Just received assignment....

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Just received word from Maj. Hairston via e-mail that I will be going to the July OBLC-B class and will be stationed at Fort Bragg. I am nervous, but extremely excited. Has anyone else heard where they will be going? Just curious.

Your credit has to be decent, and your debt to income has to be realistic (this is why I personally didn't qualify - my d-to-i is pretty high because the mortgage to our home in NC is in my name). But you're right - you will definitely need a car. It's not the sticks (it will be as far as you're concerned) but for the most part in the South, unless you're in Atlanta, public transport is quite crappy. Call USAA and they'll run the app - it takes about ten minutes for them to tell you yes or no. If you qualify, it's a great, cheap way to get a car loan, but look around, because a lot of places are running almost a zero percent interest rate if you use the finance company attached to the car brand (my car is financed through Honda, I beat the bank's rate by two percentage points when I bought it, and they're actually very easy to deal with).

You can get a Reserve ID card now and it'll be updated to an Active one at Fort Sam. If you live quite a ways from Forts Drum or Dix or West Point (and since you live in NYC I'm guessing those are your closest ones), I wouldn't worry too much about buying uniforms. Since you don't have a car, I wouldn't worry too much about any of it up front. There will be plenty of folks in your position when you get down here (I'm stationed at Lackland AFB just down the road from Ft Sam!).

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Specializes in ICU.

Raki- I'm going to the July OBLC and am stationed at Ft Bragg too :) I"m pretty excited about it b/c my brother's stationed there and i'm pretty familiar with the area since i've been to visit him a gazillion times! Bragg was my 2nd choice- i chose BAMC first but Maj Hairston told me the same thing as you for Walter Reed- no openings.

You were right about getting the acu's ahead of time but waiting for our dress blues at Fort Sam unless you can get them super cheap. We don't get our ID's til we get there. I'm not sure about the loan, but Fayetteville isn't the 'country' lol (well maybe to you since you're an NYC-er:) ). Downtown is pretty ghetto and closer to post is just realtively commericialized with a TON of apartments, restaurants, pawnshops, and the mall on Skibo Rd. Having a car there is pretty necessary- I don't really remember ever seeing a bus. I'm from PA and am driving my car down to NC but not taking it to Texas, obviously.

If you have any questions about the area, i'm pretty familiar with it, so feel free to ask! I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other lol :)

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Specializes in Primary Care, FNP, AGACNP, Palliative Care.
your credit has to be decent, and your debt to income has to be realistic (this is why i personally didn't qualify - my d-to-i is pretty high because the mortgage to our home in nc is in my name). but you're right - you will definitely need a car. it's not the sticks (it will be as far as you're concerned) but for the most part in the south, unless you're in atlanta, public transport is quite crappy. call usaa and they'll run the app - it takes about ten minutes for them to tell you yes or no. if you qualify, it's a great, cheap way to get a car loan, but look around, because a lot of places are running almost a zero percent interest rate if you use the finance company attached to the car brand (my car is financed through honda, i beat the bank's rate by two percentage points when i bought it, and they're actually very easy to deal with).

you can get a reserve id card now and it'll be updated to an active one at fort sam. if you live quite a ways from forts drum or dix or west point (and since you live in nyc i'm guessing those are your closest ones), i wouldn't worry too much about buying uniforms. since you don't have a car, i wouldn't worry too much about any of it up front. there will be plenty of folks in your position when you get down here (i'm stationed at lackland afb just down the road from ft sam!).

awesome thanks for the heads up about the debt to income ratio. i don't have any financial obligations except student loans which are deferred and will be deferred during active duty. i am only 24 with no mortgages or anything else of that caliber. only financial obligation is cellphone and one credit card, but my credit is not something to write home about as i didn't really understand the importance of credit during the college years. i get it now and have payed all of my debts, but it's slowly rebuilding itself. thanks for the other alternatives. i am definitely going to check them out.

raki- i'm going to the july oblc and am stationed at ft bragg too :) i"m pretty excited about it b/c my brother's stationed there and i'm pretty familiar with the area since i've been to visit him a gazillion times! bragg was my 2nd choice- i chose bamc first but maj hairston told me the same thing as you for walter reed- no openings.

you were right about getting the acu's ahead of time but waiting for our dress blues at fort sam unless you can get them super cheap. we don't get our id's til we get there. i'm not sure about the loan, but fayetteville isn't the 'country' lol (well maybe to you since you're an nyc-er:) ). downtown is pretty ghetto and closer to post is just realtively commericialized with a ton of apartments, restaurants, pawnshops, and the mall on skibo rd. having a car there is pretty necessary- i don't really remember ever seeing a bus. i'm from pa and am driving my car down to nc but not taking it to texas, obviously.

if you have any questions about the area, i'm pretty familiar with it, so feel free to ask! i have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other lol :)

i am so excited to hear from another person who will be going to oblc in july and stationed at ft. bragg!!! :yeah: yeah!!! i think we will definitely be seeing a lot of each other. as far as the area is concerned i have no idea about fayetteville. i have family in raleigh and rocky mount, but not familiar with north carolina at all. i am looking at the apartments on base at randolphe pointe up until i become more familiar with the area. i am trying to find areas that are not as dangerous, and i hear that parts of fayetteville is shaky. i think all of north carolina is country to me, because i am from nyc, lol. any suggestions on where to live? are you looking at areas already? i am a city girl and i am used to small studio sized apartments. the apartments i'm looking at in nc are so huge compared to the apartments here in the city. this is definitely going to be a big change for me, but i am totally excited!!!!

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Specializes in ICU.
i am so excited to hear from another person who will be going to oblc in july and stationed at ft. bragg!!! :yeah: yeah!!! i think we will definitely be seeing a lot of each other. as far as the area is concerned i have no idea about fayetteville. i have family in raleigh and rocky mount but not familiar with north carolina at all. i am looking at the apartments on base at randolphe pointe up until i become more familiar with the area. i am trying to find areas that are not as dangerous, and i hear that parts of fayetteville is shaky. i think all of north carolina is country to me, because i am from nyc, lol. any suggestions on where to live? are you looking at areas already? i am a city girl and i am used to small studio sized apartments. the apartments i'm looking at in nc are so huge compared to the apartments here in the city. this is definitely going to be a big change for me, but i am totally excited!!!![/quote']

fayetteville is flat and pretty spread out. i would def look either on base for you or on cliffdale, road, reilly road, yadkin rd, all american road, or morganton road.. those areas are all near base but have a ton of apartments. i would stay away from anything out of that area, just my preference. you're right about the size of the apartments- they're much bigger there! i'm sorta looking at areas but not hardcore right now. my brother is deployed to afghanistan right now and we're talking about getting a place together when he's back so that's kinda up in the air... we have a lot of time to figure it out! i'm excited that you'll be going at the same time as me! we def need to stay in touch beofre then :)

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Hi,

My wife is coming up to this process soon... You say you got the "first pick or second pick". How many picks do you make and is there a list of the places you are allowed to pick from?

Thanks,

Husband

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Specializes in ICU.

yup they ask you for your "top 3 choices". The options are as follows, and are obviously subject to the needs of the army and your wife's experience. All novice nurses (Less than 6 months experience) will have the opportunity to be enrolled in Medical Surgical Nursing Program. This program is offered at the following locations:

1. Fort Hood, TX (DAMC)

2. Fort Sam Houston, TX (BAMC)

3. Fort Bliss, TX (WBAMC)

4. Fort Gordon, GA (DDEAMC)

5. Fort Bragg, NC (WAMC)

6. Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC)

7. Fort Lewis, WA (MAMC)

8. Hawaii (TAMC)

9. Germany (LRMC)

10. Fort Benning, GA

If she is a nurse with over 6 months of experience, she may be needed at one of the smaller MEDDACS. Nurses with over six months of nursing experience should look at assignments at the following locations:

1. Fort Sill, Oklahoma

2. Fort Polk, LA

3. Fort Irwin, CA

4. Fort Leonardwood, MO

5. Fort Riley, Kansas

7. Fort Campbell, Kentucky

8. Korea

9. Germany

10. Fort Knox, Kentucky

11. Fort Wainwright, Alaska

12. Fort Carson, CO

13. Fort Benning, GA

14. Fort Belvoir, VA

15. Fort Stewart, GA

16. Fort Jackson, SC

Hope that helps! That's directly from the email that I received a few weeks ago, so it should be pretty reliable! :)

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Thanks Iron...

The school my wife attends has never graduated a ROTC nurse before and the cadre is a bit clueless.

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I haven't received orders yet, but Maj Hairston emailed me stating I am definitely in the March BOLC and will be assigned to Fort Bragg.. just waiting on offical orders! anyone know much about Fort Bragg?

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Specializes in Primary Care, FNP, AGACNP, Palliative Care.
I haven't received orders yet, but Maj Hairston emailed me stating I am definitely in the March BOLC and will be assigned to Fort Bragg.. just waiting on offical orders! anyone know much about Fort Bragg?

I don't know anything about the area, but I will also be stationed at Fort Bragg attending OBLC in July. There are others here that will be stationed at Fort Bragg in the September/October time frame after July OBLC. There is a person on this thread who is more familiar with Bragg than me and that is ironink71. Post specific questions and we will all try to answer according to our knowledge.

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Specializes in ICU.
I haven't received orders yet, but Maj Hairston emailed me stating I am definitely in the March BOLC and will be assigned to Fort Bragg.. just waiting on offical orders! anyone know much about Fort Bragg?

Hey! Like Raki'1985 said, I do know the area relatively well.. my brother & my ex-bf are stationed there now and i've been there a bunch of times. Do you have any specific questions? I answered some for her earlier in this post if you wanna look back over it but if there's anything you're wondering, i'm def willing to offer any knowledge that i do have! :):)

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Hi everyone...are you entering the ANC? I am currently in the AECP (a program where uncle sam pays enlisted people to go to nursing school) and will graduate with a BSN in May. When asked about assignment orders, my program director said we wouldn't hear anything until we passed the NCLEX (which seemd odd to me). Also, my heart is sinking reading about spots being full at Walter Reed. My wife works fo the FBI in VA and we were really counting on me being stationed there. thanks

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