Navy Nursing First Duty Station Advice

[kjleona3]

Hello all!

I recently got accepted into the Navy Nurse Candidate Program and I am so excited! My recruiter recently told me to start coming up with a list of the top 3 places I wanted to go for my first duty station (need to have it by March!).

I am looking for some insight into the pros and cons of locations for Navy nurses, especially those who are fresh out of nursing school. I really only know about the big 3 in the US (San Diego, Portsmouth, Bethesda), so any information about locations over seas or anywhere else in the US would be wonderful! (Would still like to know more about each of the big 3 if you have info on those as well).

Would like to know the ups and downs of certain locations, which you thought were the most enjoyable, and which ones maybe not as spectacular and a reason why. More information the better!

On a side note, my boyfriend is a Naval Aviator, so if you have any advice on locations that might be good for both of us, please do tell!

Thank you in advance! I look forward to the responses!

[SBSN]

Portsmouth or San Diego would probably be your best bet for co-location and staying together. As an active duty service member, I thought NMCP was great. As a dependent I also had no complaints at all regarding the care my family and I received. The clinics have good hours. The floors have regular 12 hour shifts. I have many friends that work at Portsmouth and have no complaints. As a new grad, Portsmouth is on the top of my radar for employment.