HELP with Army Practical Nursing Specialist 68C

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My daughter, Ashley, is about to graduate from high school with 45 college credits because she's been taking classes at the local Junior College the past 4 years. Ashley just finished Medical ROP at her high school, where she earned certifications for blood born pathogens, CPR, and others. Ashley has also spent this past semester at the local hospital volunteering a few mornings a week for a couple of hours and just passed a test which gives her 3 credits for Medical Terminology.

Instead of finishing about 5 Science pre-reqs she needs to apply to a BSN program at the CSU college system in CA, she's decided she wants to join the military and try and earn nursing education there. Ashley wants to leave our area, travel, have money for college later, and do something different. Ashley also wants to be a young mom and have kids earlier than later; she and her boyfriend of 2.5 years are planning on marrying.

I've done a lot of research and it looks like the 68C doesn't have a lot of openings and that the Army wants a 6 year commitment. Does anyone have any information about when the 52 week session starts? What are her chances of getting it? Ashley's ASVAB scores are fine for the 68C.

Is it smarter for Ashley to join as a reserve, in something that takes significantly less education and then get her BSN from a CSU? Once one is in the reserves and using the money that is available for college, does one have to commit to Active Duty for once the BSN is earned? Ashely has stated that she doesn't want to be a reserve though as it's not the same as active duty.

Is it smarter for Ashley to finish her BSN and go into the military as an RN verses going in as MOS? Will the Army repay a certain amount of her debt she accrues while earning her BSN? When and if the Army repays loans, what's the time commitment the Army will want?

This week we have appointments with a local recruiter and one from out of town. We've been told for some reason that our local office isn't all that great and to go out of town to another office. What should we be asking?

Any advise here on the best path Ashley should take? Ultimately, she wants to spend some time being an RN and then earn her Master's and work in hospital administration. Will the MOS 68C make this take a lot longer instead of helping?

Thank you so much for any advice and reading. ?

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It is smarter to get the BSN then go for the commission. The enlisted route is very difficult to obtain. Everything you mention in the first paragraph will not get her a spot if there is no active recruitment for that MOS at the time she attempts to enter. Every time I tried to reenlist for that MOS, I was told that it was closed. It made no difference whatsoever that my background had me weeks away from a BSN. They were not going to open up the field just for me, no matter my qualifications. She needs to speak to the recruiter and go with what is put in writing. Even so, getting a BSN is the better route to approach a military nursing career and talking to a healthcare recruiter will get her questions answered. Healthcare recruiters are more in tune with the needs of the medical branches and current accession programs.

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2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

68C doesn't have a lot of openings and that the Army wants a 6 year commitment.

This is a highly sought out MOS, and the 6 year contract is correct since it is such a long training.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Does anyone have any information about when the 52 week session starts?

AIT is approximately 52 weeks in length, and it starts after Basic Combat Training. Phase 1 is at Fort Sam Houston (about 3 months), and Phase 2 can be at different sites.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

What are her chances of getting it?

Hard to say, but this is a highly sought out MOS. The recruiter can tell you if there are 68C slots available in both reserve and active component even before swearing in. She can tell the recruiter that she wants to wait for the MOS to open up.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Is it smarter for Ashley to join as a reserve, in something that takes significantly less education and then get her BSN from a CSU?

I did the reserve route as a 68C. I only applied to my first choice CSU, and I got in. Honestly, the MOS doesn't matter if her goal is to get in to a CSU BSN program. I believe that military service did help with my admission, but prerequisite GPA, interview, and healthcare experience is key for admission. A medical MOS slightly matters. Any of the 68 series is fine as far as CSU admissions is concerned. My LVN (68c) experience only helped in the first semester of my BSN program - everyone is at the same level in second semester and after.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Once one is in the reserves and using the money that is available for college, does one have to commit to Active Duty for once the BSN is earned?

No, if you are in the reserves and draw educational benefits, you stay with the reserves even if you complete your BSN program until you complete the contract. You do not have to commission into Active Duty although you can. I completed my BSN, and I am still in the reserves.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Ashely has stated that she doesn't want to be a reserve though as it's not the same as active duty.

She is correct. She will not receive the same benefits or experience. I don't think I would've completed my BSN as quickly as I did if I went active duty. The benefit of the Reserves is that she has time to finish her BSN while using Tuition Assistance at CSU. TA covered my tuition at the CSU.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Is it smarter for Ashley to finish her BSN and go into the military as an RN verses going in as MOS?

Commissioning as a RN is definitely the smarter route. Have her take a look at Army ROTC with a nursing scholarship. An alternative route - she finishes her BSN then does a direct commission. Talk to an Nursing program that has a ROTC detachment before she enlists. Another option is to do AECP while on active duty, but that is extremely competitive.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Will the Army repay a certain amount of her debt she accrues while earning her BSN? When and if the Army repays loans, what's the time commitment the Army will want?

If she does Active Duty, she will get the Post 9-11 GI Bill - Tuition + Housing allowance. Reserves only offers TA and Montgomery GI Bill. She probably won't have to pull out any loans with either GI Bills, but there is a loan repayment program available.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

This week we have appointments with a local recruiter and one from out of town.

Locate and talk to an AMEDD recruiter (they are different from the high school recruiters) to see what future options she can look forward to. Also, talk to a ROTC unit at one of the universities and ask about the nursing scholarship. I believe the Air Force and Navy have a similar Nursing ROTC program.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

What should we be asking?

Enlistment bonus, I guess. BCT and AIT will be fun especially since she wants to be there. Can she get promoted based on any of her education?

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Will the MOS 68C make this take a lot longer instead of helping?

Yes, I believe it will just prolong her overall goal. It will help, but a 68W MOS will probably help just as much.

2 hours ago, MariFrench said:

Any advise here on the best path Ashley should take

If I could do it over again with becoming an RN as my primary goal, I would try these options in this order: Army ROTC, reserves+direct commission, and AECP+active duty.

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Hi,

I’m an active duty 68C currently. My goal is also to finish my BSN. I will answer your questions about her finishing her BSN if she enlists first.

There are a few different programs for us to apply for while we are active duty in order to obtain our Bachelor’s degree: AECP (strictly for nursing), Green to Gold (There is a lot that goes with that option but she would have to do ROTC)

The 52 week time starts after basic training. Basic training is 10 weeks. There are two phases. Everybody goes to phase I at Fort Sam Houston and then Phase 2 is held at 5 different locations and the placement depends on which class number she is in.

Going reserve would be the better option if she wants to finish school, however there really is no point in sitting through a year of school if she already knows she wants to be an RN. Being an officer and being enlisted are like night and day.

Army ROTC sounds like the better option. There are scholarships for that which will pay for school if she can get them. Even if she doesn’t get the scholarship she can still do ROTC.

I am a young mom so if she is dead set on having kids early she’ll want to get that degree first instead of the other way around.

I did not get a bonus and I did wait for spot to open for the job because it was the only one I was interested in. Everybody in my class who was reserves had gotten a bonus.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Leadership.

I came on here to give my two cents as a prior 68WM6 (title before 68c) but honestly the information given by the previous responses is spot on. You are both awesome for taking the time to provide all of that info.

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Specializes in Trauma/Burn ICU.

The Army Reserve holds about two-thirds of the Army’s medical personnel. She would have a better chance of getting 68C as a reservist. Then she can concurrently serve and pursue her BSN. That’s what I did. I would also recommend considering ROTC.

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