LVN/LPN joining the US Army...

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2009

Hey everybody,
I'm an LVN/LPN joining the US Army Reserves as a health care specialist (68w). Right after high school I went into the LVN/LPN program and now I'm joining the military. They started up my rank as E-1 and I was wondering if any of you guys who were in the same situation got a higher rank when you enlisted...
I successfuly finished the future soldier training online and I was told I could get a promotion from that and I also referred someone in the Army and was told I could get a promotion for that also... However my rank is still E-1 and the person I referred got promoted to E-3 already and I find it a bit unfair that that happened because they really looked into her transcripts when she went to MEPS even though she didn't even finish school here, she was going to school in the philippines for less than 2 years for nursing but she wasn't able to finish. They didn't look much into my stuff like they did for her and I think that the LVN/LPN program was not a walk on the beach nor was the month that I studied my ass off for the NCLEX-PN. I think LVNs/LPNs deserve some credit for their school time but I was told otherwise that I can only start off as E-1. I am a little irritated at my situation because I think my recruiter didn't help me very much... He was almost done with the army when I was enlisting... I don't even have the M6 in my contract because they could not get it for me. They said that I can just get it during AIT but I'm beginning to think that I'm just gonna get ****** over this because they never guarantee anything. So please, PLEASE, if you know something different, feel free to tell me.
If you know anything about the ways of promotion I was talking about, please tell me your experience.

When I was in the AF as an enlisted, an associates got you at least an E2; I went in as an E3 b/c I had 3.5 years of a BS at the time. I don't know if one year of college got you any credit for rank or not; they could be counting your LPN training as one year and that may be why it's not advancing your rank. They may be counting the Filipino training as more years in college.

Do check - surely there's a DA instruction for converting education time into rank. At worst, find another recruiter and ask him/her to help you out.

Cursed Irishman · Aug 5, 2009

As long as you haven't left for basic yet, you can still alter your contract. You're situation sounds very....peculiar. My advice: find another recruiter, start over, and be explicit with what you want at MEPS . If you're already an LPN, look into the civilian acquired skills program and don't sign anything again until you have the M6 ASI listed in your contract.

navdoc1 · Aug 8, 2009

Be very careful. You better read your contract very closely before signing it. Once signed you have agreed to everything specified in it. If the LPN identifer is not mentioned in it, don't count on being guaranteed that job. You should contact the staff at MEDCEL US Army. I think they can help you with this. I was a medic for several years in the Army and contracts are very specific as to job classification. Don't wait until after boot camp to resolve this. I do know that the Army does make you obtain your EMT in addition to your LPN license after boot camp, but to ensure that you are assigned as an LPN you need to make sure that you end up with the WM6 designator which is LPN. Good Luck!!

caliotter3 · Aug 9, 2009

When I was in the military, LPN/LVNs enlisted as E-5s, (E-3s through training, then promoted). However, that was a different era. Perhaps the military has more recruits in today's economy, so enlistment incentives are not seen as justified.

Goldenserenity · Apr 26, 2010

When I joined the ARMY as an LPN, I went through basic training as an E4. Once to my permanent duty station, I did a hospital rotation to prove my skills and was then promoted to an E5. It only took about a month after basic training to get the SGT E5. They termed it the skills for stripes program.

Down part of it all is that many disliked that I came in as a SGT pretty much and they had to work for 10 years of more to get theirs. Not my fault I did it the smart way! There was harassment big time and they made my life miserable!

AIT? Why are you having to go to AIT? AIT is Advanced Individual Training and if you have an LPN License, then there is no reason for AIT!

I saw mention that an LPN has to get their EMT? When did that come to be? I never had to do that nor attend AIT.

I was a 91C-20 when I was enlisted

Cursed Irishman · Apr 27, 2010

Alots changed in the last seven years: not only are medics required to be emt's, but they're have 68W as an MOS.

dreanne17 · Oct 16, 2010

How did you get E4 rank? I'm joining the Army as an LVN too, but I was told by my recruiter I will have the rank of E3. I have about 63 college credits, not including the credits for vocational/practical nursing. Is that true that AIT is not required if you were an LVN already? I wonder if there are others like you that never have to attend AIT. Please if you have the same situation, please share your experience. thanks.

caliotter3 · Oct 16, 2010

Check with a healthcare recruiter to find out what the current policies are. Situations change from year to year, so requiremnts are subject to change. The only way to get an accurate picture is to speak to a recruiter.

king_of_the_hill_fan · Nov 5, 2010

I'm thinking of going the army route. I just graduated from an LVN program and just got my license. I have a number of college credits, too. I'm looking into healthcare specialist - it looks like that's what I'm qualified for as far as army requirements go. Does this mean I will be enlisted? I don't know how it all works - if someone could give me a breakdown and/or info, I would be greatly appreciative.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2010

I'm thinking of going the army route. I just graduated from an LVN program and just got my license. I have a number of college credits, too. I'm looking into healthcare specialist - it looks like that's what I'm qualified for as far as army requirements go. Does this mean I will be enlisted? I don't know how it all works - if someone could give me a breakdown and/or info, I would be greatly appreciative.

Yes you will go the enlisted route. You need to speak with a recruiter, take your ASVAB, MEPS physical, enlisted and go to bootcamp.