application packet is finally before review! The Oct 6th board

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.

Hello all,

You've been so helpful here with my questions over the last month or so, (6 weeks maybe, if even?)

I signed my reviewed and re-typed and double-checked application packet on teh 5th as it was all final and good to go. The Captain told me that the Sergeant working on my packet wanted it completed asap in order for it to go before the Oct 6th board.

There are a couple of waivers attached, one is for tattooes, the other is for my age of applying as a Nurse candidate for active duty.

Also in order for me to show that I would be eligible for active duty as an enlisted soldier, (to support the chance of becoming an active duty officer at this age) the recruiter did have me go to Meps for the physical and ASVAB of which both show that I am eligible for regular enlisted, (passed the physical with all 1's and did 88 overall on the ASVAB with qualifying composite scores for several fields, including medical). Had I realized that the ASVAB was going to represent me, I would've reviewed a little for it but, think it ought to be okay even though I took it suddenly last minute and just flew through it in about an hour and twenty minutes. I figured that as a graduate student and at 40 years old, it would be embarassing if I couldnt' do okay on it, "right off the street".

I am worried because as a bureaucracy there is no precedent set for accepting masters entry to nursing students as Nurse candidates for the Army Nurse Corps. My pre-NCLEX standing is comparable to a Senior BSN student but, I am in the MSN/RN program. Hmmm, we will see how this goes.

If it doesn't work out there is always the option of waiting until graduation and then applying again for active duty (which I want, or if I must, the reserves).

Sure, if I wait until graduation there is the large bonush for loan repayment but, as a graduate student with undergrad and grad loans, that amount won't even put a dent into my loans and it would do me much better to earn the stipend right now during my last year rather than a loan repayment. The stipend would help me take less loans. Besides, they Army would save almost 30K if they take me as a candidate rather than loan repayment after graduation.

It is unknown.

Thank you for your support, information and encouragment here at the Military nursing forum!

Gen-hopeful

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Specializes in critical care/ coronary care.

Gennaver,

Hey, way to go! Congradulations on submitting your packet, that in and of itself is no small achievement! Hope the best for you and please let us know here when you get the word.

Regarding your MSN entry, well , perhaps you will get extra rank out of it? Also, regarding your having to take the ASVAB, I'm jus' a lil' older than you and didn't have to take it or prove myself eligible to enlist rather than commission, what was your recruiters reasoning on that? Just curious.

All the best,

Eric

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Specializes in 66H.

sounds like you are talking about the ancp program. if so, feel free to ask me questions, i might be able to answer them from a student standpoint. i have been in the program going on year two.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Gennaver,

Hey, way to go! Congradulations on submitting your packet, that in and of itself is no small achievement! Hope the best for you and please let us know here when you get the word.

Regarding your MSN entry, well , perhaps you will get extra rank out of it? Also, regarding your having to take the ASVAB, I'm jus' a lil' older than you and didn't have to take it or prove myself eligible to enlist rather than commission, what was your recruiters reasoning on that? Just curious.

All the best,

Eric

Hello,

No, no no no, there is no extra rank due to having an MSN/RN as an entry level nurse. The only extra rank would be for, I believe, either years of working as a nurse or in getting people to recruit along with me or following me.

The reason for the ASVAB is not only because I will be 41 when I sit for NCLEX-RN but, also because I am going for the Candidate entry first and not in as a commisioned officer.

If they do not take me as a candidate I suppose I could apply immediately post graduation and NCLEX but, I don't know how I will get alone for those months of waiting without my school moolah. Sure, I've worked for two hospitals since starting my program but, it is a full time graduate program with little time available for work. Once I graduate I will still not be a nurse but, figure I could go to work for a hospital as a nurse pending yet, if I plan on going to the Army ASAP that seems deceptive.

The thought that a MSN, (entry nurse) having a higher rank than 2LT is a myth, this may actually be one of the myths that will prevent my application from going through. YIKES! It could actually HURT my application. As a new graduate RN the best rank I could go for is 2LT and that is it.

Thanks for the well wishing, I will indeed update.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
sounds like you are talking about the ancp program. if so, feel free to ask me questions, i might be able to answer them from a student standpoint. i have been in the program going on year two.

Hello,

Yes, this is the program I am hoping to go for. I graduate in June 2007 and will only be in the program for about 8 months.

Could you please tell me if you know your base assignment and date of OBC when you first signed?

Also, how are the monthly stipends and the initial bonus given to you. I really, really need that, my student loans are big but, they are not big enough for my cost of attendance and to get me through the month, (s) following graduation before I take the NCLEX-RN.

Thank you,

Gen

edited to say: wait, no need to answer those questions, I just received news that congress will not recognize my MSN entry and the Army cannot accept me into the ANCP

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Specializes in 66H.

no i did not know when i signed and i still do not know because they will not assign you a class date until you have passed the nclex. as of right now, they have a class schedules for august and october of 07 that you could be placed in depending on when you take the nclex and how full the classes are. they technically can send you to your first duty station first and then you just wait until a obc class date becomes available.

i get paid on the 1st and the 15th of each month...$500 at each payment. they also pay a $5000 bonus at the begining of each school year. i get my money through direct deposit. i turned in a direct deposit form when i was at the meps station to speed the process up. it still took 3 months to get the ball rolling but the reason given to me was i was in the first group that had been accepted since the program was re-activated and they were working the kinks out. or it could have just been the army, they are not always on the ball when it comes to paying you, just when they are taking money from you.

please feel free to ask any other questions. in fact who knows we might end up in obc together.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
no i did not know when i signed and i still do not know because they will not assign you a class date until you have passed the nclex. as of right now, they have a class schedules for august and october of 07 that you could be placed in depending on when you take the nclex and how full the classes are. they technically can send you to your first duty station first and then you just wait until a obc class date becomes available.

i get paid on the 1st and the 15th of each month...$500 at each payment. they also pay a $5000 bonus at the begining of each school year. i get my money through direct deposit. i turned in a direct deposit form when i was at the meps station to speed the process up. it still took 3 months to get the ball rolling but the reason given to me was i was in the first group that had been accepted since the program was re-activated and they were working the kinks out. or it could have just been the army, they are not always on the ball when it comes to paying you, just when they are taking money from you.

please feel free to ask any other questions. in fact who knows we might end up in obc together.

Thank you for the reply,

My recruiter had thought before that I would be in the October OBC so we could've been together, as it is...The Army is not recognizing my MSN entry student status or degree so it seems that even after graduation they will not take me. :( Also, I will be 41 so by the time the laws change I will age out).

I did as my undergrad institution if I could transfer my courses to them if they would grand me a BSN which is all the Army will recognize as acceptable and my undergrad institution said, "why? and No, because you will have an MSN which supercedes the BSN."

It seems I am just SOL.

Gen

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

Maybe you just need to talk higher up the food chain at your school? I think if you find the right patriotic person and explain your situation, magic might happen!

:)

Best of luck!

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Maybe you just need to talk higher up the food chain at your school? I think if you find the right patriotic person and explain your situation, magic might happen!

:)

Best of luck!

Hi again,

Hmm, well, the Army will only take a Senior BSN student within so many months of graduation and I am at it. Yes though, I did talk to the highest person at the Dept of Nursing at my school, via email and via the coordinator. No reply has been forthcoming.

It is too late for me.

Matter of fact, even if the Army still wants me and will take me after graduation that is too late for me. Sure, there is 50K available to me then but the only way I could make it to then would be by borrowing more money to make it to there so it isn't financially attractive to me in the same way that the monthly stipend is now.

They didnt want me when I needed it so I don't know what my choice will be because I do not know if I can "afford" to hang on and hold out for them after I graduate.

Thank you though,

Gen

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

Ah, I hadn't realized the part about your can get in after graduation, just not in the candidate program.

I'm just waiting on my acceptance letter to school now, so I have a LONG way to go :)

Trying to figure out the money is a pain! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Ah, I hadn't realized the part about your can get in after graduation, just not in the candidate program.

I'm just waiting on my acceptance letter to school now, so I have a LONG way to go :)

Trying to figure out the money is a pain! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

I will indeed cross my fingerss for you too! Good luck!

Gen

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