Can LVN's join the military?

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Aug 10, 2010

Yes, but not as a officer. LVNS/LPNS can enlist into the armed services. If you want to be with the Marines you will have to enlist in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. This is because the Marines depend on the Navy for their medical support.

hcfairy · Aug 10, 2010

Can they train me to become an rn? Also, do they have their own school or do those who become RN's go to outside sources to gain their education?

lsk40 · Aug 10, 2010

You can go green to gold in the army but I wouldnt depend on the military to become an R.N. most people go in 1st and get out and become an R.N. thats what I did as a matter of fact I was in a company with alot of L.P.N.s they were medics just like everyone else and you may never even see the inside of a hospitial and in order to go green to gold you have to have a 110 or higher GT score and have been in 2 years and the army decides if you can go to school or not alot of people go in wanting to be nurses but you are on the armys time finish school 1st then go in

hcfairy · Aug 10, 2010

So then maybe I can go into the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and then get trained as an RN. Does that sound right or am I just out of my mind? Thanks for the replies. :)

DSchulte99 · Aug 10, 2010

If you go into the navy as a corpsman you will be trained to be a corpsman. To become a RN you can either do it on your spare time, or apply for one of the programs and hopefully get paid to go to school.

dreanne17 · Oct 16, 2010

I will be signing my contract to enlist as an active duty for the Army in about couple of weeks. I would like to ask if someone knows what exactly rank should I expected; my recruiter said I will be E3. What MOS should I'll be signing? I read 68W, 68WM6, 91W, 91WM6 in older posts. I'm confuse what are the difference? I'm a LVN in state of Texas; has been working as an LVN for 6 years. Also, I will be graduating with Associate Science Degree (preparing for BSN), about 60-63 college credits before I start the BCT. Do I have to go to AIT still? I saw most of the posts here at Allnurses.com regarding joining the Army Nurse and found that some started at E4-5 with the same education as mine. How long should I wait until I can apply for AECP once I've enlisted? thanks for any feedback!

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2010

since you have been working as a lvn for 6 years you should get e3. since you will have over 48 credit hours you should be a e-3 per ar 601-210. this is straight from the regulation.

2-18. enlistment pay grades for personnel without prior service

(7) has successfully completed 48 or more classroom semester hours (72 or more quarter hours) (without a 4-year degree) at an accredited degree granting college or university listed in the aipe (foreign transcripts must be evaluated according to para 2-7 f and 2-20) may enlist at any time at pay grade pfc. applicants with an associate degree will be enlisted at pay grade pfc without regard to the number of semester or quarter hours completed.

dreanne17 · Oct 16, 2010

jeckrn, I appreciate your help, thanks. Can you recommend a link or website where I can get the same information you gave me. I want to do more research and read more regulations about Army Nurse. thanks.

caliotter3 · Oct 16, 2010

Do not depend upon the military to get your RN education. The armed services have more than enough volunteer RNs to meet their recruiting needs. Check with each of the services to see what their currently available programs are and make a decision based upon what is available.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2010

jeckrn, i appreciate your help, thanks. can you recommend a link or website where i can get the same information you gave me. i want to do more research and read more regulations about army nurse. thanks.

[color=#388222]go to www.apd.army.mil then click on ar army regulations, then on the series number.

GeorgiaBoy61 · Nov 13, 2010

I was looking at all the posts and it did not show anything other than an RN degree for joining the military. I just recently failed my RN program by five points and now have to start over. I am an LVN now. I want to get my RN degree and have now been considering the military. My circumstances are what hindered my success in the program I was in. I eventually want to become a nurse practitioner. My younger brother was swarn into the marines and I am now considering. I think it is a good fit being that I am a personal trainer and very fit and love the discipline. Since I know nothing about the military does anyone know of what my options are to earn my degree. Any info is better than none. I am all ears Thanks in advance.

The army makes extensive use of LVNs/LPNs, but they are enlisted soldiers and not officers. Once you get at least an RN, you can become an officer. If you fall within the age cutoffs, consider being a navy corpsman or army (or air force) medic. Being from a navy family myself, I am partial to corpsmen. They are extremely well-trained, and have tremendous espirit d'corps and a very prooud history. I wanted to be one myself, but was a year over upper age limit, and couldn't get in that way. Corpsmen can also serve in the "blue water" navy or on the "green side" (navy medicine attached to the USMC). Lots of options there, depending on your interests. After service as an enlisted medic, you can always apply to be a "mustang" later (i.e., an EM who becomes an officer).

The army route is good, too. Army medics are trained to the standard of LPN and EMT, and the military scope of practice for nurses is greater than in the civilian world. Don't know anything about medicine in the AF or USCG, but am sure they have their strong points also. Inter-operability is important, the med services of all branches cooperate with one another these days to deliver the best care possible.

All the services need good healthcare providers, so you have some options. Prove yourself in uniform, and you will probably be able to get that NP or a physician assistant's license on their dime. Investigate a program called IPAP, which is the inter-service physician assistant program. I'm sure there is an equivalent for advanced practice nurses, too. Just study and work hard, and things will happen for you.