rcjohnis

I'm going in December, bummer. Ryan

goldensfo, make sure you are looking at the electronic version of regulations at http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis it supersedes all others (ex. Working Khakis were phased out on 01 August 2009). Some uniforms have gone away. Get in touch with someone (preferably another PHS officer) at the facility you will be working at to find out who is the local uniform authority and what is the stardard uniform of the day. I have a set of Service Dress Blues, two sets of Summer Whites, and 3 sets of coveralls (a uniform only authorized for wear in some BOP facilities and when deployed on board Navy vessels) but usual wear the coveralls. I have not bought the BDUs or Service Khakis but those are required per regulations. Ryan

I graduated in April of this year and pass the NCLEX in June. I put in my application to the PHS in Janurary. The PHS is fairly slow to work on your application until you have agency that will put in orders (a 1662) to hire you. Yes, agencies will not do that until you have a license but they will talk to you before your licensed. It took from June to August to get orders. Ask questions about the area your looking at and if they currently have or have they had PHS RNs. Make sure the agency knows you are a PHS applicant, there are different hiring rules if your PHS over being a cilivian. Many of the IHS agency are pretty remote so think about that. There are more benefits available to you if you are stationed near a military base (shopping tax free on base, easier medical care, reduced prices for groceries, gas, and household goods,...). By being proactive I mean check on the status of things by asking questions of PHS and the agency that is offering you a job (ask about orders, what comes next, is there anything you need to get people...), otherwise things will not happen very fast. You have to be your own human resources department, PHS and agencies are both busy and you can fall in the crackes if you don't ask questions. Read this all of this thread too so that you get a better idea of what others have asked and questions they asked. Ryan Ryan

Congrats goldenfo Congrats BSN317 cutiepie- be very pro active and the process will be smoother and quicker. Start looking for a position now! Read previous posts in this thread for background and ask questions here and of PHS when they contact you. I got a sign on bonus and a monthly assignment bonus here at the BOP in Tucson. update for me- started working Aug 12 at the BOP in Tucson. There are some great prices in the housing market down here and I should be closing on a house this month. There are now 5 PHS nurses (I'm the only PHS male RN but there is a cilivian male RN here too) here, it is great to have others to learn PHS, BOP, and Nursing from. The Air Force base is nice and on my way to work, but they don't know what to make of me in uniform when I go on base. There are still RN (5 more) openings here if you want to make the move to a dry and warm climate. Write me back for hiring contacts if your interested. Ryan

I was enlisted in the Navy till 2004 and the Navy Personnel Command (NPC) still had my records rather than the National Archives that the CC had me contact. The good news is that the National Archives forwarded my request to the NPC and I got the records that were required. You might be able to get your NCLEX test results from Pearson-Vue online or by calling their customer service. The CC took my test results that I printed off the Pearson-Vue website as proof. Being prior military, make sure you send in a copy of your DD-214 if you have not already and you need to get a Statement of Service from the Army. (Being that I was Navy I have no idea how you would get that, I got mine from the NPC.) If you serviced under 8 years you will also need a release of service for your inactive reserve time left, if any, from the Army.

In Washington State a person can go online and verify one's license and print out that verification. I did that and the CC used that printout as verification. Check to see if you have online RN verification in your State.

Sorry, I'm making it sound worse than it is. I had a special situation that most will not have. The BOP is more responsive than the CC. The warden has to sign the 1662 then it is sent to the Central Office for procecssing then to the CC. The Central Office had my 1662 to the CC in a day. When you talk with HR at the BOP facility call it Call to Active Duty Orders or a start date request. I think the benefits of getting the commission will far outweigh the hassle of getting it.

goldensfo, make sure that you follow up at every step, ask "Is there anything you need from me?, Is there anything missing? It was 2 or 3 weeks after they received my 1662 that I got my orders, but I had to ask about everything. I was prior enlisted Navy and my Statement of Service was never received and I did not know about it for the first 4 months of the process. It would have held up my orders if I did not ask about it. Keep a copy of everything you send to the CC. Ask the HR person at BOP when your 1662 made it into the Office of Commissioned Corp Operations and then add a several business days for internal processing, it takes time.

Got my orders and I'm in Tucson now looking at houses. I start at FCC Tucson next Monday (I drove down way early).

goldensfo, Yes you have to send them a copy of your license and a copy of the NCLEX passing certificate, congrats on passing. There will be an investigation for the BOP and one for the CC. You have to fill out paperwork for both. Do you have all the medical requirements in? Do you have all the board requirements in? You have to click on the individual tabs to make sure all the requirements are met. Find out who your CAM is and call that person. It is a long slow proccess. You have to be proactive!!!!!! to get anything done. Think like you are your only HR person with the CC. If BOP sent in your request for orders you will be put in the urgent catergory, meaning they will begin looking at your application seriously now. Do you know when BOP wants you to start? Slavicnurse, Congrats!, be proactive and call your CAM to find out the next step.

Hey everyone, My security, medical, and board are now complete. I was told that my orders will be cut this Monday and I should recieve them on Tuesday. Whew that was not easy. Be persistant, call, ask what you need to do to make the next step happen or it won't happen. Tucson or bust... Ryan

Chesrae did SRCOSTEP maybe they can help you.

That is great SlavicNurse. Sorry I can't help with talking to someone, I did not do SRCOSTEP.

Chesrae, I have been speaking with an officer in the Divison of CC Assignments, my old CAM's voive mail gave me a name to contact. I just checked again today (3rd time) and the MIS website shows that my Board is completed. Sounds promising. Where did you get your nametags and uniforms?

goldensfo, It sounds like we are in the same boat.