you are coming from, Gen, I do. I was "told" not to worry about my three picks, that I would get one of them. Well, didn't work out that way. BUT having said that, when I was told that I would PCS to Korea I told the MAJ that I will go where the Army needs me, but I don't really enjoy Korean food. If I am ordered to go, I will go. Guess what? My TEMPO was changed and I lucked out and PCS'ed instead to Fort Bliss! Now I had also volunteered to be deployed and I am still waiting for deployment orders....BUT having said that (I sound like a broken record :chuckle) I was put on the fast track for the ECCO and will go to MAMC for phase II this AUG.

I find that in the Army you will progress much faster up the clinical ladder than in the civilian world. It took me forever to become a Clinical Nurse III (CNIII) at one of my civilian jobs, but in the ANC I was promoted to CAPT after being in the Reserves for less than two years.

Another big difference is: You can turn down a promotion in the "real" world, but if and when the Army Brass feel you are ready to be Charge Nurse or Chief Nurse, if you turn that opportunity down, you might as well stick your head in a paper bag and go home! Much is made regarding your being "promotable" or not and if you are turned down for promotion once and the second time comes around and you are not promoted then, you will be asked to stick your head in a paper bag and go home!

I am only speaking about myself now, but I will leave the ANC when "they" are able to pry my stethoscope from my old, dead hands. Yeah, I agree, the Armed Forces are not for everyone but, at least for me, I am thriving and happy. My family may not be happy with me and my decision, but I am. And sometimes, as Nurses, we tend to take care of everyone else but ourselves.....

Have a safe weekend everyone.

Please don't drink and drive, and PLEASE don't drink and operate a motocycle...We see so many of our young Soldiers bang back a few, hop on their "crotch rockets" and oftentimes ending up broken in the ICU

athena

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Hi everyone! Just curious to know what was everyone's first assignment in the nurse corps, how long you stayed there, and where was your first deployment? I am considering joining the ANCP this fall and wanted to get some insight on what I may expect after OBLC.. thanks:nurse:

Tripler AMC in Hawaii was also my first assignment. Pretty much any MEDCOM you go to will be the same (Tripler, Madigan, Walter Reed, Brooks, Beaumont). I am currently at Madigan on Ft Lewis and it is the same as my last assignment. You are going to start off as a 66H (Med/Surg Nurse) for the first year. The residency isn't as extensive as you may think. You may work a day or two on another ward and that is about it. The mission on "your" ward takes priority. And, popular to contrary belief, you aren't going to be dumped on the night shift forever. A few months of days, a few months of nights, and so on. Furthermore, as opposed to other professions in the Army medical corps, being a 66H is the easiest you will find. After 8 years in the medical field, and holding multiple ranks and positions, being a 66H is a god-sent. Show up..work..go home PERIOD. I have had assignments where my 12 hour shift was only my secondary job! I would do 12 hours and then go to work. Remember, when you begin, everyone has to start at the bottom and work their way up.

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Renee,

Hi! I think it is superb that you are considering military nursing. I was in the ROTC throughout college and graduated in 1991. After graduating, I had three months to kill while waiting for my Officer Basic Course. Since I performed well at ROTC camp, I was given a first choice of duty assignments after OBC (which was overseas). At that time, the recruiters were telling everyone that new nurses would definitely not go overseas for a first assignment, so you can see how that worked out! I do not know if a similar option is available for nurses directly commissioned into the ANC. I do believe, however, that a "dream sheet" (duty assignment preference list) is still used to determine where to send you after OBC/OBLC. All in all though, they will consider your top three preferences, but be prepared in case you do not get any of them. The needs of the military always come first. When I was a new Lieutenant, it seemed that most of my fellow officers received one of their first three choices. With the war and high staff turnover in the army right now, I don't know.

My peers and I felt the same about the army - sometimes we absolutely loved it and sometimes we couldn't stand it. But, one big thing is this - you will look back on all of those times, the good and the bad, and find that you learned and grew from each experience. You will be challenged in ways that civilian nursing jobs can never challenge you. 2LTs don't get a whole lot of respect at first. Everyone knows that you're just starting out and don't know your job very well. But, be humble, strive to learn, work hard, offer to help whenever you can, and keep a positive, motivated attitude and that respect comes fast. If, and we all know this is true, you happen to get stuck in a clinical situation that you abhorr with staff members that don't quite gel with you.....and it does happen.......remember this - Permanent Change of Station. Either they'll move on or you will.

I hope this gives a little bit of insight! Look into the other services as well....Navy/Air Force.....

Cheers!

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Specializes in Medical-oncology.
Im in the ANCP and I graduate this June. I have been told by my CO that I will be going to OBLC in OCT and after I will be going to Tripler in Hawaii for a One year RN Residency. The residency is a 12 month training period where as a new grad I will be able to train in all areas of the hospital. The program is designed to prepare all new RNs to be proficient in any aspect of the military. Pretty cool!

Hope this helps

-Dave

I am about 8 months into my first assignment at Tripler and the residency program is not yet in full swing...we are still transitioning from the prior "internship" program, which is simmilar but those of us still finishing in the internship program are only going to medicine, surgury, and critical care/ER. Hopefully the transition will be completed and all the kinks worked out by the time you get here :) If you have any questions headding out to OBLC then to HI let me know and i'll try to help you out.

Lisa

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i am about 8 months into my first assignment at tripler and the residency program is not yet in full swing...we are still transitioning from the prior "internship" program, which is simmilar but those of us still finishing in the internship program are only going to medicine, surgury, and critical care/er. hopefully the transition will be completed and all the kinks worked out by the time you get here :) if you have any questions headding out to oblc then to hi let me know and i'll try to help you out.

lisa

what's the chances a new to the army np would get to go to hawaii?

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