Military Nursing

oaktown2 · Jul 16, 2011

If you search in the Government and Military nursing forum, you should be able to get a better sense of what it is like. Both the Army and the Navy offer a Nurse Candidate Program which is like a scholarship, right now $10k and a $1k stipend and you sign for 4-5 years of active duty. But like everywhere else, competition is tough right now. I would read through the forum and if you are interested be sure and contact a healthcare recruiter specifically, not just any recruiter. (Btw, the Marines don't have their own nurses, they use the Navy's.)

tmartin83 · Jul 16, 2011

Yup, it is competitive to get into those programs right now. I have a friend who just commissioned and graduated with me through my school's Army ROTC program. Yes, they do pay for your school (I believe at my school though, they just paid for tuition costs, not room and board), and my friend has enjoyed it. She's really good though (as in, passes her PT tests, etc). I know that doing your BSN, before you complete your last year you have to do a program called LDAC before you are allowed to commission.

She was a nursing student just like us (obviously!), but they have ROTC requirements that they have to meet too (like going to MSC classses 1-2 times a week, going into the field, tests, etc.). It's a lot to juggle, but you can definitely do it. On top of that, before you last year they will send you to their own "externship" the summer before you graduate at an Army hospital (my friend went to Tripler in Hawaii!!!), and she loved it.

Oh, and you get to put in your own wish list for posts you want to get stationed on. My friend got her first choice (Ft. Bragg, NC, (Womack)). I don't think you can get an overseas assignment starting off. Once you graduate and commission, you still have to do what's called BOLC, which is pretty much a very very long nursing orientation (about 6 mo-1yr), and then they will send you to your duty station, where you are placed on a unit of your choice or where they need you.

Hope this helps! ( I know so much about it because I was this close || to doing it myself).

tmartin83 · Jul 16, 2011

Oh, and if it helps any, you come out as a second lieutenant (O1 pay grade) :-) And I apologize for my spelling errors, I was typing very fast and didn't proofread :-/

michellejl · Jul 16, 2011

Wow, this is so helpful thank you! Do you know if you can do this at all schools or only at certain ones that offer ROTC?

oaktown2 · Jul 16, 2011

ROTC and NCP are two different programs. ROTC is only offered at certain schools, you can do a search online to find out if the schools you are looking at are available. NCP is offered for any school that is NLN or CCNE accredited. Also, with ROTC you are doing things related your branch throughout the year, whereas with NCP you are mainly focusing on your studies and pretty much just need to keep your GPA above 3.0. The benefits will most likely be different between the two. If you are interested in joining the military both options are definitely worth looking at.

tmartin83 · Jul 17, 2011

As stated above, you do have to research which schools offer it, though. It's a good deal (esp. if you are single, have no other commitments, and truly want to be an Army nurse). You will get some great experience, I promise you. I look back now and wish I would have done it, but I was married in school at the time, and there is no guarantee that you can be stationed at the same base as your spouse. On top of that, I was just not in the best shape either.

Good luck!

tmartin83 · Jul 17, 2011

Oh, and don't forget about the time commitment also. I wanna say it's anywhere from 4-8 yrs that you have to stay in the Army for once you graduate. But if you look at it, it's a guaranteed 4-8 years of nursing experience you will be sure to get.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 17, 2011

Moved to the Government and Military forum