Military options as an RN? (new ABSN student)

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 30, 2018

I'd start off with looking at each branch and checking out the age cut off. RNs as far as I know go in as commissioned officers and their rank starts at o1 and goes up for every 2 years of civilian experience they bring, otherwise they spend like 6 months going through a baby nurse program.

So being 33 when you can even apply, + 1 year for the entire application and acceptance program, and then another 6 months of new nurse training might not play well

I'm no military nurse but it's an idea I've been flirting with for quite some time, specifically Air Force. Talk to a recruiter and see their take on the age thing

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 30, 2018

RNs as far as I know go in as commissioned officers and their rank starts at o1 and goes up for every 2 years of civilian experience they bring

This is not quite correct. Nurses do not get promoted every year, rank does not go up with every two years of civilian time - that just gives you another year of constructive credit, not necessarily a bump in rank. Time to O-2 and O-3 can vary, but when I was active duty Army just a few years ago, it took 18 months of time in service (which could be shorter with constructive credit) to go from O-1 to O-2 and then 48 months to go from O-2 to O-3. I had been a nurse for almost 3 years when I commissioned, so I had only a short time as an O-1 before I promoted to O-2. Then it was 48 months before I pinned on O-3.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Sep 30, 2018

Pixie, I assume you mean 24 months (2 years) to go from O-2 to O-3?

Elijah, the AF takes nurses as old as 47. However, you won't be able to retire with a pension if you join after 42. 33 isn't old at all.

Anat, you earn 50% constructive credit for full time RN experience. Nurses with 4 years of full time hospital (no nursing home or public health stuff) RN experience (CNA or LPN don't count) start as O-2. Nurses with 8 years start as O-3. The US Public Health Service is the best deal going. You get full military benefits and don't have to move every 2-4 years; your deployments (which really aren't deployments) are shorter and to much safer areas.

Nursing in the Army, AF, and Navy are largely similar jobs. Most air evac is done in the AF and the few ship jobs are Navy; these are special jobs that most people don't do. Most military nurses work in a traditional brick-and-mortar hospital.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 30, 2018

Pixie, I assume you mean 24 months (2 years) to go from O-2 to O-3?

No, 48 months of time in service. Sorry, I realize that I made it sound like there were 48 months between O-2 and O-3. I had to have 48 months total time in service to pin on O-3, which was a less for me on the calendar due to constructive credit.

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 12, 2018

Pixie, I assume you mean 24 months (2 years) to go from O-2 to O-3?
Elijah, the AF takes nurses as old as 47. However, you won't be able to retire with a pension if you join after 42. 33 isn't old at all.
Anat, you earn 50% constructive credit for full time RN experience. Nurses with 4 years of full time hospital (no nursing home or public health stuff) RN experience (CNA or LPN don't count) start as O-2. Nurses with 8 years start as O-3. The US Public Health Service is the best deal going. You get full military benefits and don't have to move every 2-4 years; your deployments (which really aren't deployments) are shorter and to much safer areas.
Nursing in the Army, AF, and Navy are largely similar jobs. Most air evac is done in the AF and the few ship jobs are Navy; these are special jobs that most people don't do. Most military nurses work in a traditional brick-and-mortar hospital.

id like more information on this USPHS you speak of

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Oct 12, 2018

Essentially, the US Public Health Service falls under the Navy. Officers wear Navy uniforms, get Navy pay, and receive the military pension after 20 years.

The USPHS is the federal government's (largely for non-DOD agencies) medical arm; it typically provides medical care in global humanitarian missions. It also supports the bureau of Indian affairs, the state department, and the federal prison system.

USPHS is very competitive for nurses. I might be difficult to get hired as a new grad. If you want more info, they have a website that will get you in touch with their recruiters. I really don't know much more than that.

onemoreday, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2018

I'm glad you started this Amy, I'm in a similar boat! I'm 30, been a CNA for a few years, did my BA in biology and just got into an ABSN that starts in June 2019.

Good for you getting into GW, my cousin went there (for accounting) and I went to a conference there (I grew up in Maryland), it seems like a top notch school!

I have been considering the military for years and years but never quite took the leap. Now I'm in a better position to join, plus I could really use the help while I'm in school and can't work full time.

I have already started emailing and calling recruiters, now that I've gotten in. I'm looking at both Navy and Air Force active duty, it'll ultimately come down to what gives me the better benefit and what recruiter is in better touch, I think. I live in the Midwest, so I'm really not spoiled for choice for health recruiters out here :/