Joining the army to obtain my RN or BSN??

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Can you do this? Can you join the army and have them send you to school to get your rn or bsn? I can get into the nursing program here at my local college but wouldnt it benefit me to do it through the army?

Advice please. How does all this work. I want to end up being a CRNA down the road eventually.

Specializes in ICU,CCU, trauma, oc med.
Yup ADN would make you an O1 (2Lt) in reserves.

I would contact your local reserves, ask for health care recruiter w/ nurse focus. Talk to them about what local units are available and see if they have active duty reserve slots. If you were able to be an active duty ADN you could get the BAH, the pay, and work part time online or at school to get your BSN (w/o you can't progress past O3, CPT) and at that time you could switch to active duty if it works out for you.

v/r

You can not go active duty with an ADN, only in reseves and NG. You must have a BSN to go active. But you can be activated or go AGR in the reserves and NG with your commission and still get the same pay and benefits. There are also very few AGR slots for 66H (nurses) and most are probably for CPT and above (maybe 1LT). You can look on the AKO website to see what slots are open. They usually entail moving and at least a 3 or 4 year obligation, lots of military schooling and TDY are usually involved which may put a hamper on getting BSN even if online. There is no program for current ADN officers in reserves to get BSN other than STRAP which pays a stipend. You can not used TA with this program but can use GI Bill if you have and take out loans.

Your rank coming in as a nurse in NG or reserves will be determined by the number of creditable years of RN experience you have divided by 2. Thus you need around 6 yrs RN to be a 1LT and 10 yrs to be a CPT when accessed, although it only takes 2 yrs from 2LT to 1LT and another 4 yrs after that to make CPT in reserves when coming in as a new nurse. YOu will make CPT in about 3 to 4 yrs total coming in as a new nurse active duty.

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futurecrna,

We were referring to active duty 'reserves' with ADN, I might have just assumed it was possible given slot availability... do you know if that is the case?

v/r

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Specializes in ICU,CCU, trauma, oc med.
futurecrna,

We were referring to active duty 'reserves' with ADN, I might have just assumed it was possible given slot availability... do you know if that is the case?

v/r

I think this was referencing the fact someone wanted to go active reserves officer after ASN to make more money while getting BSN. Yes, that is what AGR is (active guard/reserves). You can go AGR but the number of people that are AOC 66H (nurses) that are active are very few. I only know of a few and they all work in St. Louis at HRC or with AMEDD for recruiting. Some very big units may use them as command, staff, DON or assistant DON but they are field grade. You more than likely have to be at least a 1LT if not a CPT. I do not think they would take an ASN officer for AMEDD recruiting, I don't know, as you would not have much time for school.

By the time someone makes that rank needed, they could have their BSN finished if they came in as an ASN as it would take 2 yrs to pin on 1LT and 4 more to pin on CPT (if you had no RN experience when commissioned). I just do not see this as happening as a way to get BSN after ASN if you are on a time table. You could actually finish your BSN long before your ever hear of a new opening or make the rank necessary to go AGR. YOu can always fill out an application for an AGR slot in AKO under tools and see what happens. When I was enlisted they wanted to pick me up STAT for recruiting. I had once planned on getting into AMEDD recruiting (as officer AGR) but abandoned that after getting accpeted for active duty CRNA school.

It takes 2 years to get ASN, another 1-2 years after to get BSN depending on what general education you had before that. I did an online program and it took me 2 years but I did not go full-time. It can be done quicker in some accelerated programs. Once you accept the commission as 66H with ASN, you actually lose some benefits compared to enlised when it comes to school (they get GI bill, ECP, TA). But you are aslo eligible for STRAP at $1600 (you can not use TA with STRAP) a month while enrolled in school at least half-time. You sign a contract to extend 2 yrs for every yr of STRAP you take.

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futurearmyCRNA,

good post - better news is that now officers are able to partake in the new GI BILL ie CHP33 GI BILL... you have to complete your initial obligation but the details are on VA's site... I have the bill and am happy ;)

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Specializes in ICU,CCU, trauma, oc med.
futurearmyCRNA,

good post - better news is that now officers are able to partake in the new GI BILL ie CHP33 GI BILL... you have to complete your initial obligation but the details are on VA's site... I have the bill and am happy ;)

Thats great. BTW there is a program for other active duty officers to get schooled to become an RN and switch over to the ANC. I just don't know why they don't have better program for reserved enlisted or civ's willing to serve after school like they do for MD's and this other program for non-medical to RN.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics.

Thank you all for your quick reply to my original post. I am going to continue with my original plans to finish my ASN at the community college that I am at. It is a lot cheaper for me at this point. I will then continue on to a four year program. I am still trying to work out how I am going to pay for it. I am compiling information as I go and comparing different branches of service. My ultimate goal still remains BSN. I know that I will recieve more pay and benefits once I am finished with that. Indiana State University offers distance education here for ASN to BSN. Just trying to weigh out all of my options. It is a bit confusing and over whealming at first but those are the hurdles you have to cross. Thank God I have this site to help me a long in my decision making. I have read many posts here dating back quite a few years so I want to thank all of you who try to help us noobs! Thanks again for your patients with my questions even though some of them may seem repetitive!

Dave

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Specializes in ICU,CCU, trauma, oc med.
Thank you all for your quick reply to my original post. I am going to continue with my original plans to finish my ASN at the community college that I am at. It is a lot cheaper for me at this point. I will then continue on to a four year program. I am still trying to work out how I am going to pay for it. I am compiling information as I go and comparing different branches of service. My ultimate goal still remains BSN. I know that I will recieve more pay and benefits once I am finished with that. Indiana State University offers distance education here for ASN to BSN. Just trying to weigh out all of my options. It is a bit confusing and over whealming at first but those are the hurdles you have to cross. Thank God I have this site to help me a long in my decision making. I have read many posts here dating back quite a few years so I want to thank all of you who try to help us noobs! Thanks again for your patients with my questions even though some of them may seem repetitive!

Dave

I did the same route due to having a family and the cost too. Once you get that license, many hospitals will also help pay for you to finish BSN as well as the military. The Army is the only service that allows ASN's to be nurses though.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics.

Thank you for your post! I just recieved an e-mail from the Army Medical Department Career Counselor. I am going to set up an appointment to talk with him about the Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program and Army Nurse Acession Bonus. It appears that if you choose the student loan repayment of up to $38K for 3 Years that you may also recieve a $10K acession bonus. With the tax on monies at 28% I think it sounds like the best option. I am not at all sure though. If anyone has any suggestions about speaking with a medical department career counselor, your advice would be welcomed! I am going to get my resume together along with my DD214, and college transcripts. I am also going to try to prepare some questions tonight although you all have been very helpful in that department already. I will keep you posted. Wish me luck!

David

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Cpt C,

Congrats,

Only note I would have is that the loan or the accession bonus is 3 year obligation. Taking both is 5 year obligation.

I am facing the same line up (except for active duty) and decided that for me the flexibility - even though I intend on staying around a while ;), of only 3 years is worth more then taking the 5 year commitment plus + 6,200 (after tax) bonus. I say this because there are future incentives that I would rather partake in which will build up my service obligation. ... for example.. long term education to get my masters will have an additional ADSO, hitting CCC will have an ADSO (those this can be served concurrently). For you I would question whether you will be doing the STRAP program and look at the ADSO of that - is it something you can serve concurrently with the other obligation? (I don't believe it is..but something you might look into)

v/r

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