DonnerDawg

You can work while in STRAP; there are no prohibitions on it. Beware the drill/no drill option; while it is true that STRAP does not require you to drill, membership in the Select Reserve does obligate you to perform drill. Trust me, I learned of this the hard way. After 10 months, I found out that I was a nonparticipant! Now, I'm busting butt to catch up! With regard to the question about RN/BSN programs, I think that any accredited program in the US should suffice, but definitely run that past your recruiter. The school must be approved by the Army for you to STRAP through it. GOOD LUCK!

I had lunch with my health care recruiter last week, who said the exact same thing. Can't hurt to do the paper drill, though, if you want to shoot for the next FY (begins 1 Nov 09).

Is English your second language? My AD school instituted this test as a final gate to hurdle once you were admitted. If you are an ESL'er, you might want to take some remedial English as a second language classes to tighten up a bit. In any event, I highly suggest the prep book for the TEAS. Best of luck!

You think those 40 yo bones are tired...man, my 49 yo bones sometimes scream at me...STOP, you crazy Devil Dawg turned Soldier! Do I listen? HELL NO!!! Pain is weakness leaving the body, right?

I really appreciate your input! Would it be possible to email you off the site? HOOAH! Don

I'm an AD grad and a Reserve Army Officer. Everything you wrote is, to the best of my knowledge, correct, with the exception of accession into the Active Army. I believe you must be a BSN to do so; however, you can access into the Reserve with an AD. No promotion beyond O-3 if you don't eventually get your BSN, for which the Army provides great incentives.

I kept them all; I'm a book geek! But if I had to pare them down to the essentials, I'd keep my med/surg and A&P texts. I've loaned my texts to other students as well; given the cost of the damned things, I like saving someone else the expense!

I'm actually a reserve officer, at least for now. And, as I'm STRAPping for my BSN (just 12 credits to go!), I have put off OBLC until April 2010. Could have taken the January class, but the weather in San Antonio can be crappy in January! I do know people who have completed OBLC, and they all tell me not to be at all concerned, because of my Corps experience. I was a field radio operator in the Corps, attached to an artillery unit. I really like the Army thus far, but am glad I became a Marine first. As you know, Marines are, well...different!! My work experience is in critical care, which can be a bit challenging. I admire anyone who works in the ER environment. Takes a special man or woman to excel there! SEMPER FIDELIS and HOOAH! High speed...low drag!

I had a professor like you for Nursing I. She lead by example, really enjoyed being an instructor, and is the example I think of every single time the going gets tough. The foundation she built for me continues to inspire me professionally. Thanks for being one of the 'good guys!' :)

I'm making the adjustment to Army lingo/life, and, at this point in my life, I could not imagine being anywhere else! I, too, think the Army will be the best place to practice. I want to become a CRNA, and the Army incentives for this are strong (it's another critical AOC, 66F). But, I still call the head the head, not the latrine, and that thing that goes on my grape, to me, is a cover, NOT a hat. I recently attended a Soldier Focused Readiness Review at my command down at Fort Gillem, GA, and was quickly identified as the former Marine. This turned out to be a very good thing; one of the enlisted staff NCO's was also a former Dawg, and he turned out to be most helpful to me! All the best to you, Devil! SF/Hooah! Don

Don't quit...don't quit...don't quit! Look, just the experience of completing an AD program in Nursing is arduous. Yet, it demonstrates important qualities, such as perseverance, self-discipline, and motivation, all of which are highly sought after and valued in the marketplace. I'll share my own experience with you; I think it's illustrative and educational: as an idealistic AD grad (new career, late forties) I was off to work at my first job, in a progressive intermediate care unit. Sounds neat, huh? Well, what it turned out to be was a rather interesting trial by fire. The unit had a revolving door between CCU and it, as our patients really needed to be in CCU, and many returned, via coding! Vents, psych, geri, postop, drug/alcohol detox...we had it ALL, baby! This would be challenging to an experienced RN, never mind a new grad. This all came to a head when my mom's health took a turn for the worse (she, in fact, was a patient on my unit for a spell). I decided to take a breather from the unit, become my mom's primary health care provider, and started to reevaluate my options. Long story short: I started my BSN, with which I will be done in December, and learned that there are other ways for a good RN to earn a nice living. Sometimes, we need to take a step away from a bad situation to realize that a wealth of opportunity is at our fingertips. If you need someone to talk with, I'd be happy to let you bend my ear. Don't quit...don't quit...DON'T you DARE freakin' QUIT!!!! OK?

Semper Fi, from a brother Dawg! I'd be shocked if you were not selected. The only thing that might stop you would be some morals issue, which, as a former Marine, most likely isn't an issue! From what I recently learned, 66H is still a critical AOC, so the Army needs you! As for orders, it can take an eternity to be accessed (I think that is the right term; it's Armyspeak for entered into the system). In my case, it took four months. Basically, you don't exist until you are in the system...no ID card, no privileges of any kind. My advice: after you raise your right hand, stay on top of your recruiter to make accession happen. Don't sit around and wait! Don't forget, in the Army the head is where you wear your hat (not to be confused with your cover) , not where you send waste downrange! SF/HOOAH!

Hey Vette: I'm a STRAPper, so I think I can answer your questions! 1) You need to be enrolled at least half time to qualify for the STRAP monthly stipend. I've took summer courses last year to keep the stipend rolling! The courses don't have to be in your curriculum; i.e. electives, etc. are fine. Just be enrolled for at least 6 credit hours, and you'll be good to go! 2) On paper, taking the maximum loan makes sense. But, in actual execution, two problems arise: your school will only let you borrow so much money. You must complete a FAFSA for each academic year, as the loan program is considered 'financial aid.' Your personal resources are factored into how much you are able to borrow. The second issue is that the the HPLP reimbursements are considered taxable income, so chop off anywhere from 28 to 40 percent, depending on your tax bracket. Hope this helps!

Hey Grapeape: I am going to the reserve OBLC in April 2010. While I haven't been through it yet, I know people who have. I am a prior enlisted Marine (OOHRAH!), so my experience level is obviously different than yours. While at SFRR down at Ft. Gillem in February, I asked about OBLC; the following advice was offered: it was recommend that you be physically fit, with an APFT in at least the low 200's. Stamina is always valuable in any military training! Beyond that, get your hands on the Army field manual for Drill and Ceremony. Knowing how to march and execute drill movements will make you stand out among your peers. Most importantly, be MOTIVATED! If you fear something or are weak in an area, seek out a peer who is prior service or appears 'locked on' and ask for help. No one worth serving with/under will refuse you! I'm told that you make friends at OBLC that you keep for life. I'm looking forward to it!