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Discussion

Navy Nursing Help

I graduated this last spring with a BS in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology, and now want to pursue a BSN. I'm seriously considering enlisting as an officer in the Navy for several reasons. One being I can't afford to put myself through school a second time, and two I think it would be an amazing opportunity.

I've tried to do some research but the whole process is confusing to me and I can't seem to get a recruiter to call me back. Since I already have a Bachelors, but it's not in nursing would the navy send me through nursing school as an officer or enlisted? Do I have to apply to schools and get accepted before enlisting? Or can I be active duty while going through nursing school somehow?

Any insight would be sincerely appreciated!

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    You have a couple options. First, you can pay for school on your own dime and hope that loan repayment is still an option when you graduate (it's 40K for the Air Force right now; other branches may or may not have it). Second, you could also look at ROTC scholarships; only 2 years of ROTC is required to commission. Third, you could enlist as an ~E3 or E4 (google military pay charts) medical technician/corpsman for a couple years and apply for an enlisted-commissioning program (it's NECP in the Air Force, but all 3 branches have something similar); this way takes the longest, since you have to serve at least 2 years before you can even apply (average applicant has 5-8 years of time served).

    Either way, it would be worth it to seek out healthcare recruiters in all 3 branches and weigh your options. Honestly, nursing is pretty much the same in all 3 branches. You likely won't get a response from a recruiter until next week at the earliest. A lot of people are gone during the holidays. Make sure you are talking to a healthcare recruiter; this is different from your average strip-mall recruiter (unless of course you want option 3). Healthcare recruiters only recruit doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc to commission (not enlist) as officers.

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    I'm in Southern California. How do I contact a healthcare recruiter instead of a regular recruiter? I've scoured the Navy website and can only find an enlisting recruiter, or officer recruiter number.

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    • Author

    Thank you for the feedback! About enlisting as an E3 or E4, I have a closer friend that's a retired Navy Officer and he said that with my degree I shouldn't enlist in E3 or E4, but as an officer. Is it possible to be a Reserve Officer, go through school, and then enroll in the Nurse Corps as an officer when I graduate?

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    On the contact, I reached out to a contact to find out who your POC should be. Will let you know.

    On the other question: probably. You used to be able to. But things change so much based on need that I won't hazard a guess as of now. The contact I give you should be able to tell you though

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    Chief Julio Perez is your contact. 619-851-7717

    I'm in Southern California. How do I contact a healthcare recruiter instead of a regular recruiter? I've scoured the Navy website and can only find an enlisting recruiter, or officer recruiter number.
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    • Author

    Thank you so much, I appreciate your help! I left him a message this afternoon.

    Chief Julio Perez is your contact. 619-851-7717
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