Nursing Student Looking into the Military World

agyemang · Mar 8, 2017

hi good evening, I'm a citizen from different country can i be a military nurse in different country after my graduation

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 8, 2017

When you click the 'find a recruiter' link on the AF website, their is a healthcare student/professional option; it will only show you healthcare recruiters near you. You definitely need to start applying immediately if you are interested. The application takes months and the application deadline is typically months before you graduate; start of the application to arrival at training took 12 months for me.

I believe that only the Navy and AF are currently accepting new grads. You'll apply in a pool of applicants that is separate from the experienced nurses; you'll be going for a much smaller number of slots too. Hopefully your grades are extremely good (like un-weighted >3.6).

Editorial Team / Moderator · Mar 8, 2017

hi good evening, I'm a citizen from different country can i be a military nurse in different country after my graduation

In the United States, the military requires US citizenship for its officers as well as a BSN that is accredited by a US accrediting body (CCNE or ACEN).

GSUnursing6034 · Mar 8, 2017

Currently, my GPA is a 3.8, and I expect to graduate Magna Cum Laude. I have reached out to my nearest healthcare recruiter via email, just waiting on a response. The navy recruiter I communicated with told me I needed to be 6 months from graduation before applying. I assume you are/were in the USAF. Can you tell me about your experiences, specialty, life as a healthcare officer, application process, and anything else you would like to share? It would be very appreciated. :)

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 10, 2017

I think you might find it helpful to start working on the massive amount of paperwork ASAP. You may not be able to submit a package until some period of time before graduation, but I think you would find it stressful to attempt to apply in that amount of time. It also demonstrates commitment to a recruiter who is typically looking for a reason to write you off: they get way more interest queries than slots they need to fill. Ask to fill-out the pre-application qualification form. Then, if you qualify based on your height, weight, and medical history, ask for the essays, demographic questionnaires, and other paperwork to apply. Ask for the forms from last year if they don't have it available yet. It doesn't change that much.

Yes, I am currently active duty AF. I have been a civilian nurse for 2 years and a military nurse for 3 years. To me, it is 75% the same job either way. I've been happy with the travel and training opportunities. The pay and benefits are significantly better. You move every 2-4 years. Hardly anyone, myself included, is deploying right now. I've done med-surg and PACU thus far.

The application is very long. The medical screening is the worst part. Hopefully you don't take and medication and hopefully you workout regularly.

GSUnursing6034 · Mar 10, 2017

I am relatively fit. I lift weights 3-4 times a week for about 1.5-2.5 hours, and I swim for 30-45 minutes about 2 times a week. I do take an allergy pill, but it is because of my living arrangements (4 dogs with huge amounts of dander doesn't bode well for someone with dander allergies). I only take it when I need it. The AF and Army recruiters are supposed to get in touch with me in a few days. Just curious, what made you choose the USAF? Is it hard to move specialties in the military setting? What do you like most and least about serving with the AF?

I think you might find it helpful to start working on the massive amount of paperwork ASAP. You may not be able to submit a package until some period of time before graduation, but I think you would find it stressful to attempt to apply in that amount of time. It also demonstrates commitment to a recruiter who is typically looking for a reason to write you off: they get way more interest queries than slots they need to fill. Ask to fill-out the pre-application qualification form. Then, if you qualify based on your height, weight, and medical history, ask for the essays, demographic questionnaires, and other paperwork to apply. Ask for the forms from last year if they don't have it available yet. It doesn't change that much.
Yes, I am currently active duty AF. I have been a civilian nurse for 2 years and a military nurse for 3 years. To me, it is 75% the same job either way. I've been happy with the travel and training opportunities. The pay and benefits are significantly better. You move every 2-4 years. Hardly anyone, myself included, is deploying right now. I've done med-surg and PACU thus far.
The application is very long. The medical screening is the worst part. Hopefully you don't take and medication and hopefully you workout regularly.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Mar 10, 2017

The AF and Army recruiters are supposed to get in touch with me in a few days.

Just FYI, I don't believe that the Army is taking anyone with less than two years of experience at this point, but it would be nice for you if that had changed. With the drawdown over the last few years, the Army has been overstrength in nurses and actually had early separation boards. A lot of great nurses (even from specialties like ER and ICU) were "excused" from active service. It is tough to get in right now, period â€” you need to be a superstar on your application. The military can afford to be very choosy! Sounds like you would be a good candidate as long as you are in good health and can pass a PT test. :) I commend you for your "sappy patriotism," I commissioned in 2011 (Army) for the same reasons. I cringe when people do it for the money â€” they often end up very unhappy because you are essentially signing away your freedom. However, I felt like I got a lot of great experience in return â€” namely a deployment with a forward surgical team (FST), tuition assistance (used for first MSN in Nursing Informatics) and then my GI Bill (second MSN, Nurse Educator). I got out after 4.5 years for my own reasons, and I do miss it sometimes. But no regrets!

Best of luck!! :)

GSUnursing6034 · Mar 10, 2017

@Pixie.RN What made you choose the Army? Any helpful information you could pass my way would be great (application process, selection process, etc.)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Mar 10, 2017

@Pixie.RN What made you choose the Army? Any helpful information you could pass my way would be great (application process, selection process, etc.)

Quite honestly, I had too many tattoos (sleeves) for any other branch of service. But overall I think I would have chosen the Army anyway, based on my military brat history and family affiliation.

The application process is long. My application was 49 pages. I was chosen in a year in which about 50-something direct commission folks were chosen out of a pool of 350+/nearly 400. I had my CEN, my CPEN, I was an experienced ER nurse, I had a 4.0 in my BSN program, and I was still not certain if I would be selected! It's very competitive. I had a lot of paramedic volunteer hours, not sure if that helped or not, and I had excellent letters of recommendation, including some from former military docs. You are going to want to shine, seriously. And emphasize that you are serving to serve; I think that is a huge factor, but that's my opinion.

The selection process was long. There is a phrase in the military: "hurry up and wait." Your recruiter will want information or paperwork from you at a moment's notice, and you will scramble and submit, and then .... crickets, crickets, crickets. I started the process in January 2010 and found out I was selected in December 2010. Yes, 12 months of hurry up and wait. To be fair to the Army, my selection board did not take place until November of 2010, so once the selection board convened, it wasn't too long. The government fiscal year starts on 1 October, so things for the coming year don't tend to get decided (manpower, budget, etc.) until that point. I didn't get my orders until the first week of March to report the last week of March, so it was a little bit anxiety-provoking!

GSUnursing6034 · Mar 10, 2017

I'm actually nervous about it because it is a pathway I feel would be amazing and beneficial to me, and it is something I have had on my mind for a while.

Quite honestly, I had too many tattoos (sleeves) for any other branch of service. But overall I think I would have chosen the Army anyway, based on my military brat history and family affiliation.
The application process is long. My application was 49 pages. I was chosen in a year in which about 50-something direct commission folks were chosen out of a pool of 350+/nearly 400. I had my CEN, my CPEN, I was an experienced ER nurse, I had a 4.0 in my BSN program, and I was still not certain if I would be selected! It's very competitive. I had a lot of paramedic volunteer hours, not sure if that helped or not, and I had excellent letters of recommendation, including some from former military docs. You are going to want to shine, seriously. And emphasize that you are serving to serve; I think that is a huge factor, but that's my opinion.
The selection process was long. There is a phrase in the military: "hurry up and wait." Your recruiter will want information or paperwork from you at a moment's notice, and you will scramble and submit, and then .... crickets, crickets, crickets. I started the process in January 2010 and found out I was selected in December 2010. Yes, 12 months of hurry up and wait. To be fair to the Army, my selection board did not take place until November of 2010, so once the selection board convened, it wasn't too long. The government fiscal year starts on 1 October, so things for the coming year don't tend to get decided (manpower, budget, etc.) until that point. I didn't get my orders until the first week of March to report the last week of March, so it was a little bit anxiety-provoking!

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 10, 2017

It is fairly difficult to change specialties. All 3 branches have subspecialty codes that designate people with different experiences. The degree of difficulty depends on the specialty you're in and the specialty you want to join. Also, the Navy seems to make it the easiest. The Air Force makes it incredibly difficult.

My limited interaction with the Navy seems to point to largely local, homegrown, and on-the-job training. They grant specialty codes for ICU, OR, etc, but it isn't uncommon for someone to have multiple codes. They seem to embrace the jack-of-all-trades mentality.

In the Air Force, you need to wait until you have 2 years of time on station and then you apply to attend a 1 year training program for ICU or ER at a centralized location (would require a move from your base to another base); other specialties have shorter programs (6 weeks for OB, 3 months for OR). It's much more corporate and specialized. The Air Force seems to support training you really intensively to do one thing.

I'm sure some others can shed some more light on the Navy and Army. I find the AF is the place to go if you really know what you want to do and you want to do it forever.