NAVY - Can someone help figure this out?

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I'm currently a freshman in college pursuing a BSN degree. I have talked to an officer recruiter for the NCP (Nurse Candidate Program). I just got my application kit, and am starting to fill it out. Although I am worried that I will be declined because it is highly competitive.

I also thought of another idea while looking into all of these confusing programs.

My options:

Pursue the NCP and hope to be accepted while continuing my BSN degree.

Or I thought about joining the Navy Reserve as a (HM) Corpsman, while still getting my BSN and then applying for the Navy Nurse Corps.

Is that possible? I am familiar with the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program, but am not sure if this is what I should be getting into.

I don't want to be stuck in a bad situation where I can't do what I want with my future because the military is not letting me transfer to the NNC. As I said, these programs are sometimes confusing, so I hope someone can help.

Thank you to anyone who can help.

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Don't enlist first if nursing is what you want.

There is no guarantee that you'll be able to transfer over to nursing after you've completed your degree. That is even more competitive right now than joining as a direct ascention/ROTC nurse.

If you're enlisted while in nursing school, you are probably going to have a difficult time completing your nursing requirements and fulfilling your military obligation, whether that entails PCSing, deployments, crazy work hours, etc.

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Don't enlist first if nursing is what you want.

There is no guarantee that you'll be able to transfer over to nursing after you've completed your degree. That is even more competitive right now than joining as a direct ascention/ROTC nurse.

If you're enlisted while in nursing school, you are probably going to have a difficult time completing your nursing requirements and fulfilling your military obligation, whether that entails PCSing, deployments, crazy work hours, etc.

Just found out I can actually join the reserves, and then continue my application for NCP. That way, if I am accepted into the NCP they will pull me directly into the program and out of the reserves.

If for whatever unfortunate reason I get rejected from the NCP, I will still be in the reserves and have the option to apply for Navy Nurse Corps.

Any opinions on that? I feel like this is the right thing to do.

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If you do that, then you need to be all right with being in the Navy, potentially having a nursing degree, but never working in the Navy as a nurse. There is no guarantee,especially as all of the services are about to begin involuntary separations and downsize drastically.

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If you do that, then you need to be all right with being in the Navy, potentially having a nursing degree, but never working in the Navy as a nurse. There is no guarantee,especially as all of the services are about to begin involuntary separations and downsize drastically.

That makes sense.

Here's a question for you. If I go to bootcamp next summer (8 weeks) and become an reservist, and then graduate with my nursing degree in 2017, when could I start working as a civilian nurse with no further obligation to the Navy?

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It depends on your contract. Most initial contracts are 8 years long. If you joined this year, you'd have until about 2022 until you were contractually free from service.

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It depends on your contract. Most initial contracts are 8 years long. If you joined this year, you'd have until about 2022 until you were contractually free from service.

Could I work as a civilian nurse with my degree while in the reserves, if I don't get accepted into the Nurse Corps after graduating?

Anything else you have to add that could help is much​ appreciated.

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Yes, that'd be the general idea. Reservists work civilian jobs and are called up based on need for deployment/training/emergencies.

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I know the NCP is very competitive, but I'm pretty sure they weed out most people simply by making them jump through hoops. I started my packet almost a year before I was finally accepted. There was a ton of paperwork, trips to the Doctor to get waivers for my lasik surgery, more trips to the doctor for waivers for my lasik surgery, and a few more trips haha. Trips for MEPS, trips for navy interviews (you may not have to do this, I did because there is not a naval station close to here) Finally I got the call that my packet was accepted and I had an oath date set. Just keep doing what they ask you to do even though at times you will feel like you want to scream :) I don't have a 4.0 and have no formal supervisory experience but I still made the cut :) So don't give up on the NCP!

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I know the NCP is very competitive, but I'm pretty sure they weed out most people simply by making them jump through hoops. I started my packet almost a year before I was finally accepted. There was a ton of paperwork, trips to the Doctor to get waivers for my lasik surgery, more trips to the doctor for waivers for my lasik surgery, and a few more trips haha. Trips for MEPS, trips for navy interviews (you may not have to do this, I did because there is not a naval station close to here) Finally I got the call that my packet was accepted and I had an oath date set. Just keep doing what they ask you to do even though at times you will feel like you want to scream :) I don't have a 4.0 and have no formal supervisory experience but I still made the cut :) So don't give up on the NCP!

Thanks for the kind words and yes I am still going to do it!!

Do you recommend going into the reserves now, and if I get accepted into the NCP, I can just do that?

Want to hear more opinions.

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If you're enlisted in the reserves, you are not eligible for NCP. NCP is for direct accession from the civilian side into the military. You'd have to apply and compete to get picked up for the Navy's equivalent of OCS (officer candidate school), a highly competitive process that allows enlisted to cross over to officer side.

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If you're enlisted in the reserves, you are not eligible for NCP. NCP is for direct accession from the civilian side into the military. You'd have to apply and compete to get picked up for the Navy's equivalent of OCS (officer candidate school), a highly competitive process that allows enlisted to cross over to officer side.

My recruiter told me today, that I can join the reserves, and apply for the NCP. If accepted, I would be pulled into the program.

Did he lie?

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