New officer initial training length?

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I am a nursing student looking to go AD in either AF or Army. I know AF has COT but what is the time line for initial army training? If I can do 8 weeks AF, I would prefer that to 12 Army...It's been a while since I looked at it so I was trying to see what the training times were now...

Thanks!

Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.

The Army is also the largest branch of the military and thus another reason for the higher need.

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

Gee, by this formula.... the waiting game may work for me because I'm right on the cusp of time. I've been a nurse for 14 years and have an MBA. It's not quite enough to make major on entering though. lol. (Not sure I'd want to reenter as a major though, so it's good).

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
The Army is also the largest branch of the military and thus another reason for the higher need.

The Army has lots of great qualities, but the reason for the shortages isn't d/t being the largest. It has to do more with having the highest suicide rate, and the reasons behind it.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Gee, by this formula.... the waiting game may work for me because I'm right on the cusp of time. I've been a nurse for 14 years and have an MBA. It's not quite enough to make major on entering though. lol. (Not sure I'd want to reenter as a major though, so it's good).

The MBA won't gain you anymore credit towards rank, but you should be up for Major within a couple of years of entering the AF.

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The Army has lots of great qualities, but the reason for the shortages isn't d/t being the largest. It has to do more with having the highest suicide rate, and the reasons behind it.

Just curious, where did you see the information showing a link between shortages in the Army nurse corps and the suicide rate of the Army? I've never seen that material and I would be interested in reading it. I've never heard anyone address the shortage of the ANC and reference the reason to be the suicide rate currently seen in the Army.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Just curious, where did you see the information showing a link between shortages in the Army nurse corps and the suicide rate of the Army? I've never seen that material and I would be interested in reading it. I've never heard anyone address the shortage of the ANC and reference the reason to be the suicide rate currently seen in the Army.

Thanks!

Take it with a grain of salt or not. The reason the Army has the highest suicide rates is a direct result of the way they treat their people. The reason the Army doesn't retain their Nurses and other personnel is a direct result of how they treat their people, if you can't or don't want to see this just consider it my opinion and we all know what opinions are like....

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The AF actually gives you constructive credit for any amount of time over one year. I was an RN for two years before I entered the AF and I received one year's time in grade as a 2nd Lt. This means I'll make 1st Lt in one year instead of in 2, and Captain in 3 years instead of four.

The Army's high suicide rate also has a lot to do with their operations tempo, their length and frequency of deployments. Your average Air Force member spends 6 months out and a year to 18 months at home (I'm generalizing here - I know the tempo varies by career field and specialty). Your average Army member is spending 6 months in and up to a year out.

And no one will convince me that has nothing to do with their shortages....

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

The Army's high suicide rate also has a lot to do with their operations tempo, their length and frequency of deployments. Your average Air Force member spends 6 months out and a year to 18 months at home (I'm generalizing here - I know the tempo varies by career field and specialty). Your average Army member is spending 6 months in and up to a year out.

And no one will convince me that has nothing to do with their shortages....

Deployments always have a big part to do with retainability, but what branch has you go through several weeks of training right before you deploy usually away from your family, and still doesn't count that towards your deployment length. What service would send someone fresh back from deployment to a 12+month training away from their family? What service has told their troops they are going home after a year plus deployment, let them pack their stuff get on the plane, be in mid-air on the way home, and the CC order the plane back and extend their deployments for another 12+ months. That would be the Army!

I have seen the AF and the Navy do some bone headed stuff, but the Army takes the cake when it comes to poor treatment of their personnel.

Again just my personal opinion from what I have seen and what my Army friends have told me.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.

I am sorry as I don't know much yet about the military. But this conversation just seems ugly and has gone really above and beyond the original discussion. It seems the suicides and deployment conditions of OUR Army is being discussed so poorly. It almost feels disrespectful. Ofcourse this is just my opinion...Not to offend anyone.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I am sorry as I don't know much yet about the military. But this conversation just seems ugly and has gone really above and beyond the original discussion. It seems the suicides and deployment conditions of OUR Army is being discussed so poorly. It almost feels disrespectful. Ofcourse this is just my opinion...Not to offend anyone.

Honest, but yes way off topic.

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This has nothing to do with the MEMBERS of the Army. It's more how they're treated by their DEPARTMENT. I've got Army in my family - and I'll go out on a limb here and say none of us disrespect the members. We're on their side here. It's the way they're treated that bites the big one.

But back to the regularly scheduled forum.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.
This has nothing to do with the MEMBERS of the Army. It's more how they're treated by their DEPARTMENT. I've got Army in my family - and I'll go out on a limb here and say none of us disrespect the members. We're on their side here. It's the way they're treated that bites the big one.

But back to the regularly scheduled forum.

I do understand what was being said was not meant to disrespect the members but the way it was discussed was almost like real soldiers with real stories were not being considered. Again the Army is the largest branch of our military with a tough job. Once again, I know I have lots to learn and this is just my opinion.I am sure we all here have respect for our:) US Army as with all the branches of our military.

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