Military Nursing

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Hi, I've read up a lot on here about military nursing and how there isn't really a job as a nurse in the military. I guess I am very confused as to what to do. I am a junior in a 4 year university, I changed my major multiple times before deciding I wanted to do nursing. I finish my undergrad in December and then I have two more years in Nursing School before I can get my BA. Right now I am 21 years old Ill be around 23 or 24 when I'm done with my BA in nursing. What I'm confused about is I want to join the Marines. I went to a recruiting office and talked to one of the enlistment recruiters and he was nice enough, not too pushy but I don't think he knows much about how I would be a nurse in the military. He told me that the Marines get their Medical team from the Navy. I really want to go through the Marines, and then maybe transfer branches to the Navy. Simply said my dream job is to be in the field as a nurse helping the military, like I mean in combat. I want to be there to fix someone up right after they got shot etc. I'm not sure if my dream job even exists at this point, because I know war is different now and also I am a woman, I'm not sure we're even allowed in the field. I have also talked to an officer recruiter on the phone and he told me about the Platoon Leaders Course that I can take while I am in Nursing School, it is 2, six week summer training programs. This way I will be done with my BA and my training together and be an officer from what I understand. The problem with that however is, I'm definitely not where I need to be for the physical demands of PLC to go straight from civilian life to Marines. For Basic I hear it is easier and they help you to succeed while in PLC you are really more on your own and its easier to get dropped. I really don't care about my pay or even my rank, I just want to be able to be a nurse and a marine. I don't know what to do. I'm not sure whether I should enlist or go the officer program. Someone talked also about being commissioned as a nurse. I'm not sure how that works either. I really want to go through the "brotherhood" of the marines, the feeling of accomplishment and belonging somewhere and going through something very tough and making it through, the strength and the pride, but I also want a sturdy job that I love doing. After my years in active duty I would love to work a civilian job as a nurse for VA or something, or go further in my career to become a nurse practitioner or even Physician Assistant. I just feel overwhelmed in how to go about doing this in the most effective time saving manner. I don't know who to talk to about nursing in the military.

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

There are only three branches of the military that you can join as a nurse. The Navy which the Marines are part of the Navy, (if you look there is no department of the Marine Corps ) it is the department of the Navy. Or you can be a nurse in the Air Force or Army. Navy nurses do not do platoon leaders course we go to Officer school in Newport Rhode Island. You can get commissioned direct commission are you can join as

a nurse candidate program when you're nursing school. You need to contact a healthcare recruiter do not talk to the enlisted recruiter do not talk to someone who's talking to you about Basic Officer School in the Marine Corps you need to contact the Navy healthcare recruiter that's what you want to do. No you can't be a nurse and be a marine doesn't work that way. You can do a search in the government/ military forum.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Government/Military forum

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Hi, I've read up a lot on here about military nursing and how there isn't really a job as a nurse in the military.

I don't know what you've been reading, but yes there is — just not in the Marines. The position of "combat nurse" is a very rare bird ... it's more of a circumstance than an actual job, if you understand what I mean.

I just spent 4.5 years as an Army nurse, so it is definitely a real thing. :)

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Everything Ive read keeps saying that most of the time you can have a RN license but you would be given the role as a LVN or CNA. Maybe I just didn't understand what they meant. So if the marines is part of the Navy, can't I do my basic and graduate as a marine and then transfer or something. Joining the marines is very important to me, I'm not sure why but I know thats where I belong. Is there really no way that I can be a navy nurse and a marine or something??

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

It seems like you are more interested in being an enlisted medic than a nurse. Most nurses aren't running around a battlefield with bullets flying around; that's more the Navy Corpsman or Air Force para-rescue man, which are both enlisted positions. Having said that, few people are deploying right now. Most enlisted medics I know that have been in the military from 1-4 years have never deployed. They are treated like glorified nurse aides. Until the next global conflict, I don't see that changing.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Everything Ive read keeps saying that most of the time you can have a RN license but you would be given the role as a LVN or CNA. Maybe I just didn't understand what they meant.

No, I was an RN and I was a nurse in an ER, and I was also in charge of a trauma section while deployed as a nurse. If a person is a commissioned officer and RN in a Nurse Corps, they are nurses. I am not sure where you are reading this information. You might want to check the "Articles" tab at the top of the forum.

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Specializes in O.R.

After reading your post I would definitely recommend that you thoroughly pay attention to sailornurse. I am previous Navy and now a nurse in the Army. If you want to join the marines in the medical field I would highly recommend becoming a navy corpsman. You see they are technically in the navy.... But when they get deployed they can be deployed with the Marines. This means that they are the ONLY Navy member in the area, the rest are Marines.

If you are looking for a career in the military and want to have some experience working in high acuity settings as healthcare provider. Then I would highly recommend you look into the military PA program. In my experience I have found that nurses are typically kept in a hospital setting. Nurse Practitioners are typically in a clinic, and PA's have more options to provide care in the battlefield type setting. I believe this to be because the P.A profession was essentially created in the military, but honestly i'm not sure why this is the way it is.

Just be aware that you can not be a medical person in the Marines. If you want medical and marines it has to be Navy. If you want to have the title Marine, then join the Marines. However keep in mind that the Marines fall under the department of the Navy. As a matter of fact, nearly 25% of the naval academy graduates become marine officers.

Best of luck to you in your choice.

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Specializes in kids.
There are only three branches of the military that you can join as a nurse. The Navy which the Marines are part of the Navy, (if you look there is no department of the Marine Corps ) it is the department of the Navy. Or you can be a nurse in the Air Force or Army. Navy nurses do not do platoon leaders course we go to Officer school in Newport Rhode Island. You can get commissioned direct commission are you can join as

a nurse candidate program when you're nursing school. You need to contact a healthcare recruiter do not talk to the enlisted recruiter do not talk to someone who's talking to you about Basic Officer School in the Marine Corps you need to contact the Navy healthcare recruiter that's what you want to do. No you can't be a nurse and be a marine doesn't work that way. You can do a search in the government/ military forum.

Don't you just love Newport?! I had my son at NRMC in 1981, great experience! Not sure if that is still open? My husband was stationed at USCGS Castle Hill.

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I would agree with other posters. Go Navy. If you want to provide medical support to Marines in the field you are describing the duties of a field trained hospitalcorpsman, military occupation specialty 8404. Some Navy nurses in the field would work in a battalion aid station located a bit away from the fighting and provide the next level of care for wounded Marines needing evacuation. Good luck.

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.
I would agree with other posters. Go Navy. If you want to provide medical support to Marines in the field you are describing the duties of a field trained hospitalcorpsman, military occupation specialty 8404. Some Navy nurses in the field would work in a battalion aid station located a bit away from the fighting and provide the next level of care for wounded Marines needing evacuation. Good luck.

Well while in OIS we're there for five or six weeks we really didn't get out to see much. We only were allowed out in town two weekends and we had to wear our uniforms. So we didn't get to see too much of Newport island and fortunately and then we graduate in were shipped out to our first duty station. I am we did stop in York city for a few days on my way down to Washington DC.

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I am actually very interested in PA school, I did not plan on stopping at just nursing, I thought maybe I would first do nursing as a backbone then later go into PA or something. This was before deciding I wanted a military life. I know everyone keeps telling me to talk to a navy healthcare recruiter but Im kind of scared to invite yet another recruiter in to the mix. I guess I'm really putting a lot of trust in the first recruiter I went to, I know he wants me to enlist but I was very candid with him that I'm still not sure and I don't want to waste his time, I told him that I might join the navy to do Hospital Corpsman instead. He assured me that I was not wasting his time and that I have alot of time before coming to a final decision. The SSergeant is helping me train to meet the physical requirements and I feel comfortable and trust my recruiter, even though I'm not sure I should haha. I do want the title of a marine. I have asked around and found that Hospital Corpsman do not go through the same bootcamp training as marines. Not to put down any other branch, but I feel like the Marines have to go through one of the roughest training, something about that, something about them I am drawn to it, and I feel like I would regret it if I joined any other branch first. I think my biggest problem is that I feel like I'm 21 and after going to bootcamp and MOS and coming back Ill be around 23 and STILL not have a degree, I'll be trying to finish nursing school while all my friends and colleagues are well into their careers . I feel like I've been in college forever, and Im worried what my parents will say, they have helped with tuition and my apartment bills and I'm worried they won't be supportive of my decision to join the marines. I know I should do whats right for me and ignore what others think, but I feel so dumb! I wish I had known I wanted to Join the marines at 17. I think however that I have come to the conclusion for now that I'm going to enlist in the marines, and then afterward I will decide whether I want to pursue PA school or Nursing School through the Navy. Im finishing up pre-reqs for both. If what you say is true about PA's being more in the battlefield then I'm probably leaning towards that. I have also heard that marines are working to have their own medical personnel by the end of 2016 so perhaps ill be able to just stay within the marines. I would love to get your feedback on my (for now) plan!

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