I can only speak for the Army, but yes, they will move your stuff for you, even for your first duty station -- they send movers, they pack it for you, load, deliver, unload, and will even unpack ... the whole nine yards. With that being said, my driver quit mid-transit and the moving company couldn't tell me where our household goods were ... it was a little ridiculous!! Considering moving ourselves next time.
As for the rest of it ... timing is everything. It took me 17-ish months from speaking to my recruiter for the first time to reporting to officer basic. Took a lot of patience...
Thank you! your blog has been a great read! How are things going for you now?
As the title states, I've got 5 years ICU experience in major hospitals (all certs). I've decided to apply for a commission in either Army or Navy (AF is full for next FY as I have heard) as I would like to be inside the military in the next 9 months. I've done my forum searching and talked with recruiters already.
My personal goals include a masters in the military (maybe CRNA) and travel. Deployment is okay as I have no kids, no spouse, no house, etc.
Questions:
1a: Which branch is the faster to process through right now, Army or Navy? I've heard AF is a traffic jam with good prior service applicants.
1. When you are stationed at a base, you can either live on base or receive BAH subsidy for housing off base. When you get deployed, do you lose BAH? If so, it seems like a drop in pay to get deployed, especially with BAH being nontaxed. anything I am missing here?
2. Any insight to going Army vs Navy? any active duty RN's offer any insight here? Would this differ if I wanted to do career track?
3. When you report to your first duty station, does the military help you move any of your things (ie, moving truck?)
Thanks in advance, Allnurses has been invaluable to me!
I've been reading your allnurses posts and you seem like a wealth of excellent traveling knowledge with all of your experience! I was wondering if I could pick you brain on a couple traveling/staff gigs, ask a couple of questions.
I am an ICU nurse (4 years exp) that has been traveling the last 1.5 years.
1. Can you recommend some good agencies with good pay/assignments or agencies you have used?? I currently travel with cross country since the start.
2. Recommendations on how to negotiate higher stipends or wage?
3. Do you take the high wage/high stipend contracts? Any advice on where to go or how you did it?
4. Recommendations for areas to go to earn high wages, work lots of overtime?. Looks like experience ICU staff nurses in the bay area make well above $50 an hour but I've heard its crazy impossible to get a job there now.
I know that stanford pay possibly strike in the near future, I would like to take a travel contract sometime there in the future. Who staffs stanford for normal travel contracts
(not the pending strike)?
Try Halliburton first, then Blackwater. If you are BSN, you should try the Department of State for an embassy assignment. DOD has occasional contracts in some VERY remote places as well as some civilian contracts for bases in the ME. They don't pay like they used to but it's still good money when you consider the tax advantages. I'm actually considering an offered contract right now thru DOD for the Pacific islands (Marianas). It will only pay about 85K a year but travel, food and housing are taken care of in the contract. Might be good to lay on a beach for awhile. Being ex-military, you might try joining the VFW post in Washington called 'China in exile". It's used as kind of a clearing house for military type positions (NOT as a mercenary hiring joint) such as bodyguards and medical personnel.
Good luck. Look at every opportunity (and behind every door)
You also can try civiliancontractorjobs.com
The Wolf
I worked Per Diem in the L.A area before moving to Chicago. Initially I made $35/hr for the first 8 hours and time and a half for the last 4 which came out to about $41/hr. I then worked for another agency that paid $43/hr and a year later, I made $45/hr. I realized the differences with agencies when I moved to Chicago because my current company pays $42-44 for M/S and $48-52 for Tele. I called and signed on with Maxim only to find that they were paying $35-38 PERIOD. I chose not to work for them. You definitely need to shop around when it comes to finding a good Per Diem agency. It seems like L.A. agencies typically pay $500-$600 per shift.
What agencies did you work with in LA? I'm thinking about first class or 24/7. Any info on those?
hey there-taking my first assignment in a few weeks-have lots of info if you're serious about taking a job to the USVI. I'll be in St Thomas for 13 weeks I'll keep you posted. Keri
Panhandle wages are really low, about 18 for new grads without diffs, orlando area pays about 28 an hour for new grads, but way more expensive. If you can, try to contract with civil service for the military hospitals, better pay, and great job security
Can you tell us more about contracting with the military hospitals, etc? Any names of companies, locations or hospitals would be helpful!
I am working with Medical Express(a branch of AMN), although I am also signed up with Access, AMN, Novapro, Cross Country, Sunbelt Staffing, Medstaf, and RN Network. Pretty much every company has all the same listings and 9 times out of 10, even if they do have listing it has already been filled. Almost every job is getting at least 10-20 applicants. Well I was gonna work at Kaiser South San Francisco...against my better judgement. So I would caution anyone who is thinking of working for them...DON'T DO IT!!! At least not right now!! So I ended up taking the first assignment that was offered to me which was Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, CA. Although my backgraound is in surgical/trauma ICU, I will be working in Neuro ICU which is fine because I have had lot of experience with neuro. Although Im not thrilled with the location, pay is pretty good so for my first assignemnt I am just gonna suck it up and deal with it. Who knows, maybe ill love it!!
Let me know how your first assignment goes! Good luck and safe travels!
I'm currently on assignment out west (3-4 weeks left to go) and struggling with whether to resign with my current contract (low pay) or wait for something to open up mid-febuary when I am done. If I wait, I risk not having a contract or a potential worse one! However, my current one isn't the best either....ARGH! Hopefully it opens up soon. If anyone knows of any good day ICU positions out west (CA, AZ, NM) that would be wonderful!
1. Bay Area, CA
2. 5 years exp
3. Large Hospital ICU
4. 63$/hour days
5. Non union.
Cost of living is crazy here.
Thank you! your blog has been a great read! How are things going for you now?
Hello,
As the title states, I've got 5 years ICU experience in major hospitals (all certs). I've decided to apply for a commission in either Army or Navy (AF is full for next FY as I have heard) as I would like to be inside the military in the next 9 months. I've done my forum searching and talked with recruiters already.
My personal goals include a masters in the military (maybe CRNA) and travel. Deployment is okay as I have no kids, no spouse, no house, etc.
Questions:
1a: Which branch is the faster to process through right now, Army or Navy? I've heard AF is a traffic jam with good prior service applicants.
1. When you are stationed at a base, you can either live on base or receive BAH subsidy for housing off base. When you get deployed, do you lose BAH? If so, it seems like a drop in pay to get deployed, especially with BAH being nontaxed. anything I am missing here?
2. Any insight to going Army vs Navy? any active duty RN's offer any insight here? Would this differ if I wanted to do career track?
3. When you report to your first duty station, does the military help you move any of your things (ie, moving truck?)
Thanks in advance, Allnurses has been invaluable to me!
Greywolf (and others),
I've been reading your allnurses posts and you seem like a wealth of excellent traveling knowledge with all of your experience! I was wondering if I could pick you brain on a couple traveling/staff gigs, ask a couple of questions.
I am an ICU nurse (4 years exp) that has been traveling the last 1.5 years.
1. Can you recommend some good agencies with good pay/assignments or agencies you have used?? I currently travel with cross country since the start.
2. Recommendations on how to negotiate higher stipends or wage?
3. Do you take the high wage/high stipend contracts? Any advice on where to go or how you did it?
4. Recommendations for areas to go to earn high wages, work lots of overtime?. Looks like experience ICU staff nurses in the bay area make well above $50 an hour but I've heard its crazy impossible to get a job there now.
Thanks a million for any response and your time!
I know that stanford pay possibly strike in the near future, I would like to take a travel contract sometime there in the future. Who staffs stanford for normal travel contracts
(not the pending strike)?
thanks!
What company are you with for the stanford contract? PM me with details, thats exactly the start date, etc Im looking for.
Suzanne or others,
Can you name some good Agencies for the bay area for picking up shifts? ICU particularily?
Can you name some good agencies for RN ICU contract work?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I'm currently on assignment out west (3-4 weeks left to go) and struggling with whether to resign with my current contract (low pay) or wait for something to open up mid-febuary when I am done. If I wait, I risk not having a contract or a potential worse one! However, my current one isn't the best either....ARGH! Hopefully it opens up soon. If anyone knows of any good day ICU positions out west (CA, AZ, NM) that would be wonderful!
Kate,
Which hospital did you sign with? What company are you working through? I'm looking into northern california for ICU...what ICU are you in?
Thanks!