First duty station ARMY

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Trying to plan out my first duty station as a nurse (I've been 9 years enlisted so it's not my first first duty station but as a nurse).

My wife want's to start getting her self ready for nursing school herself and wanted to ask out in the community what people's experience has been with their duration as far as how long they stayed there.

I understand that every scenario is different but just wanted a general impression on what to expect so that we don't commit all in at our next duty station to just get pulled out 1 year into it.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Thanks

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Since you have been in for 9 years where would you like to go?

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Since you have been in for 9 years where would you like to go?

My list to our program manager was Hawaii second to Carson. Haven't been to either one but would like to.

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Hi my husband and I just left hawaii in December and are now at carson.

We were stationed in HI for 3 years before we moved here.

We don't expect to be at carson for more than a few years but my hubby is going to try to go to Japan for a year which would extend our stay here for a little while so I can finish school.

I don't apply to the RN program until fall 2014, so we need to be here for at least 3 more years for me to be able to finish.

Good luck!

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

I think as a new nurse, you're more likely to be assigned to a MEDCEN than a MEDDAC. A lot of new grads I know from BOLC went to Madigan, Tripler, and BAMC (or SAMMC or whatever they're calling it at Ft. Sam these days) for their first duty station. We have been told to expect to be in one place for at least 36 months -- they are not PCSing us as often to save money, so this might work out well for your wife to be able to get through a nursing program! :)

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I think as a new nurse, you're more likely to be assigned to a MEDCEN than a MEDDAC. A lot of new grads I know from BOLC went to Madigan, Tripler, and BAMC (or SAMMC or whatever they're calling it at Ft. Sam these days) for their first duty station. We have been told to expect to be in one place for at least 36 months -- they are not PCSing us as often to save money, so this might work out well for your wife to be able to get through a nursing program! :)

Thanks, hope this is the case for a new nurse. I know that we have our preceptor-ship and additional training after that, wasn't sure if that was the case with our first one. Your correct, only the 7 major MTF's will be our option for initial training.

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Specializes in ICU.

Ncox1,

I've had to do a lot of research for my first duty station as well. What kind of nursing are you looking to get into? If you want to specialize quickly, do not pick a big hospital like SAMMC or Bethesda. Go to something smaller like seattle, carson,kentucky,bragg. If you dont mind working med-surg for a solid 2 years, go to the bigger places. Just remember that the Army has the Nurse Residency Program and you can only choose from 12 places, and you are only there for an average of 18 months. Im trying to go to Fort Carsopn; It is posted right by the Air Force Academy, nice city, and smaller hospital. Hope this helps.

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Are you saying on average the first duty station is about 18 months? I have Trippler, Carson, and Madigan for my top three picks. Would like to go in some sort of a high acuity setting like ICU or ER.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Are you saying on average the first duty station is about 18 months? I have Trippler, Carson, and Madigan for my top three picks. Would like to go in some sort of a high acuity setting like ICU or ER.

Yep, I do believe they allow you to PCS from wherever you did the clinical nurse transition program (CNTP), i.e., your nursing residency, after about 18 months. I went to BOLC with a person who spent 18 months at Ft. Bliss, did the CNTP and worked there, and who then PCSed to the MEDDAC where I am. He just started in our ER. I asked him about it (how he managed to PCS in such a short period of time), and he said they allow it after completing the CNTP and working for a while. I think that's the only time your length at a duty station will be less than 36-48 months! The frequency of PCSing is decreasing to save money, as I mentioned earlier; I had heard 36 months, but others are saying 48 now.

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