How long will I have to commit?

Corvette Guy · May 25, 2006

I've read so many websites and talked to so many people my head hurts! I asked the healthcare recruiter so many questions I've forgotten some of the info
1. So, if I join the Army or Navy on active duty and have NO prior military service it's a THREE YEAR commitment, right? How long is Navy/ Army reserve commitment for folks with no prior military service?
Say I graduate with an ADN, join the reserves and immediately upon graduation enroll in a BSN program. If it takes me 6-9 months to get my BSN then I "move" into active duty, will they subtract my reserve time from my active duty commitment?
2. I'm 30ish and don't wanna be the oldest ensign or 1LT in the ARMY/ NAVY! Can I use my prior degrees, age and 'experience' to negotiate a rank similar to other officers in the service my age?

Army Nurse Corps committment w/o prior military service... Eight years!

All military service obligations are now eight years. The eight years can be divided up in several ways depending upon specific contracts/committments. *[Army Nurse Corps] You cannot resign commission until eight full years served. Therefore, even though you might have a 4 yr active duty & 4 yr inactive committment you can be called back to active duty anytime. If you want to sign a committment for 3 yrs active duty [active reserves] with 5 yrs inactive service you will NOT be eligible for sign on bonuses, etc.

If you like, PM me specific questions.

sunnyjohn · May 25, 2006

Army Nurse Corps committment w/o prior military service... Eight years!
All military service obligations are now eight years. The eight years can be divided up in several ways depending upon specific contracts/committments. *[Army Nurse Corps] You cannot resign commission until eight full years served. Therefore, even though you might have a 4 yr active duty & 4 yr inactive committment you can be called back to active duty anytime. If you want to sign a committment for 3 yrs active duty [active reserves] with 5 yrs inactive service you will NOT be eligible for sign on bonuses, etc.
If you like, PM me specific questions.

You lost me at the bold part, specifically at the "3yrs active duty [active reserves]" part. Are you saying I can do 3 years as an active reservist and 5 years in inactive service?

Is it still one weekend a month, two weeks a year for folks not deployed and in the Reserves? I remember those commercials when I was a kid! :lol:

Can I do 38-50 days at a time instead?

I'm not looking for short cuts, just weighing all my options..hehehe

Corvette Guy · May 26, 2006

You lost me at the bold part, specifically at the "3yrs active duty [active reserves]" part. Are you saying I can do 3 years as an active reservist and 5 years in inactive service?
Is it still one weekend a month, two weeks a year for folks not deployed and in the Reserves? I remember those commercials when I was a kid! :lol:
Can I do 38-50 days at a time instead?
I'm not looking for short cuts, just weighing all my options..hehehe

No such schedule [that I know] of regards to 38-50 days.

Yes, to the best of my knowledge, you can do 3 years as a TPU Reserve Army Nurse Soldier, which includes one weekend per month, and 2 weeks [at least 14 consecutive days] per year. Then, you can do 5 years on inactive reserve status, which does not involve any attendance... unless called back to active TPU Reserves.

Have you visited the website, or spoke to an Army HealthCare Recruiter?

Army Nurse Corps Overview

sunnyjohn · May 26, 2006

....Have you visited the website, or spoke to an Army HealthCare Recruiter?
Army Nurse Corps Overview

Yeah I have.

I had a 4 page list of questions I asked him, but I lost the first page with some of my answers. I thought I'd ask you since you know your stuff.

Hey, why aren't you a healthcare recruiter? I'm sure you've convinced a whole lot of folks on this board...

West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN · May 26, 2006

Then, you can do 5 years on inactive reserve status, which does not involve any attendance... unless called back to active TPU Reserves.

There you go... U-N-L-E-S-S you get called back into active duty. That is the key part.

Right now I wouldn't have anything to do with the military unless I wanted to sign on for 8 years. Why?, because there are troops in Iraq right now who are supposed to be on "inactive" reserve. And don't believe anything a recruiter tells you. That's rule #1. Rule #2 is they OWN you and can (and will) do with you whatever they want.

My 2¢

Regards,

Ken (proud USAF veteran)

Corvette Guy · May 26, 2006

Yeah I have.
I had a 4 page list of questions I asked him, but I lost the first page with some of my answers. I thought I'd ask you since you know your stuff.
Hey, why aren't you a healthcare recruiter? I'm sure you've convinced a whole lot of folks on this board...

As an officer I'd need to be a Captain, which will be my next promotion. However, I have talked to the right folks about such extra duty and may do such some time in my career.

Corvette Guy · May 26, 2006

There you go... U-N-L-E-S-S you get called back into active duty. That is the key part.
Right now I wouldn't have anything to do with the military unless I wanted to sign on for 8 years. Why?, because there are troops in Iraq right now who are supposed to be on "inactive" reserve. And don't believe anything a recruiter tells you. That's rule #1. Rule #2 is they OWN you and can (and will) do with you whatever they want.
My 2¢
Regards,
Ken (proud USAF veteran)

Ken, first of all thank you for your military service in the USAF.

I'm not clear what you mean by "suppose to be on inactive reserve". You know we are officially at war. The number of service members is not meeting the demand. Therefore, an individual on inactive status is still on status and knows full well until the entire service obligation is met they could be called back on active status.

I will agree some recruiters will only speak of what their listener wants to hear and leave out important details. Yet, I'd honestly say the majority of military healthcare recruiters are of the highest integrity D/T the type of individuals they recruit... nurses, physicians, physician assistants, etc. It is each individuals responsibility to make informed decisions regards to entrance into military service.

I'm not even going to discuss your sentiment towards being owned since you seem a little disgruntled towards the military. I will mention the military way of life has its pros & cons, and certainly not for everybody. For me, with over 11 years of service I find the Army Nurse Corps a good place for me to be.

West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN · May 26, 2006

ken, first of all thank you for your military service in the usaf.

you are quite welcome and thank you for your service, too!

i'm not clear what you mean by "suppose to be on inactive reserve".

i mean just that. people are told all the time by recruiters “you only have to serve x years then you are on inactive status and don’t even have to attend any monthly meetings!!” not only are inactive reserves being called up but even troops who are eligible to retire, and want, to are being told no you can’t retire yet. sounds like someone who is owned to me. and with 11 years of service i’m sure you know what the term gi means referring to an enlisted person in the military: government issued.

you know we are officially at war.

that is incorrect. only congress can officially declare war and they have not done so since 1941 against japan. our country is not at war, president bush is at war.

therefore, an individual on inactive status is still on status and knows full well until the entire service obligation is met they could be called back on active status.

that is exactly my point. a person already in the military knows this but few being recruited do not understand the difference between “active duty”, “active reserves”, or “inactive reserves.”

i will agree some recruiters will only speak of what their listener wants to hear and leave out important details. yet, i'd honestly say the majority of military healthcare recruiters are of the highest integrity d/t the type of individuals they recruit... nurses, physicians, physician assistants, etc.

i hope that is the case regarding healthcare recruiters and i’ll take your word that it is true. my point is when someone’s life, and up to 8 years of their time is at stake, all recruiters should tell the entire truth--period.

it is each individuals responsibility to make informed decisions regards to entrance into military service.

amen! talk to recruiters. talk to active duty personnel. talk to veterans. talk to family members of these people, too. do lots of talking and listening. your life is on the line. make sure you don’t rely on just one source.

i'm not even going to discuss your sentiment towards being owned since you seem a little disgruntled towards the military. i will mention the military way of life has its pros & cons, and certainly not for everybody. for me, with over 11 years of service i find the army nurse corps a good place for me to be.

i am not disgruntled in the least. the military was okay for me but not what i wanted to for my career so i finished my service and was honorably discharged. my son currently is in the army in iraq and the military has been a very good place for him. my ex-wife is now a full colonel in the army reserves and the military has been good for her, too. my son-in-law served in kosovo and his military background has been very helpful to him.

what is a shock for many to learn once they are in the military (and i am speaking of the enlisted ranks mainly)… is it is very different in the military than civilian life. the best way i can describe it is they do own you. you may take issue with that but there’s even a different set of laws for persons in the military. it’s called the ucmj (uniform code of military justice) and that is something i’m sure few, if any, recruiters tell people. i can still remember my ucmj briefing as a new enlisted person. the jag representative told us “the supreme court has held your rights as a citizen are not violated by the ucmj—they are just ‘suspended’ while you are in the military.” it came as a shock to me the rights i was standing up for as a member of the military did not apply to me while i was in the service.

regards,

ken

sunnyjohn · May 26, 2006

Outside of deployment, who moves more, Army or Navy nurses?

How long do you usually stay in one place?

navygirl · May 26, 2006

Hi there,

I'm a Navy nurse. My committment is 5 years active duty service, with 3 years Inactive Ready Reserve. So they can still call me after my five years are up if they need me.

In the Navy we move every 2-3 years. My orders to my current duty station are 3 years (I have dependants). If you go overseas with dependants, your orders will be 3 years.

Let me know if you have any more Navy questions!

navygirl · May 26, 2006

I forgot to add that you will, in no case, be the "oldest" ensign if you are in your 30s. There are many prior service nurses who are ensigns because they were enlisted for many years before becoming nurses. I am new to the Navy, but I am in my early 30s and an ensign. You will still be a nurse and making great pay and benefits.