Aspiring Army Nurse. Suggestions?

Specialties Government

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I hope you can help to enlightened my mind. To give you a little background, I am an immigrant and a greencard holder, means I am not an american citizen yet. It has always been my dream since I was kid to join the US army. I am a registered nurse here in USA and currently working as a registered nurse in a hospital.

As of the moment, I am now enlisted and ready to be shipped to basic training on March 11, 2019. However, my current MOS is 88M or transportation. My recruiter told me that she will do everything to change my MOS to a nurse officer once I am done with the basic training and AIT. So she told me that our goal is for me to be sent to the camp and work my way to become a nurse once I am done with all of those and when the board starts accepting this August. I am completing my forms already for army nurse. But I am worried about it. What if she can't help me? What will happen to me? Will I have to finish my MOS contract before I can do Nursing?

I love serving in the US army and so is nursing if I can do these both at the same time I will definitely stay in the military for the rest of my life.. Another concern is my pay. As of the moment I am paying too many bills and it seems like 88M pay would not suffice to my needs. I am the bread winner of the family.

I feel like I am gambling and putting my entire faith on her.

So do you think there is always a chance for me to change my MOS? I am in active duty with contract of 3 years.

Hoping for your response fellow nurses! And thank you in advance.

Suggestion pls. I got 3 more days

Respectfully,

Darren

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Wait, are you a nurse that enlisted? Your recruiter can do nothing once you leave for basic training. It sounds like you talked to the wrong recruiter. What you needed to do was talk with a healthcare recruiter.

Nurses in the Army (as well as other branches) are officers, not enlisted.

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2 hours ago, OUxPhys said:

Wait, are you a nurse that enlisted? Your recruiter can do nothing once you leave for basic training. It sounds like you talked to the wrong recruiter. What you needed to do was talk with a healthcare recruiter.

Nurses in the Army (as well as other branches) are officers, not enlisted.

She told me she is a AMEDD. I consulted to a military website via email and I was told this:

“Thank you for contacting me. Most recruiters only focus on either enlisted members or commissioned officers. I don't think your recruiter will be able to do much, if anything, for you after you attend basic training and AIT. At that point, your recruiter will be out of the picture and you will be working for the Army - not your recruiter.

Is it possible to commission as an officer? Absolutely. But it may take some time. I also don't know what the rules are as a citizen from another country. I know that can put you on the fast track to American citizenship, but I don't know if it will have any impact on your goal of becoming an officer.”

I think it has something to do as me just being an permanent resident and not an american. ?

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

You cannot commission unless you have a BSN from a US-accredited school (CCNE or ACEN accreditation) and you must be a US citizen. Do you have a BSN from a CCNE or ACEN-accredited program?

You've been taken for a ride by an enlisted recruiter, unfortunately. Unfortunately it will be some time until you'd even be able to work as an RN in your "off" hours, your time is not really yours for the duration of your enlistment. When I was an Army nurse I was able to work PRN at a local trauma facility, but this was strictly monitored and required memos and approval and all kinds of hoops.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, ED, Critical Care, Anesthesia.

I would seriously consider backing out of your contract before you leave for Basic training. I believe its called a DEP discharge and while it may upset your recruiter, it seems to me they were not entirely honest with you. Once you report for basic training it is much more difficult to get out of the Army without completing your 3 year contract. The downside to this is I don't know how this would affect your chances of later commissioning as a Nurse if that's your overall dream.

I highly doubt the recruiter you were talking with is a healthcare recruiter. They very well may have an AMEDD MOS but they are not a healthcare recruiter. Healthcare recruiters only commission medical personnel, they do not enlist individuals as an 88M. Recruiting duty is short time assignment. The chance that your recruiter will still be there to help you when you are done with training is highly unlikely. I feel that you were probably misled about the process of becoming an Army Nurse.

Regarding pay, you can google your pay based on whatever rank you enlisted at. With a degree, you should be an E-4 or at least an E-3. I can tell you this pay will be significantly less than what you are making as Registered Nurse.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

I applaud your interest in serving but Pixie is right. You can't commission until you are a citizen. Your recruiter flat out lied I would say. They have no reason to change your MOS nor could they. Once you become a citizen (and assuming your degree is acceptable) you could apply to commission. You won't be able to work as a nurse outside the military while enlisted, you will be busy with schools and work. Good luck.

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I am here thinking hard. I feel like my recruiter is not entirely being honest. Sad. I will semd her a message that I am backing out.

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

You really need to consider NOT enlisting now! If you can ensure 2 things - can you become US citizen? And is your BSN from accredited school?

Once you enlist - you will be held to serve the position you are going in with and will have a hell of a time getting changed until your contract is up. If it’s only 2-3 years and that helps gets US citizenship - it may be worth it. But you will not serve as a nurse as enlisted. No way. There are programs to pave way towards commissioning at will take years.

if you choose to continue and enlist as planned, please serve what MOS you have with a happy heart. Thank you for wanting to serve!

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Sounds like everyone above had more accurate information. To become an officer in any branch of the Army, you must be a U.S. Citizen. I am not sure if you qualify to become naturalized with just your permanent resident alone, but you can become naturalized at the end of BCT. Once you are in, you can apply to AECP to become a nurse through the military. I'm not sure what the process for that is, but you could contact an AMEDD recruiter. They also have scholarship programs like the HPSP, but, if I'm not mistaken, you have to be a citizen.

I wouldn't discount your current path for obtaining your dream. The Army has a lot of opportunities and benefits. It just depends on the timeline you are looking towards as far as nursing and/or Army. Also, if you are applying to become an Army Nurse, it will be a benefit to be prior service.

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Darren.

Here are some eligibility for Army Nurse Corps officers

Eligibility Requirement:

Must have a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN), or higher

Must be a graduate of a nursing program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or accepted by the National League of Nursing

Must hold a current, valid, active and unrestricted license to practice nursing

Must be a US citizen for Active Duty.

Permanent residents are only eligible for Army Reserves

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
13 hours ago, RobdRN said:

Permanent residents are only eligible for Army Reserves

Is this new? I have been told for years that one could not commission without US citizenship, period.

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5 hours ago, Pixie.RN said:

Is this new? I have been told for years that one could not commission without US citizenship, period.

Yup. All along, I thought you have to be a U.S. citizen. Must be something new. I saw that on official army website.

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