RNburnout

SweettartRN can you PM me with more information about Kaplan. I tried contacted you but it's states your PMs are full

Don't worry I won't be passing mine either. I'm enroute from Indianapolis currently. The fear and excitement is starting hit me! Safe travels everyone

So we have to report on the 23-march but what time? I'm confused?!?!

Got my orders last night in the mail. Felt relieved to know I have them but reality is starting to sink in. Report date in 15 days...yikes!

So yesterday i received an email from an AMEDD recruiter in my area that my actually recruiter has been using as a liason because i am currently on a travel assignment. The email had a file attached to it from the HRC entitled assignment instructions I'm guessing they're orders but it's a pretty PDF-type file i was really expecting something that resembled an old school typed out letter for orders...or i have been watching too much Apocalypse Now ;-) The file was dated 02/25/2011 so someone has has been hanging on to it for a week. The actually email said "call me tomorrow"...i love a man of many words! So i guess i will give a call today and have him help me decipher the alphabet/number soup that may or may not be my orders.

a) yes your enlisted time gets counted towards retirement and if greater than 4yrs it will put you at an O-1e when you commission...puts a lil extra jingle in your pockets than just straight O-1 b) There is a website that states everything you would need to purchase for BOLC http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/obc/ uniform requirment is located in the BOLC information packet link. this will be an out of pocket expense and you will drop like $1000-1500 and the army will pacify you by reimbursing a one time $600 payment...but something is better than nothing. c)nursing school tips...study, dont fall behind, read, when you want to quit or throw spit balls at your instructors back remember the bigger picture...it's just 4 semesters of upper division you can do it. d) not sure about rotc you may be a touch to old...i believe the cut off is 26 but may want to find an amedd recruiter and ask

Is anyone else getting frustrated by the lack of orders 3wks out?

BTW....it say 2010 but it was posted like Dec2010/Jan2011 i believe

I found this on the Army HRC website: NEW: SORT Team Opportunity: Please contact MAJ Richardson for application process. Located at Fort Bragg Applications must be received NLT 15 JAN 2010 COB Must have Chief Nurse endorsement Must be physically eligible and willing to attend ABN School, SERE Training, and multiple deployments This will be filled through a board selection process *It is available for RNs with the a M5 or 8A skill identifier. Not so such what exactly SORT team entails but you must be eligible and willing to attend SERE. Not so sure about SERE training and acceptable starvation for 3wks...emaciated just isnt a good look. But i would love to go airborne.

I will jump on that offer too. My motivation is low when I'm flying solo.

AshleyOT...thanks i will try that. Lunah...im envious! I will turn 27 while there which will put me in a different bracket...you think they will round up my age;-)

Does anyone even have orders yet?....im still waiting. And i have been bugging the snot out of my recruiter so i think he is ignoring me. PT question random thought...so i tested myself and i pass all areas except for the situps. I need to do minimum of like 50 and at 25 my hip flexors feel like theyre tearing. How are you guys preparing for situps?

Don't totally write off nursing. You may have to move somewhere else that has a lower surplus of new grad nurses. Be very persistent. You may need to revise your resume. You may even have to take jobs that dont appeal to you like long term care, night shift, PRN or part time stuff. But it is easier to find a job when you have a job and can list experiences that you have. And if you truely want to be a military nurse be persistent, dont do it soley for the purpose of wanting to obtain a nursing job. I havent actually worked as an Army nurse but i can know that once i start that this commitment will be for greater than my current 36hr a week job. Best wishes!!!

lunah...did that include your blues too?

sooo....my blankie and teddy bear are cool though right? So anyone else out there who wears contact lenses and how are they going to deal with field training? I hear we cant wear them to the field. I am a constant contact wearer and dont know how i am going to handle bright sunlight my pop bottle glasses and no sunglasses. Change subject...i go to get my uniforms next week with a group of folks. What is the running total that you guys are paying out?

Im sorry experienced 66H are limited to these areas

I actually never asked for a prime place. All my request were MEDDACS. I have been in contact MAJ Villacorta. Apparently experienced nurses are being limited to ft Irwin, ft sill, ft Leonard wood, Korea, and Alaska. If you choose Alaska it's considered OCONUS and you forfeit your generic course gaurantee. I picked Korea and was still gauranteed my generic course. The only issue was my husbands chain of command could not guarantee his release from his current assignment in Korea to PCS to Yongsan....so Irwin we go. I don't think it will be as bad as I have preceived it to be. I enjoy outdoors and hiking. I just love shopping just as much. It will be a big change from Chicago to the mojave desert but with the current snow fall and cold here in Chicago I will welcome the heat...just not 120 degrees

So it looks like i will be going to ft irwin...im going to save the tears for later:-(

Possibly...but it is only a 1 year assignment. My contract is for 3 years. I am hoping this fact negates that rule. To my understanding the reason behind this is because it is not cost effective to have a nurse in an OCONUS assignment come back state side for 4 months and then send them back. If i did a 1 yr tour in korea came back i would still have time to take my course and still have more than the mimimum 1 yr utilization tour required after the course. My wish/hope is that the army is not so obstinate they ignore my rational...we will see. I just CANNOT live in ft irwin, CA or ft. lost-in-the-woods, MO.

I really wouldnt mind living in Alaska i hear it is very pretty there during the summer you just have to muscle through the winters. But Alaska isnt a viable option for me because it would mean i forfeit my gauranteed course selection...something i REALLY REALLY want. Usually an OCONUS assignment means you forfeit your GCS but I am going to ask if it is just a year will i loose my option of attending. My husband is already in Korea for a 12mth assignment this is why he is annoyed that i am leaning towards a Korea, he is ready to be back state side. I am just thinking that it is only one year, come back take my gauranteed course and better assignment. That is just my ideal way of thinking but apparently the needs of the Army come first.

Email message from Major Villacorta today... Presently, the locations available for Medsurg nurses with experience are the following: - Fort Leonardwood, MO (2 year assignment) - Fort Fort Sill, OK. (2 year assignment) - Fort Irwin, CA (2 year assignment) - Korea (1 year assignment) - Alaska (3 year assignment) ****I could cry!!! They are all located in the middle of no where and are like 25-50 bed facilities. I may just choose Korea because it is only one year and I get to experience another country for a short duration. And hopefully by the time i get back i can take my GCS. Husband is super duper annoyed at me...oh well. At least i know that i will be in the March BOLC

Did you get orders! If so do you mind telling your duty station?

i think there is a couple of folks who want ft carson...its a smaller facility though and its a MEDDAC. The mountains and colorado springs are very pretty though and all the horseback riding, white water rafting and hiking a person can handle 8-D

Has anyone heard/received orders yet? I need to sign another contract to stay at my current travel assignment. The contract would take me through March into April and I am concerned of the legal ramifications if I get orders for BOLC in march. Comments, thoughts, opinions?....can there even be legal issues if these are government orders? I know if I wanted to end my contract myself I can be fined but unsure if I can be if I have the DOD to blame.

I have been calling my recruiter for 2 weeks now with no answer. The recruiter that assisted me signing my contract 2 states over, because I am on a travel assignment, has talked to me more than he has. I am getting a little antsy. I need to keep working but I am worried about signing another contract and the legal ramifications that would be involved with breaking it due to orders. It would just be nice to know. Also my husband would like to know his orders too since they will change due to me. UGH....dont like not knowing where I will be calling home by the end of the year! Well i sort of do that now but...it's just different.