direct acession army CRNA

[cole1321]

I have been reading a lot on this board, and will continue to do more research. I have 12 years of prior experience in the navy as an electrician in the nuclear program. I separated with an honerable discharge and attending nursing school. I am now an RN, and will be finishing my BSN this August, (unless my last course can be completed in an accelerated summer course). I will also have have one year of ICU time this June. I work in a trauma ICU, and this is the only experience that I have, I am a new nurse. My goals are to become a CRNA, and planned to start applying immediatlly after finishing my BSN. I know all the requirements and do meet all of them. As another option I was looking to coming back to the army, since haveing 12 years of active duty, I could retire with a guranteed paycheck following retirement. I have now come to learn of this direct accession program, and am quite excited at this option. Some questions I have, is how my previous time of service will benefit me? I notice army nurses start as 2nd Lt, if I read correctly. Does my time inservice give me any advantage here, or will it just increase my pay being over 12 years? If accepted into the army CRNA program, when does my time start? during school? Does that mean I will be paid and promoted during the program? Does my being a new nurse and haveing limited time in nursing limit me? I have a good GPA - 3.8. I beleive my past experience looks good, being prior military in a difficult field. I would have at least 2 years of trauma ICU time prior to any CRNA program starts, but I am sure there is so much I still do not know.

Any guidance and information is greatly appreciated.

Also looking at the US army graduate program website, I notice the deadlines are approaching in june and july of this year. Would an application by me even be looked at since I may not finish my BSN until August. Also are there later application dates?

[Jarnaes]

Your 12 years of prior service will give you the O-1E pay-grade with 12 years. It's a few hundred bucks more per month than the regular O-1 pay.

As far as the CRNA program. Go ahead and apply. If you get it great, and if not, then just re-apply next year. Some years they will have an additional board, but I wouldn't count on it. Send me a PM and I'll give you some additional info. Good luck.

[crysviews]

I'm in the process of going back into the Reserves after being out for 4 years. One piece of advice...make sure you have access to your old military record, because the army will want a time line of your time in service. It may be a little different since you weren't a nurse then, but I don't think it will, because I was enlisted first and the recruiter wanted a copy of my original enlistment contract from 1988. Of course, I didn't have it (the army can't seem to find it either), and they can waiver some of the documentation. But other documentation was not negotiable. I will warn you that the hurry up and wait is painful, but in the end, I'll be glad when I'm back in.