Navy Nurse Corps 2024-2025

DakotaPartin, BSN, RN · Jan 24

USNtoMSN said:

@Dakota Parton

Hey! I was so happy to find your post- sounds like we are in the same boat! I am also previously Navy enlisted- and now experienced RN with 8years of experience. I also have my FNP, but not the required 2 years of experience to commission. Re-designating later is also something I was considering. I submitted my package in November for the January 15th board. I am (not very) patiently waiting! My specialty is L&D. I'm hoping to hear something back from the board by Feb. 1st.... Did you get to make your Wish List for duty stations? I'm hoping to go overseas- Japan was my first choice! The Captain who did one of my interviews was very helpful and said as an experienced nurse- I should be able to have more flexibility with duty stations and not have to do any new nurse preceptorship stuff. I am wanting to go to ODS in May or June. I've been trying to get ready for the PRT- no more sit ups like the old Navy LOL- it's planks now! I also got the 50K bonus...did you get any details on how that will be paid out? All of the blogs and videos I've been watching about ODS mention that we need to have about $4000 in hand for uniforms, etc.

That's so crazy we really do have similar timelines. Were you a corpsman on AD? Duty stations I chose San Diego because I want to try to moonlight and I saw there are not many opportunities for us for us to do that as NPs over there. I want to go to Japan my second duty station though! I guess we will see what is offered 🙂

bj_flightnurse said:

If you go in May, I'll see you there! Congrats on getting this far along. It's quite the process for sure.

Thanks for all the info!

BeaBea · Jan 24

@USNtoMSN

What was the interview like? What did they say L&D officer side looks like or nursing in general. I'm a prior green side Corpsman. What rank were you offered? I was told O2 or O3 but I'm just hesitant still.

USNtoMSN · Jan 24

@bj_flightnurse

Im so happy you responded- I have so many questions! I just saw the timeline you posted...Is the background/security clearance process prior to the board submission different than the Background/security after you were selected? I thought that had to be completed before the board submission? Also- how did you find out you were selected? When you were selected- did they tell you what rank you'd be commissioned as? I did 4 years active duty- so I'm hoping for O2e or O3e. The suspense is killing me! If my packet was being reviewed at the January 15th board, when do you think I'll hear back?
How exciting that you already have your ODS date! I've been looking at a ton of YouTube videos - looks much easier than basic training, but still challenging. I'm excited to be able to keep our phones for night time at least.

USNtoMSN · Jan 24

@BeaBea

I had 2 interviews, one with a CAPT and one with an LCDR. They were both great- the Captain's background was in L&D and she was the CO of a DC clinic. She said that L&D nurses are in high demand and she sees billets for them daily. She said there isn't a deployment schedule to a sea/shore rotation, but that we usually stay at a duty station for 2 years and have a lot of freedom to move around between working the floor, management, teaching, clinic, etc. She said she absolutely loves her life as a Navy Nurse and made me really excited. I haven't been offered a rank yet, although I'm expecting O2-e or O3-e.

USNtoMSN · Jan 24

@DakotaPartin

I was a Logistic Specialist when I was enlisted! For my FNP clinical hours, getting my foot in the door- I worked as a GS in Hawaii at the military hospital as a RN. The military MDs/NPs, etc. are amazing and will be happy to help- they assisted with me getting my FNP experience.

DakotaPartin, BSN, RN · Jan 24

USNtoMSN said:

@DakotaPartin

I was a Logistic Specialist when I was enlisted! For my FNP clinical hours, getting my foot in the door- I worked as a GS in Hawaii at the military hospital as a RN. The military MDs/NPs, etc. are amazing and will be happy to help- they assisted with me getting my FNP experience.

Dang say less that's awesome. I was hoping to kind of work alongside some of the providers while active duty to get the hours but I'll have to find out more when I'm back AD. You give me reassurance. I'm actually really excited to be on the officer side.

DakotaPartin, BSN, RN · Jan 24

USNtoMSN said:

@BeaBea

I had 2 interviews, one with a CAPT and one with an LCDR. They were both great- the Captain's background was in L&D and she was the CO of a DC clinic. She said that L&D nurses are in high demand and she sees billets for them daily. She said there isn't a deployment schedule to a sea/shore rotation, but that we usually stay at a duty station for 2 years and have a lot of freedom to move around between working the floor, management, teaching, clinic, etc. She said she absolutely loves her life as a Navy Nurse and made me really excited. I haven't been offered a rank yet, although I'm expecting O2-e or O3-e.

Same here. Heard the same information. My interviewers said that because we have experience, we will most likely have more choices on floors when we get to our first duty station even if we don't have experience in those areas. So I'm not going to stress too much. I'm just trying to finish out these years haha. I'm also expecting O2E. Anything better will just be an added bonus.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 24

I hate to be a debbie downer, but I would take the "you'll get your pick of floors due to your experience" comment with a grain of salt. I was fed that line too. A lot of your coworkers will have years of time of station over you and will be requesting unit transfers to more desirable jobs when you're in-processing. It's unlikely that the recruiter or chief nurse you interviewed with has any insight on the local staffing situation in your gaining unit; your gaining chief nurse can do anything they want with you when you get there.

I had an overall positive experience. However, I would encourage you to stay flexible and have an open mind.

DakotaPartin, BSN, RN · Jan 24

jfratian said:

I hate to be a debbie downer, but I would take the "you'll get your pick of floors due to your experience" comment with a grain of salt. I was fed that line too. A lot of your coworkers will have years of time of station over you and will be requesting unit transfers to more desirable jobs when you're in-processing. It's unlikely that the recruiter or chief nurse you interviewed with has any insight on the local staffing situation in your gaining unit; your gaining chief nurse can do anything they want with you when you get there.

I had an overall positive experience. However, I would encourage you to stay flexible and have an open mind.

Absolutely. Thankfully a lot of us are prior enlisted and know exactly how that feels. I'm hopeful but I'm also realistic knowing the Navy will put me wherever they need me. Thanks for the feedback I'll update wherever I end up!

bj_flightnurse · Jan 24

@USNtoMSN so the background check was explained to me as they do a preliminary, then following selection they do the complete background and review medical documents before the oath is cut and you're sworn in. I'm guessing they don't want to waste the money to do the full background investigation if you're not going to be selected.

I'm coming in as an O-2E based on my years of nursing. From looking at the entry grade credit worksheet, I'd have to have a graduate degree to come in as an O3. However, I had excess credit for years of nursing experience that counted toward Time in Grade, so I should pick up O-3E within a few months of starting my active duty time. This information was all sent to me with my commissioning documents (emergency data, bank info, NOK, spouse info, etc) after I was sworn in.

As far as finding out about my selection, my recruiter sent me a text. It'll drop when you're not expecting it, so just don't think about it. LOL

After the selection and oath being received by my recruiter, I just gave him the details about the date, time, and location I wanted to swear in. Since I'm a former enlisted Marine, I chose to do mine at the Iwo Jima Memorial at Parris Island. I had to coordinate that with base representatives, but they were all amazing.

My recruiter sent me my oath to have my commissioning officer sign following him swearing me in. The commissioning documents followed in an email. It was a bunch of stuff I had to sign.

Yea now I'm just getting ready for ODS. I talked to the detailer and got my duty station and ODS date in that two or three week time period between my oath coming in and when I swore in. I was busy moving, so I couldn't swear in right away.

ODS date is in May. When she first contacted me she didn't have any seats before then; however, she called back a couple weeks later and offered a sooner class date but I'm on this current travel contract I'm wanting to finish up.

Let me know if you have any other questions or if I missed anything. Good luck! 🙂

USNtoMSN · Jan 25

UPDATE:

I found out today that I was selected!! My recruiter called and said that I have been selected and will come in as O2e!!

Timeline:

- Packet submitted first week of December for January 15th board

-Phone call 01/24 that I was selected!

USNtoMSN · Jan 25

@bj_flightnurse

I found out today I was selected!! I am also coming in as O-2E and am looking forward to seeing the breakdown in the "Entry Grade Credit worksheet,” you talked about.

Awesome info and I appreciate the insight of what to expect and the timeline! My recruiter doesn't give out many details LOL

Now that I've been selected, I'm anxiously waiting to find out my ODS date and duty station. Did you get your first pick for duty station? This is going to be a different experience for me working with a detailer- I didn't get that benefit when I was enlisted LOL! How did it work? Did you say your ideal location and they looked to see if they had an opening? Or was it more, "we have these options- pick one,”? Also- as far as picking orders- do you get any say on the position, or at this level are all the orders straight to the inpatient floors?

Do you know any info regarding the sign-on bonus pay out?

Love the picture! How amazing that you were able to swear in at the Iwo Jima Memorial! I didn't know we could pick where to swear in...definitely food for thought. I can't wait to swear in!