scout2505

Anyone here going to the October OBLC and gotten there official orders yet? I am going and have a report date of 1 OCT because I am going to be stationed at BAMC, but have yet to receive anything other than my RFO. I just wanted to see if anyone else is waiting.

I am attending the Oct OBLC class. If I were you I would drive unless you want to rely on others or the bus system. I am driving down because I will be stationed at Brooke after OBLC. I would drive either way though. In order to get a AKO account you need someone to sponsor you. Just ask your recruiter, they should be able to do this for you. Have you got your official orders yet?

I am looking for some advice on where to live in San Antonio. I will be stationed at BAMC after OBLC. I have looked at a few houses in the Cibolo area. Do those of you who live there or have lived there think this is a nice area? Do you think the drive would be too far? Any other advice about living there? Thanks

I will also be attending the October Class. I extremely excited to go!!

I talked to the branch manager/career manager at ANC yesterday and she informed me that it is no longer called a "residency" program due to legal reasons. It is now called the ANC med-surg program and is for all new nurses that are direct accession into the ANC. (is not for nurses with previous experience)

I signed up 12 months early to get the bonus and loan repayment.

Just I appreciate your input. I graduate in 9 weeks. I understand the logic behind what you are telling me. What I don't understand is then why do they let Juniors sign up and swear into the military? To me it would seem that I would get some sort of benefit, such as knowing my assignment location early. Which is what I was told. That's where my frustration lies.

I'm not expecting orders or anything of that nature. I was however expecting my assisgnment location. I am only on this rant because this is what I was told to expect during my first swear in last year. I have been assured up and down the chain of command that I should have known where I was going by now. What I hear from you guys on here is completely different from what I was told to expect. I just wish my contact at HRC would be a little more polite and take a few minutes to explain the process, because obviously I haven't been told the correct information.

I know all to well how the Army works, and this is not it. When recruiting new soldiers/officers this is not how they are treated. I know a majority of you are in the military for the first time or are going in for the first time and are just going with the flow. I realize the Army does make you hurry up and wait. I am just frustrated because I have small children I have to move and just can't pick up and leave with little notice. Once I am back in the Army I know and accept that being the case, but then my family will be settled. Right now they are not. It's just frustrating to see the ANC do this to its future officers when other medical corps will hand out assignments to medical officers even before they are residents. Also, I attend school with a student who is going in the Navy this year and she knew where and when she was going last fall. I don't think it's the Army, I think it's a couple of people who are disgruntled making the ANC look BAD!

I understand what you are saying, but this is not what I what I was told! When I joined the Army in Highschool I was only a junior, I knew where and when I was going even though I had not graduated yet. I was told once I swore in that at a minimum I would know where I was going in less than 3 months.

I swore in last April to go onto active duty. I was told my assignment choice and tenative OBLC date would soon follow. Now I am only 2 months away from graduation and I still have nothing! What was the benefit of signing up so early? I haven't quite figured that out. I am a prior service AD army soldier and can't comprhend how screwed up this whole process has beeen. It seems to me there is a disconnect with those at HRC who are determining assignments and orders and the recruiters. Now I am contemplating a different service. If this is how I am going to be treated as a future officer, makes me very nervous. Anyone else experiencing this? I am curious if this is the case with everyone or am I being duped?

Thanks GetnPhD. That is the response I was looking for. I realize there are some who are entering the military service in their 50's and it is and was my intention to make those individuals realize that there is a physical component to any military service. Yes, we all want to be great nurses to our soldiers. Part of the committment to doing that is to be physically fit. Somehow on these threads that message has gotten lost. I have been trying to point out that it needs to be taken a little more seriously, which is not how I have been percieving it from some posters here.

Why does everyone who is in their late thirties or early fourties think they are old? I think that is a sorry excuse.

I am sure the desert can get old! Eastern is just down the street from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. My wish list consists of Brooke, Tripler, and Madigan. My family and I are really hoping for San Antonio, and at this point thought we would know by now, but apparently there are some new folks running things at HRC that are delaying assignments. So we are still waiting to find out.

Forwaters, I am attending school at Eastern Michigan University. I see you are going to Tripler. Where was that on your wish list? If you don't mind me asking?

Just Cause, I graduate from Nursing School in April. I am hoping to attend the July 2009 OBLC. I am going back on Active Duty.

I apologize to anyone I offended. It just seems to me everyone on here stresses out about the PT test when they know well in advance they will be taking one eventually. I would never want anyone to get injured or over exert themselves in which leads to an injury. Everyone from teenagers to older adults need to start slow. I am just saying for those of you who are 100% sure they'll be attending OBLC, should start an exercise routine so they don't have to stress out or hurt themselves in achieving the minimum. I understand there are those on this forum who decide at the last minute that they are going into the service and don't have the time, but from reading these threads for over a year most people know there going but continue to freak out about PT. I realize I'll be a younger soldier at OBLC, but those who consider themselves "older". In which only they can define themselves, need to seriously feel secure in the knowledge that the Army, Airforce, Marines, Navy all require amounts of physical activity throughout your career and is used as a measuring stick.

I think a lot of you are misinterpreting the reasons for the PT test. It isn't there just to be a pain in the a$#. It is a measure of your fitness and it also measures determination. Make no mistake junior enlisted soldiers will be see you take these PT tests and they are supposed to look up to officers. I am prior service and will be attending OBLC early next year. I plan to give 100% on the PT tests. If all of you out there are only striving for the minimum, what else are you not giving 100% to. Especially for all of you who know when they're going to OBLC. The PT tests don't stop after that, you'll have them twice a year. And if you don't think they'll affect your career, you are mistaken!! The officer who scores higher on the PT test will always be picked over ones with lower scores. All I am trying to say, is take some pride in becoming fit and just don't strive for the minimum.

Just to add to what lifeafter40 stated. If you're wanting to join the Army as a nurse. They will only pay off student loans that were used to obtain your BSN. I'm sure there are other programs out there that pay off existing student loans for all ready obtaining a degree, but not sure what the job specialty is or would be?

As far as I have been told, some private loans qualify. As long as the loan states that it is a student loan and is federally backed, it should qualify for repayment. I have one such loan through BoA and is being repayed. With the amount of money the Army is offering to repay for loans. I don't see how anyone could accumulate that much just by financial aid and no private loans. (doesen't seem possible)

I'm not sure if officer pt scores are in there packets or not, but as a prior service member and future member of the Army Nurse Corps I can tell you that you should take it seriously. Your command will know how you did on any given APFT. People will tell you that it won't follow you from assignment to assignment, well they are wrong. Officer's are to set the example for the enlisted soldiers and as an officer, no matter what their specific job is, is to set a standard for PT. Yes, PT might not be the most important thing for medical officers, but it is part of the Army life, and everyone (officers) are expected to do well!

I was just curious for those of you attending the upcoming oblc class and who are going on active duty. When did you all find out what your assignment was going to be. I swore in during the month of April and still haven't had much luck with the assignment issue. I realize I'm not going to oblc until 09 but I was "told" and I use the term lightly being prior service that I would be able to get my assignment choice locked up early.

You have 2 minutes to do the pushups and 2 minutes to do the sit-ups. The events are usually about 10 minutes apart. Women do have to do regular pushups. They don't have to do as many as men. Check out the link for for the Army APFT http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/apa/rc/apft.htm. for the requirements.

I have 8 years prior service and my loans are going to be repaid. Prior service doesn't matter. At least if you are going active duty, I cannot vouch for the reserves.

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but OBLC is nothing compared to enlisted basic training. I haven't been to OBLC yet, but I have been to basic training as an infantry soldier at Ft. Benning, GA. OBLC is a good introduction to what enlisted soldiers go through, but only at a fraction of what they actually are enduring.