Prior Service 11B to Reserve/Guard RN

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Hey all, looking for advice/info here. I am a prior service 11B (enlisted) who got out, got my RN (BSN) and have a few years of experience now. I am looking to join the Guard or Reserve (I don't discriminate) as an RN. I am reading some of these threads and they've got me a little worried. How does the process work for nurse? For active duty as an 11B I just signed some papers and went to basic, simple as pie. I read that people are being waitlisted and rejected? What would make someone get a slot as opposed to not get a slot? Is there anything I can do to be more competitive in this process? I would ask my recruiter but I seem to be having difficulty getting ahold of anyone. I asked if I could have the contact info for my local AMEDD recruiter and the GO-GUARD guy laughed at me, told me they don't give out that info until you fill out a complete application, which I now have. I have been waiting for 5 days for someone to call me back with no avail. Any info would be greatly appreciated so I can know what I am getting myself into with this venture.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I am looking to join up this time next year, not this year. I understand the process will be slow and I am trying to account for that. Also, I am looking to join either the Reserves or Guard, both units are available in my area. I could probably be enticed into Active Duty but only if I could stay at a local unit, which I don't think there is one. Closest unit I know of is Fort Drum and 5hrs is a little long of a commute for me.

Keller Army Community Hospital is at West Point. I think that would be the closest one to you.

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Specializes in Plastic Surgery / ENT / Head & Neck Surgery.

I know Newport has a Naval Base, not too sure if they are Navy only or if they include any Army as well. There are also a few Air Force bases within driving distance, but again, not to sure if they staff anything other than AF.

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Generally the services don't mix. The exceptions, that I know of, are Bethesda and Landstuhl in Germany. I have worked at both.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
Are you talking about active duty or National Guard/Reserve? If you are talking Reserves, I have heard that the selection board is in October so I doubt you could complete a packet before then. It is also MUCH easier to get into the Reserves right now than active duty. If you already have nursing experience, that will also help. You only need to find a unit in your area that has an open slot. A Reserve/Guard healthcare recruiter can give you more info. Either way, you are probably looking at applying next year. Good luck!

Unless things have changed in the last 2 years you do not have to find a unit with a slot. You only have to be picked up by the board. If there is no billet for you locally you will be assigned to the closet one which has one. Once that happens then you need to find a unit that will allow you to drill with them if your unit allows it. This is for the Reserves, not sure about the guard. As a whole the Guard does not have a lot of medical billets since they are mostly combat arms where thre reserves is mostly support units.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I am looking to join up this time next year, not this year. I understand the process will be slow and I am trying to account for that. Also, I am looking to join either the Reserves or Guard, both units are available in my area. I could probably be enticed into Active Duty but only if I could stay at a local unit, which I don't think there is one. Closest unit I know of is Fort Drum and 5hrs is a little long of a commute for me.

If you go active you will go to a active base and not stay with the local reserve unit. The active duty folks who are with the reserve units are AGR (active guard & reserve) and have served on active duty and have switched to the reserves but stayed on active or returned to active. The active duty assignments at a reserve center generally are 2-3 years in length. Ft. Drum does not have many nursing billets since they do not have a hospital and only clinics and nurses which are assigned to the line units.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
I heard the same thing, but it was for active duty. Of those 300, 100 were selected. Again, this was for active duty, not Reserves. No idea what the numbers were on that side.

Around the same number where assessed for reserves as active.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, OR, FNP.
Generally the services don't mix. The exceptions, that I know of, are Bethesda and Landstuhl in Germany. I have worked at both.

Every office in San Antonio and Balad come to mind.

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