ICU RN Going From Active Duty TO Reserves

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hello all, longtime listener first time caller here. i am an active duty critical care nurse (66s) for the past 6 years and will be separating this summer 2016. im interested in transitioning to reserves.

here is what ive been told by both retention and reserves recruiters (confirmed by multiple recruiters):

Incentive pay for ICU RN 66S = $25k per year for 3 year commitment.

Everything else depends on the unit.

an additional factor in my consideration of joining reserves is the fact that i can transfer my gi bill to my wife who will start her junior year fall 2016 - in order to transfer this benefit, i will owe 4 years reserve time for this, but this "adso" does not affect the special pay.

obviously i will get everything in writing before i sign anything. can anybody confirm the special pay amounts? i was admittedly skeptical since thats more than the active duty bonus.

my questions are more related to active duty versus reserves:

what is most important factor in choosing a unit?

what are the different types of units i could be assigned to?

is the special pay bonus given at the beginning or end of each year?

what do drills typically entail? day in the life?

what is the likelihood of deployment for critical nurses at this point? the special pay makes me think there is a very high likelihood.

are deployments/mobilizations more backfilling positions or actually going downrange?

how long are current icu nursing reservist deployments/mobilizations?

i was told reserve nurses get extra "vacation" days from their regular jobs for reserve duties, can someone advise or clarify?

should i state that i will be joining or have already joined the reserves on my resume?

how does rank advancement compare to active?

regarding retirement, what would be better: 6 years active duty and either 14 years reserve time OR 14 years at the VA?

thank you in advance for the help and please feel free to add anything i may be neglecting to ask... thank you!

Dranger

1,871 Posts

1. I would be extrememly surprised if they had that kind of bonus still, I am a critical care reserve nurse and I have not heard anything about a bonus that high in a few years and in general there is a surplus of ICU nurses around. I haven't see special pay in a long while, only loan repayment. Maybe I am wrong though.

2. Your two options for units are generally a USAH or CSH, sometimes a FST. All have their pluses and minuses. USAH generally do less field time and if located near a mil hospital, do drill there.

3. In my reserve unit, I work A LOT more than 2 days a month. Even though I am a nurse (I do little nursing on drill weekend), I mainly function as a S-shop officer (was a PL and "XO"). I am constantly answering emails and coordinating training throughout the month with full time staff. In the reserves, if you stand out as being competent they will use you as much as possible. Many people try to fly below the radar to avoid extra duties which is a shame because it places the burden on other people.

4. Your employer is required to give you a military LOA to attend military drill, annual training, mobs, etc.

5. Mobilizations are mainly back-fill now, very rarely are there overseas opportunities. Even CONUS mobs are pretty uncommon.

6. Rank advancement after CPT or MAJ is a little slower but better than the National Guard.

7. Drills vary, some months are filed exercises, PT, motorpool check offs (CSH,), hospital time, or death by powerpoint. LOTS of classes.

8. In a majority of units it is a core group of people that run the unit and put the work into training and admin. It is up to you to decide what kind of soldier you want to be. A lot of people (no matter the rank) just show up.

If I wasn't going to grad school (ARNP) I would have stayed active duty and probably not done reserves (unless it was IRR).

bsnicu

2 Posts

thanks dranger.

how does the loa work? im under the assumption ill work a regular work week each week and an extra weekend per month that ill just have to schedule with my job.

do you recommend putting the reserves on my resume? im considering mostly va/federal positions but will also consider civilian depending on where we end up.

Dranger

1,871 Posts

thanks dranger.

how does the loa work? im under the assumption ill work a regular work week each week and an extra weekend per month that ill just have to schedule with my job.

do you recommend putting the reserves on my resume? im considering mostly va/federal positions but will also consider civilian depending on where we end up.

Its federal law. Just tell them your drill or training dates and they have to give you time off. If not they can get in BIG trouble. Even with last minute training, it doesn't matter they HAVE to comply. Its nice to give them a decent heads up though. You'll get the weekend dates a yearish in advance, the week AT training can vary but generally you get a 2-3 month heads up.

The reserves is excellent perk on a resume and in some ways better than active duty because it shows you can multitask. The citizen soldier mantra appeals to a lot of employers.

jeckrn, BSN, RN

1,868 Posts

Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Incentive pay for ICU RN 66S = $25k per year for 3 year commitment

- I am ERLang this summer also and had heard amounts around the same. I have not checked into it since I am going to retire from the reserves as soon as I rejoin them

my questions are more related to active duty versus reserves:

what is most important factor in choosing a unit?

- They will place you with the closest medical unit. Depending on where you live and where the unit is located at it could be a 100 miles or more from home.

is the special pay bonus given at the beginning or end of each year?

- not sure but guess it would be like any other ISP, based on the date you signed the contract.

what do drills typically entail? day in the life?

- some like the earlier poster stated others you are just there. Unfortunately there is not always leadership positions for everyone who wants them. Some have been in those positions for years and plan on,staying in them. Sometimes you will just sit all weekend even if you want to do something there are just too many soldiers compared to job's needing to be done. I switched units because of this and had to drive 4 hours each way. It will be up to you.

- Depends on the unit, some units have the ability to do more hands on training and others is more classroom.

what is the likelihood of deployment for critical nurses at this point?

the special pay makes me think there is a very high likelihood.

-Also varies on your AOC and unit that you are assigned to and what year they are in on their rotation.Special pay will,have nothing to do with it. That pay is just to keep RNs. In the system.

are deployments/mobilizations more backfilling positions or actually going downrange?

-again varies by unit.

how long are current icu nursing reservist deployments/mobilizations?

-12 months for the most part.

i was told reserve nurses get extra "vacation" days from their regular jobs for reserve duties, can someone advise or clarify?

-Thes are not vacation days but military leave. Some employers will give you paid LOA and others will not. The VA gives 21 paid days a year.

should i state that i will be joining or have already joined the reserves on my resume?

- Depends on the area you will be living. If you do not live in a strong military area I would not list it. When you go through SFL-TAP they will give you the does and songs of resumes.

how does rank advancement compare to active?

-The time in grade used to be longer in the reserves now it's the same.

regarding retirement, what would be better: 6 years active duty and either 14 years reserve time OR 14 years at the VA?

- in the federal system you can earn both a civilian and reserve retirement at the same time. To gain extra on your VA retirement you can buy back your active time and have it added to your civilian time. This will not effect your reserve retirement.

thank you in advance for the help and please feel free to add anything i may be neglecting to ask... thank you!

123456

allencortado

4 Posts

@dranger looks like i could learn a lot from you sir. it would help me a lot if you could help me with my questions. im planning to go reserve as np when i graduate from np school cause right now i cant join yet because of my bsn from philippines. would they give me some assistance with my student loan as a reserve and how is reserve life? i heard that sometimes you could get pulled for 3-6months if the need is high without notice and thats why people say that it makes active duty a better option.

allencortado

4 Posts

Its federal law. Just tell them your drill or training dates and they have to give you time off. If not they can get in BIG trouble. Even with last minute training, it doesn't matter they HAVE to comply. Its nice to give them a decent heads up though. You'll get the weekend dates a yearish in advance, the week AT training can vary but generally you get a 2-3 month heads up.

The reserves is excellent perk on a resume and in some ways better than active duty because it shows you can multitask. The citizen soldier mantra appeals to a lot of employers.

@dranger looks like i could learn a lot from you sir. it would help me a lot if you could help me with my questions. im planning to go reserve as np when i graduate from np school cause right now i cant join yet because of my bsn from philippines. would they give me some assistance with my student loan as a reserve and how is reserve life? i heard that sometimes you could get pulled for 3-6months if the need is high without notice and thats why people say that it makes active duty a better option.

Dranger

1,871 Posts

@dranger looks like i could learn a lot from you sir. it would help me a lot if you could help me with my questions. im planning to go reserve as np when i graduate from np school cause right now i cant join yet because of my bsn from philippines. would they give me some assistance with my student loan as a reserve and how is reserve life? i heard that sometimes you could get pulled for 3-6months if the need is high without notice and thats why people say that it makes active duty a better option.

NPs in the Army or reserves for that matter are not really that common. The military hasn't embraced NPs like they have PAs. They might help you with tuition assistance (bad idea for an officer because you owe more years) but that's about it. If you are hoping to join for NP tuition reimbursement I think that's a poor reason.

Also:

1. You must be a citizen to be an officer/NP in the military.

2. Yes you can get get mobilized for any amount of time but it isn't common nowadays with nurses. Active duty can get pulled/deployed too.

Specializes in ICU/ER/trauma.

I direct commissioned for 75k special pay. And 50k student loan repayment. 6 year reserve commitment. 3 for special pay. 3 years for student loan repayment. However I am a natural born citizen.

Stay in reserves as a 66S. Complete your NP and work as Np in your civilian job.

For me tbis works because I graduate as a critical care NP. I'll be in an ICU as a provider and will still work as a nurse in the military. And maybe one day the military will recognize acute NPs. Until then I'm very happy as a 66S reservist.

Good luck.

also I constantly volunteer for training to which hey send me away for 1-2 weeks at a time. I supply my job with my order and they give me the time off. No questions asked. I actually get 120 hours of military reserve pay that accrue when I'm drilling or on orders from my job. Not all jobs offer this perk. But I know the VA does and some other private hospitals. Kinda like an extra thank you for serving.

All I know is that I love what I'm doing for the military and I'm still mostly home with my family. Deployment is always on the table. We are a 30 days boots on ground. But i understand this and will deploy without doubt or hesitation to support the mission, my brothers in arms and the country. And....so does my wife, she understands and is very supportive. As long as you have a great support system it is a good option.

Stay in reserves for 20. (20 and out)

work at VA (get the TSP that you can't get just being a reservist.)

retire from VA

retire from reserves. And enjoy the rest of your life.

Spring624

65 Posts

I was offerred direct commission for $100k/4years special pay. I didn't need to take advantage of the student loan repayment option so maybe that had something to do with my offer. I'm still waiting for scroll to be completed so I am unsure of the answers to your other questions. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Specializes in ICU/ER/trauma.

Where abouts? I'm out of Ohio.

Spring624

65 Posts

Oklahoma for me but I if I understand correctly my unit is based in close to Dallas.

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