New Fiscal Year Decisions

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I just found out that options for new nurses has closed for FY11. The Army is no longer going to have the RN to BSN STRAP program. They are no longer going to accept new grads or 66H without a critical care identifier. I never realized in a million years that the Army would be over capacity for RNs.

I just found out that options for new nurses has closed for FY11. The Army is no longer going to have the RN to BSN STRAP program. They are no longer going to accept new grads or 66H without a critical care identifier. I never realized in a million years that the Army would be over capacity for RNs.

I don't know how reliable your information is, but my recruiter finally called me today and apologized. He just also came back from TDY. I then asked him about this and he said is not true. Army will continue hire nurses as long as they have available slots. They will not disregard new grad nurse with little experience. Anyway, I will have my physical test:)

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sorry I didn't mean to imply they wouldn't take new nurses... however the board takes X out of y applicants... and experience might be taken into consideration... I'm sure they will hire nurses until slots are filled.. that isn't the problem ;) In fact taking nurses until slots are filled is the very problem itself....

Good luck on your 'physical test'.

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Specializes in ICU/Emergency Room.

I've heard similar things, I was told that the strap program was not going to be offered anymore. Additionally, I was told that critical care nurses were going to be the priority and even those slots were going to be tight. The army is still going to take new grads and fill the open slots but, its going to be tough. My packet went to the board for my critical care designator. They have had it for about a month now but Im sure they are not in a hurry since they will not be boarding again until October. All we can do is be patient and wait as frustrating as that is

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My recruiter told me that there were limited spots for 2011, to her knowledge somewhere around 50 spots for the entire country. So I'm turning in my packet and treated this like all the other new grad programs I'm applying to. If I get it great, if not then hopefully I will have other options. But I would have never guessed it would be so hard to get into the Army as a nurse. And to the poster before who hopes that not many people are applying for 2011 well there are at least five at my (small) school alone...

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Makes sense to me,the military is one of the few employers which will take fresh BSNs with no experience. All the hospitals around me are either A. Barely hiring or B. Require at least a few years of experience to be considered. With this economy, all the new grads flocked to the military to get experience and additional skill identifiers. Consequently, the services have reached capacity.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
and to the poster before who hopes that not many people are applying for 2011 well there are at least five at my (small) school alone...

people can apply but it does not mean that their recruiters will submit their package to boards. this process is nothing like applying to a civilian job. the standards are higher in areas outside of nursing such as physical health, mental health, arrest records, etc.

also, you just supported my point... for instance my recruiter only has a few people going up for boards. yet there are a number of reasons new nurses and experienced nurses would choose to join the army and have done so. maybe recruiters are weeding applicants out? at least that is my little theory. :twocents:

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I like your theory because if it's correct, I've survived the weed-out process. :D

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Specializes in Acute Surgery/Trauma.

I think I have about had it with this whole recruiting and military, I spoke with my recruiter yesterday after reading the information from this site and this is the information that was given to me....

For fiscal year 2011 (AND THIS IS ALL TALK NOTHING HAS BEEN PLACED IN WRITING)

Army reserves will not be placing anymore ASSOIATES/DIPLOMA NURSES with/or without a specialty identifier, all nurses will have to have a BACHELORS like the AirForce.

They will no longer offer STRAP PROGRAM for ADN cause they are not allowing anymore ADN nurses in the Army reserves.

but here is the kicker, my recruiter offered to put me into the reserves by September with a specialty identifier and go through my TPU for the STRAP PROGRAM (no guarantee with them) and furthermore I thought there were NO MORE SLOTS TO BE HAD for FISCAL YR 2010?!

I am so tired of all this run around and confusion....:mad::confused:

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That too is part of the weeding out process... stay the course. I have been told that there are only a few slots for the Army Nurse Candidate program this year, and the selection is going to be very competitive. My recruiter says that I still have a good chance of getting in, and I doubt seriously that he would continue to work my packet if that were not the case. He told me flat out that he had about 20 applicants for the program in his office alone, but that he was not even going to bother with most of them due to one thing or other in their history. (police record, GPA, medical..whatever). He said he had narrowed it down to about 5 possibilities and those were the ones he was going to really push through. He told me i was in the top three, so still have my fingers crossed!:uhoh3:

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
i think i have about had it with this whole recruiting and military, i spoke with my recruiter yesterday after reading the information from this site and this is the information that was given to me....

for fiscal year 2011 (and this is all talk nothing has been placed in writing)

army reserves will not be placing anymore assoiates/diploma nurses with/or without a specialty identifier, all nurses will have to have a bachelors like the airforce.

they will no longer offer strap program for adn cause they are not allowing anymore adn nurses in the army reserves.

but here is the kicker, my recruiter offered to put me into the reserves by september with a specialty identifier and go through my tpu for the strap program (no guarantee with them) and furthermore i thought there were no more slots to be had for fiscal yr 2010?! more then likely there was no more straight 66h's but some openings for nurses with a si.

i am so tired of all this run around and confusion....:mad::confused:

yes it can be a very confusing joining the military.

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Specializes in ICU/Emergency Room.

Even getting a special identifier is taking a while now. My completed packet for an SI went up in June, and I still haven't heard back. I guess if they are not going to do another board until Oct. there really isn't a hurry to get them done.

I have a feeling, when they do hold the next board there are going to be so many applications its going to take a while to get the results.

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Specializes in Acute Surgery/Trauma.

Was told by my recruiter on Monday that the SI is open to Psych/Community health and very few slots for critical care. Everything else is closed and the next board will meet on Sept. 14th for 2010 fiscal year. My packet went up Thurs. said it would take about 2 weeks for me to hear something and they are no longer excepting slots for ADNs unless you have SI for 2010. Then they won't be taking them at all in 2011 unless you have a BSN. So if I don't make it in this year 2010 then I will have to wait until I finish my BSN next year to commission....:rolleyes:

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