Considering - Navy Nurse Candidate Program

lcbradley · Jan 4, 2006

I became an RN last summer, and I am about to start an RN to BSN program (since I have my Associate's degree). I am planning on joining the Nurse candidate Program in the Navy as soon as I get under the weight requirements. Diet and exercise, diet and exercise.
I considered both Air Force and Navy nursing. I called both branches and had conversations lasting over an hour each with recruiters. What it came down to for me was the fact that the Nurse Candidate Program is a much better incentive than anything the Air Force is offering. Also, I come from a Navy family (two Navy grandfathers in the South Pacific, Dad and all uncles Navy in Vietnam, plus my brother and sister are currently active duty Navy enlisted) so I would be pretty much disowned if I joined the Air Force.
Anyway, here is the information that I have gotten about deployments. Whether it is true or not, I can't say, because it is from recruiters from both branches.
The USAF recruiter (a sergeant in communications, not even health care) told me that they have what's called the AEF. This is where every 18months that you are on active duty, your name gets "put into a hat" and you may or may not be deployed. He said that what happens is that the USAF nurses who are working overseas get "deployed" as flight nurse or something "frontline", and then you would get deployed to go work at the hospital they got deployed from while they are off doing frontline stuff (if that makes sense). ANyway, the USAF recruiter told me that it's a totally random thing as to whether you get deployed or not, and the deployments last 3 to 6 months.
The USN recruiter (who was an actual USN NURSE) told me that if you work as a nurse in the Navy that you will be stationed at a naval hospital, and there are approximately 70-100 "deployed" nurses in the navy at any one time. Half of these are deployed on ships and half are deployed in MASH type units or at Marine bases (Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune). He said that the shipboard deployments are highly sought after, since they are very "career-enhancing", and basically, if you don't want to serve on a ship, you aren't going to serve on a ship since there are always more people wanting to be on a ship than there are postings. The other deployments, he told me, work on a volunteer/mandate type system. In other words, they say, "Ok guys, we have a need for navy nurses deployed to the following places, who wants to go?" If all the postings are filled with volunteers, they don't "force" anybody to go. But if the postings aren't filled, then they pick people to go.
I don't have any problem being deployed. Since I have a family and young children, I don't think I will be trying for a shipboard posting. I'm not going to complain if I get deployed, after all, that's what service to the country is about, right? A sacrifice for the good of the country.
PickyRN

A friend and classmate of mine from high school has been in the Navy since we graduated in 1993 and she told me the same thing. She also recruits for the Nurse Corps. I am almost done with my application packet for the nurse candidate program and I am really excited about this opportunity.

TXNAVYNURSE · Jan 10, 2006

Hi, I am also interested in doing signing up with the Naval Reserves as a psychiatric nurse (RN). I've heard that deployment for them is mainly in Germany. I wonder if this is true, and if so, how frequent is it happening?

Dear Guitar:

I note that your question is re: Navy RESERVE. I don't know where the majority of recalled Navy Reserve psych nurses are being sent. I can say however, that I just returned from 9 months in Kuwait and we had a large and VERY busy mental health department including Nurse Corps officers. I strongly suggest that you assume the following if you join the Navy Reserve Nurse Corps:

1. Assume that you will be recalled to active duty. The official position of VADM Cotton (the head of the Navy Reserve) is that all Navy reservists should expect to be recalled for 1 out of every 6 years.

2. Assume that you will be deployed to someplace distant, uncomfortable, and possibly dangerous. You may not be, but it should be no surprise if you are.

If these ideas repel you... don't raise your right hand. If they appeal to you... Welcome Aboard!

I have enjoyed my Navy Reserve career tremendously. I have have many excellent experiences and seen a few foreign places... Japan, Ghana, Honduras, Kuwait, Qatar. I have had lots of cool schooling, such as Cold Weather Medicine at US Marine Corps Mountain Warfare School and study at the Naval War College (12 graduate credit hours).

I look forward to your questions. Good luck with your decision.

Very Respectfully,

CDR Jim McGraw, NC, USN

TXNAVYNURSE · Jan 10, 2006

With the current state of affairs in the middle east, are many Navy Nurses being sent into Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. If so for what period of time are they there?

I just came back from 9 months in Kuwait as part of Expeditionary Medical Facility Dallas. We had LOTS of nurses of many different specialities. There was (is?) a Navy Expeditionary Medical Facility and several smaller mobile Navy medical units (FRSS) in Iraq earlier in the war. Yes, there are Navy Nurses on the ground in the Gulf Region.

You asked a VERY interesting question about the duration of deployments. For this mission the policy was: Active duty Navy medicine... 6 months. Reserve Navy medicine...12 months. Although I am a reservist, my stay was shorter due to the realities of timing and movement of personnel.... some of my shipmates were there the whole 12 months.

I look forward to your questions. Good luck with your decision.

Very Respectfully,

CDR Jim McGraw, NC, USN

If you are reading this, thank a teacher; if you are reading this in English, thank a vet.

mgbaur · Aug 11, 2010

Ok this has helped me a little, but I have a slightly different question and would like anyone who is in to answer. As a former Marine I understand the ways of the military and feel a calling to join the Navy when I graduate nursing school. This will of course make me a new nurse entering into the program. My intent or goal, if I enter the Navy as a nurse, is to get as far forward as possible and be as closely attached to a marine unit as is physically possible. I have read some, but not all of the replies in this thread and it appears that may be a possibility, but my concern is the fact that I will be a new grad. Please elaborate on how imbedded a nurse (RN) can be with a Marine unit and how forward they can deploy. For example can you be on a base in Afghanistan? Can you end up on the forward foot patrols that are taking medical to the families outside the wire?

Thanks

MG

just_cause, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2010

not so much. you are wanting to become a PA in the navy based on your goals...