Joining the military as a nurse

Specialties Government

Published

I am 35 years old and will have my ASN in May. I am interested in joining the military reserves or quite possibly the military as a career. This is all very new to me and I have very little knowledge about what I am getting myself into. What I have found out so far is that I am past the age requirement to join without my nursing degree and the Air Force requires me to have my BSN but I can join up to age 46, although I would only receive a retirement from the military as long as I join before age 40. I am already shopping around for where to transition right into a program to get my BSN. Ultimately, I would like to get my masters in nursing. The reason I am interested in the military is that I need something more. I love nursing but everything I have experienced so far is somewhat boring and that's mostly due to the rural area that I live in and the hospitals that I have done clinicals in normally ship trauma patients to the big city hospitals. I also want to feel that sense of pride that comes with being a member of the US military, the best way I can describe it is that "I want more." My kids are soon to be 16 and 17 and my husband is fully on board with this so being deployed is not an issue. I don't have any prior military experience but do have some close friends whom have retired from the military that I can talk to about this but they went in the traditional way at a young age unlike what I am interested in. I got off to a late start because I started my family at a very young age. I got a business degree and worked as an engineers assistant for a year or so and decided that I needed more. I knew that I had more to offer and I needed to feel some sense of pride about what I was doing. Working on entering information into a database all day and working with China and Japan on production of our electrical units was not it. So, now here I am on my way to being a nurse and I still find myself wanting and needing more and I think the military is going to be the key to fulfilling that. So, what I am asking for is feedback from anyone that has any experience with what I am interested in and can give me some advice about different military branches and their own experiences. Thanks in advance!

Thank you for your honesty, I really appreciate that! I truly believe I can make those sacrifices at this point in my life.

No one is saying you can't but the deck is stacked against you. This is the worst time to join and most selective of the two plus decades. Unfortunately your age and lack of experience won't help either. My reasonable guess of you getting AD in the next couple years is

These age limits are just numbers. Just because you can join at 46 or 40 doesn't mean they will let you. Without a war requiring a large number of nurses waht do you think a board will pick? A 25 y/o with 2 years exp or a 40 y/o with 2 years experience. It's not ageism, the military is just realistic they want to get the best return on their investment. It's no secret that as you age weight control, activity profiles and fitness become more common/difficult. That is precisely what the Army is eyeing to cut right now.

To top it all of even if you have experience it has to be in an area they want. 10 years of med surg or outpatient may mean nothing....Nevermind, outpatient nursing definitely means nothing. Everything is aimed at acute care.

0 Votes
Not a bad idea in theory, but do you realize the amount of money put into training recruits? It's not smart business for the military to invest time, money and effort into training new recruits--molding them from civilians into soldiers--only to have them opt out. And the budget to begin with--well, let's not start that again.

Also, nurses coming into the military won't be attending basic training. They'll attend BOLC (Basic Officer Leader Course), which is an entirely different experience compared to your enlistee's basic training.

It is expensive so there ought to be a way to let people know what they are getting into. The 'introduction to basic' we had to watch was far removed from reality- and in my platoon alone 8 or so people didn't make it through basic, and there were 5 platoons in my Army company and several companies at that time. I don't really know what became of those who didn't last, but I don't think they should suffer consequences if they don't make it through, whether they failed on their own or were 'asked' to leave basic. It's not for everybody. Recruiters will say about anything and promise the moon. It wasn't so much the physical aspect, more the mental- some people just can't cope with that barrage and loss of ability to make their own daily decisions- and that happens FAST. Maybe a better idea is to allow potential recruits to visit some basic training sites, maybe even spend a night or two to get a taste of reality?

0 Votes

I have spoke to an Air Force recruiter and he went through a questionnaire with me and said I qualified under every condition except having my BSN. I have contact info for an army recruiter that I have not yet contacted.

0 Votes
It is expensive so there ought to be a way to let people know what they are getting into. The 'introduction to basic' we had to watch was far removed from reality- and in my platoon alone 8 or so people didn't make it through basic, and there were 5 platoons in my Army company and several companies at that time. I don't really know what became of those who didn't last, but I don't think they should suffer consequences if they don't make it through, whether they failed on their own or were 'asked' to leave basic. It's not for everybody. Recruiters will say about anything and promise the moon. It wasn't so much the physical aspect, more the mental- some people just can't cope with that barrage and loss of ability to make their own daily decisions- and that happens FAST. Maybe a better idea is to allow potential recruits to visit some basic training sites, maybe even spend a night or two to get a taste of reality?

Part of being an adult is doing your research. The military's goal is to recruit, plain and simple. It's hardly their job to make sure you like what you're doing. They do their best to weed out the physically and mentally incompetent in MEPS, but yep, sometimes, a few sneak through and they can't cut it in basic. Same happened in my BOLC.

But can you imagine the change in the culture of the service if basic wasn't a do or die situation? That's what that training hinges on--you're learning to be a cohesive unit under fire, only in basic, the "fire" is that there is no "out" of training--similar to warfare. Only in lieu of enemy gunfire, you've got drill sergeants. It's a valuable lesson that Soldiers of all ranks need to learn early.

0 Votes
I have spoke to an Air Force recruiter and he went through a questionnaire with me and said I qualified under every condition except having my BSN. I have contact info for an army recruiter that I have not yet contacted.

Unfortunately qualified doesn't mean much

0 Votes
Specializes in CWON - Certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse.

And unless something drastic happens with the sequestration you won't see as many active duty nurses in the outpatient arena. Those tend to be GS positions. In relation to what Dranger said with the drawdown they have to eliminate a large number of soldiers and those who have gotten soft and overweight have bulls eyes on their foreheads.

0 Votes
Specializes in CWON - Certified Wound and Ostomy Nurse.

As my dear dad used to always say, "Make sure you get those recruiter promises on paper!"

0 Votes
Specializes in Intake, Home Care.
It is expensive so there ought to be a way to let people know what they are getting into. The 'introduction to basic' we had to watch was far removed from reality- and in my platoon alone 8 or so people didn't make it through basic, and there were 5 platoons in my Army company and several companies at that time. I don't really know what became of those who didn't last, but I don't think they should suffer consequences if they don't make it through, whether they failed on their own or were 'asked' to leave basic. It's not for everybody. Recruiters will say about anything and promise the moon. It wasn't so much the physical aspect, more the mental- some people just can't cope with that barrage and loss of ability to make their own daily decisions- and that happens FAST. Maybe a better idea is to allow potential recruits to visit some basic training sites, maybe even spend a night or two to get a taste of reality?

They have the opportunity to see their lifestyle. It's called the DEP program. These people are grown adults that ask the join the military. Sorry but you aren't going to be coddled or ask if you "like the program or if you are really really sure you want to join". That's ridiculous. You sign the dotted line and accept the challenge. Period. I joined the Marine Corps at 17 and my parents had to sign for me. I knew what I was getting into. 10 years served with deployments and there was nothing boot camp taught me that I didn't learn in the fleet.

program.

0 Votes
Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

As a parent who came in with my children aged 20 and 13 at the time, I think you should know that it still effects your kids more than you expect. I thought it would be no problem for them. I will never forget how my 22 year old baby held my and sobbed until she shook when I got home from Iraq. I did not expect how much it effected my son in high school, and how much I've missed with being away on deployments.

Don't get me wrong, I would do it again. But I just have been surprised by unexpected twists in the plot.

It's hard to get in. But we still need new nurses - at a lower number. We need a steady flow of incoming new people despite the cut in overall numbers. If it is something you want so bad that you put it above all else, then pursue the military. Otherwise, it just isn't worth giving up your life for - yes, we all have given up a lot to be in.

0 Votes
I would encourage you to speak with several Army nurses so you can get a true picture...I don't think the general public has a true perception of Army nursing and it does often appear sugar coated and all "hooah". Keep in mind LPN's aren't officers. I can't tell you how many Army nurses have shared w/ me their frustrations - little time w/ a preceptor, expectation of taking on charge nurse duties w/ minimal experience on the floor, etc. You are going to be expected to PT and pass PT/tape tests. If you are a runner, that's a bonus for you because there is a lot of running. The Army if finally having low tolerance for profiles and this is one factor they are looking at currently for making people leave the Army. There is a current state of indecisiveness regarding military hospitals, too. Yes, as SoldierNurse22 said the government is looking at decreasing GS employees and having the military take on more. The govt is looking at the feasibility/affordability of keeping military hospitals. Specialties are being eliminated at some hospitals and now the patients are referred off post. It's a really volatile time right now....not trying to spread the negativity dust....I just think you should have a true picture.

When I joined the Army as an LPN way back they told us we would all be promoted to Warrant Officer after 4 years. When 4 years arrived (Reserves), they gave us excuse after excuse for not promoting any of us (other than to SP-4), and from I hear here that WO option may not even exits any longer. The experience was still fantastic, our scope of practice wildly exceeded that of BONs- so after getting out it was a real comeuppance to focus on the limitations LPN have in civilian life.

0 Votes
It's hard to get in. But we still need new nurses - at a lower number. We need a steady flow of incoming new people despite the cut in overall numbers. If it is something you want so bad that you put it above all else, then pursue the military. Otherwise, it just isn't worth giving up your life for - yes, we all have given up a lot to be in.

Cue ROTC. That is the go to source for new nurses in the military. Direct commissions have only been around to augment or bolster lower numbers, period. There is always a steady flow coming out of college ROTC programs and without a war most DC slots will simply not exist.

0 Votes

I'm applying for the Air Force this summer so I figured I'd throw in my little bit. As everyone else said, the military is downsizing and most branches will require a bachelor's degree for you to be an Officer. The Air Force takes new grads (for the NTP) as well as experienced nurses (FQ). So you could get experience prior to applying but keep in mind you'd be applying against people who may have years more experience. For the new grad nurses, they only take around 30-40 med-surg and maybe 10 OB per year. That's it. So very very competitive. Not impossible, so I say if you do your research and still feel this is the right move, go for it! Luckily since the application process takes time (and you're still in school) you'll have plenty of time to research this and be absolutely certain you want it. If you have questions about the specific application process for AF let me know! I'm finally getting my completed packet together for this summer board!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment