Commissioned as an RN but doing something else

[Raider 3/1]

So I thought I would ask if anyone has ever become or heard of anyone commissioned as an RN that ended up doing something other than being a nurse.

Given that most of the time the branch you serve in tells you where to live and work; has anyone done an about face and done something other than nursing, voluntary or not?

This question could be geared towards military or civilian but mainly have commissioned nurses ever done things like admin work, logistics, or even something as crazy as become a special forces/operations officer?

I was enlisted for 5 years as an 8404 field medical corpsman and I have done my fare share of jobs that had nothing to do with my medical training. Working in the warehouse sorting mail, manning the 50 when we were on motorized patrols, etc.

I know that the military pretty much owns you once you are in but could the powers that be make you do something other than what you have gone to nursing school for all those years?

Again, emphasizing the voluntary or not part of this question. Sometimes people get sick of the same old routine, just want to hear of other peoples experiences with this.

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

I haven't heard of anything 'against one's will.' I have heard of voluntary programs. For example, there is a program in the Air Force that trains doctors to be pilots as a dual flight officer and flight surgeon.

I think that kind of stuff is rare, though. I know for the air force the huge barrier is line vs non-line officers. Many jobs are restricted to line officers only. For example, a physician will will never command a wing or base; they only move up within the AF Medical Service.

[RunBabyRN]

I haven't seen it first-hand, but I remember as a corpsman they beat it into us that we were a sailor first, corpsman second, so I would imagine it would be similar for officers, if that's what's needed. I can see why it's frustrating, but all the more reason I was tired of being "government property."

I do agree with jfratian that there was a thing about crossover between line versus corps officers, so it's interesting they have a corps officer performing a line officer's duties.

[Dranger]

No.

How do you think that would make all of those OCS, West point/USNA/USAFA and ROTC officers feel who just got duped by a direct commission officer coming in off the street as a RN then branch switching. It will never happen.

You can't bypass the standard commissioning system, the only reason direct commission even exists is for LAW/MEDICAL personnel to fill needed military roles. Not for a RN who walked in of the street and suddenly decides they want to be SF.

In the Army you can be a nurse and fulfill some staff roles in a hospital setting, command, admin, operations etc but you will always be a nurse corps officer.

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

Yeah, the cool jobs should go to Academy graduates. However, I'm sure that nursing ROTC grads or Uniformed Services University MD grads don't feel too great about direct commission people working alongside them either. To me it's all about what the market will bear. If there weren't currently a glut of people wanting the special forces jobs, then I bet they would open the training to more people. But sure...right now there's no need to comprise standards.

[Dranger]

Yeah, the cool jobs should go to Academy graduates. However, I'm sure that nursing ROTC grads or Uniformed Services University MD grads don't feel too great about direct commission people working alongside them either. To me it's all about what the market will bear. If there weren't currently a glut of people wanting the special forces jobs, then I bet they would open the training to more people. But sure...right now there's no need to comprise standards.

They will NEVER open it up to direct commission. Those roles are meant for people who assessed through a traditional commissioning source. These officers didn't do 4-5 years at an academy or ROTC program for fun.

If you direct commission as a nurse you will be a nurse, you can't cheat the system. If we needed more infantry or SF officers we would beef up ROTC/OCS graduate numbers, not allow direct commission nurses to switch.

Just how it is.

[Raider 3/1]

Humor me here but going off of what jfratian says about line officers and non-line officers...

Lets say for example a fictitious John Doe who is a commissioned RN and holds a non-line officer position (obviously).

John Doe has all the right credentials for a line officer position and wishes to change (transition) to that line officer position.

Is there a chance that John Doe can transition to this position or is he going to be sh*t out of luck?

Obviously, the current troop draw down and down sizing has got me... frazzled. I know they wouldn't take me to begin with unless they absolutely needed me as an RN. I shouldn't really care about this until im actually their but just wondering what an RN could do as a last ditch effort to maintain their military career.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Humor me here but going off of what jfratian says about line officers and non-line officers...

Lets say for example a fictitious John Doe who is a commissioned RN and holds a non-line officer position (obviously).

John Doe has all the right credentials for a line officer position and wishes to change (transition) to that line officer position.

Is there a chance that John Doe can transition to this position or is he going to be sh*t out of luck?

Obviously, the current troop draw down and down sizing has got me... frazzled. I know they wouldn't take me to begin with unless they absolutely needed me as an RN. I shouldn't really care about this until im actually their but just wondering what an RN could do as a last ditch effort to maintain their military career.

I have a friend who is commissioned as a nurse corps officer in the army national guard but is actually a transportation company commander. His uniform has the medical caduceus with the big "N" over it. He had previously been an E-7 88M platoon sergeant in a different transportation company prior to commisioning as a nurse corps officer. He was previously a platoon leader in the company, then (I think) XO. His unit doesn't really have a medical mission, and according to him there really arn't any nurse officer jobs to do in his state's army guard.

Previous to becoming company commander he did a couple deployments as a nurse with other units.

[Dranger]

I was a platoon leader and S-1 in my reserve unit but at the end of the day I was a nurse corps officer. There is a little more leeway with your role in the guard or reserve but you will be a nurse corps officer. You won't be going to transportation or infantry BOLC.

On active duty there is absolutely no leeway. You cant just roll over to an infantry unit or HRC and say hey I want to be your PL.

I say again you can't cheat the commissioning system. Why would anyone go to ROTC/OCS/academy if you can switch around as a direct commission?

Even I as a ROTC grad would find it very very hard to switch from nursing to something else. It just doesn't happen even in the height of the wars.

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

I do know of a pilot training program for MDs in the Air Force. It cross trains flight surgeons as flight officers. I'm sure academy grads are pretty upset that some docs just off the street get to do the most coveted job in the Air Force. I'm not trying to extrapolate that this happens in every branch all the time, but it clearly does happen.

[Raider 3/1]

Well not to stir the pot too much but what other positions can an RN with a Bachelors in science or health science do with that degree? (aside from being a nurse that is)

Just returning fire to the people who say its impossible

What position, if any, require on the job training or training that can only be obtained while on active duty and/or nearing the end of you're time commitment to any branch of the military?

jfratian mentioned the pilot training program for MDs in the Air Force.

What else is a possibility for RN's and medical professionals in general? First hand experience and blind baseless rumors are encouraged.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

There are very specific guidelines for branch-switching, and it is difficult to do. Same thing goes for line officers or enlisted soldiers who have completed a BSN on their own and want to switch or commission in to the nurse corps: the few I have seen post here over the years were not successful, so it goes both ways.