military nurse

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I want to be a nurse so bad!!! But, a couple of days ago i went to lackland, air force base...and i loved seeing everyone in uniforms!!! so i have decided that i want to be an air force(or any other military) nurse. what are the steps in becoming a military nurse??? where do you start??? would i have to go through basic military training(boot camp)???

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

Are you an RN already? If so then all you do is talk to the recruiter! You would be an Officer going in with your RN (though i'm not sure if ASN is ok or if you need a BSN...hubby is enlisted and NOT in healthcare. LOL

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Well it all really depends on where you are starting from............

If you are just graduating high school, then you need to inquire about nursing programs LPN vs RN, Associates vs Bachelors (RN track only)... You have to start taking prerequisite classes and then get accepted into a program. If you decide on a University, then you can look into ROTC. They also have a lot of "student" tracks that help with tuition assistance, books and monthly stipends etc - and ROTC and "student tracks" may be one in the same, I'm no too sure.

If you are already in a nursing program, then you can start now by talking to a HEALTHCARE recruiter. Do not talk to an enlisted recruiter, totally different objective.

Then you need to decide if you want an active duty or reserve duty career.

So, it all really depends on where you are starting from. There is a TON of great info on here already. All you have to do is conduct a search and all of the threads will come up for you :)

Good luck :)

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well I haven't started anything yet...I start my LPN and CNA classes next year!!! very excited to start!!! could Talk to a recruiter after those classes or do I have to become a RN

I just didn't know if I had to go through Basic military training to be an air force(other military services) nurse because then I would have to start getting physically fit now!!!

thank you so much!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

You can talk to a recruiter at any time. I'm an RN with a BSN. I'm planning on starting my packet within the next 2 months, so I have not yet begun my military career. Most of what I am telling you is thru my own research, either on here, the internet or talking with a recruiter directly. I don't know anything about an LPN track or military career.

I do know that in order to be an officer in the Air Force or Navy you need your RN and BSN, active or reserve. The Army will take you with an Associates (aka ADN or ASN), active or reserve, but you will never promote past Captain. This also depends on supply and demand :)

Moral of the story - the more education you have the better off you will be.....

Now, officers do not go thru basic training like enlisted do. Officers go thru Officer training and in the Air Force it is referred to as COT, the Navy is ODS and the Army is OBLC. They range from 2-4 weeks, depending on the branch. Yes, physical fitness is a must and each branch has a minimum passing score and height/weight requirements. Hence me starting my packet in about 2 months - I'm about 15lbs over weight and need to lose it first.

So some google searches regarding ODS, COT and OBLC and the height/weight requirements....

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is it better to become an RN first....????

thank you everyone for your help!!!!!!:)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It seems to me that RNs have more opportunity for advancement. Again, I have never looked at the LPN route. I was advised many years ago to become an RN and the advice has served me well. That is not to say an LPN is any less. I do not want to start an LPN vs RN war on here - we all contribute within our scope of practice and we are all needed. It really depends on what YOU want to accomplish within your career. Since you seem to have access to the AF base, start asking around and do some more research before you make a decision.

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i only went to the air force base because my brother just graduated from basic military training..and i am so proud of him!!!

well i Googled around and it says that nurses have to go to Maxwell-Gunter air force base for 2-4weeks...so is that the only physical training nurses have to go through(for the most part)???would it be better if i became an lpn or and RN before i entered the air force nursing field???

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Specializes in Primary Care, FNP, AGACNP, Palliative Care.

In order to be a nurse on active duty for any of the branches you must have your BSN. The Army will only allow ADN's in the reserves, not for active duty. Active Duty requires a Bachelors in Nursing. If you want to become a LPN then you will need to enlist. LPN's are not offered a commission as an officer. In the Army an LPN is the combat medic or 68W with a M6 identifier which means you completed the LPN portion of the training. If you decide to become an LPN you can enlist now, attend basic training, and then continue to AIT for the combat medic course at Ft. Sam Houston. If you want to become an officer in the Army you need to attend a 4 year degree program to obtain your Bachelors in Nursing.

As for what you should decide to do.....

If are young and want to get your career started now then you should enlist in the National Guard or Reserves attend AIT and complete your initial contract as a combat medic. Use your tuition assistance and national guard education benefits to go to school and complete your BSN during this initial contract. At the end of your initial contract most likely you will either be finished or close to finishing your bachelors degree and instead of re-enlisting commission as an officer on active duty. This option gives you the financial means to complete your bachelors while gaining hands on nursing experience as an combat medic/LPN in the Army. This is just one option.

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You can talk to a recruiter at any time. I'm an RN with a BSN. I'm planning on starting my packet within the next 2 months, so I have not yet begun my military career. Most of what I am telling you is thru my own research, either on here, the internet or talking with a recruiter directly. I don't know anything about an LPN track or military career.

I do know that in order to be an officer in the Air Force or Navy you need your RN and BSN, active or reserve. The Army will take you with an Associates (aka ADN or ASN), active or reserve, but you will never promote past Captain. This also depends on supply and demand :)

Moral of the story - the more education you have the better off you will be.....

Now, officers do not go thru basic training like enlisted do. Officers go thru Officer training and in the Air Force it is referred to as COT, the Navy is ODS and the Army is OBLC. They range from 2-4 weeks, depending on the branch. Yes, physical fitness is a must and each branch has a minimum passing score and height/weight requirements. Hence me starting my packet in about 2 months - I'm about 15lbs over weight and need to lose it first.

So some google searches regarding ODS, COT and OBLC and the height/weight requirements....

All of the active duty officer trainings are no shorter than 4.5 - 5 weeks (I'm active duty AF and ours is the 4.5-5, depending on how you squint at the calendar). The Army is (I think) 6 and the Navy (again, I think) 6. Folks from those branches, please correct me if I'm wrong. The two-week gig is Air Force and for the Reserves only.

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i only went to the air force base because my brother just graduated from basic military training..and i am so proud of him!!!

well i Googled around and it says that nurses have to go to Maxwell-Gunter air force base for 2-4weeks...so is that the only physical training nurses have to go through(for the most part)???would it be better if i became an lpn or and RN before i entered the air force nursing field???

All active duty Air Force medical officers go to Commissioned Officer Training at Maxwell for 5 weeks (mine was October 19 through November 20 - that's five weeks). To be commissioned as an AF nursing officer you have to have a BSN; the Air Force has no LPNs and the equivalent to that is an enlisted member, not an officer.

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so..it is better if i get my bsn first???

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