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Jacksonville has an ICU. I don't think Pensacola even has an ER. It's mostly ambulatory surgery.

8+ months is great! Less than a year and a half as a butter bar/ensign. You'll get a raise and promotion at 2 years. I would not live on base but that may be more of a personal preference. I would not live on base, ever. The BAH you'll get will be substantial and if you can find something cheaper (like a roommate scenario) then you'll be pocketing tax free cash. I found a roommate at ODS. The USNS Comfort was canceled the year I was in due to "sequestration" / severe budget cuts in 2013/2014. But my friends went on the Mercy the following year and had a great time. I just did one 3 year tour at Portsmouth and then went to the reserves for 2 years and then resigned my commission. I would do it again but I don't know that I would stay in past a tour unless it was overseas. Nursing is a lucrative career outside of the Navy especially on the west coast. I also met lifelong friends on this website prior to going to ODS, LOL just a heads up. They came in the class after mine and also ended up at the same base.

Welcome to the fleet! Pendleton is a great place to start. Did you get some earned time for already being a nurse? I was a working nurse before I went in and it was great to have a bit of a leg up. Will you be med-surg? I've gotten out but I have friends at Pendleton who live in Oceanside. Let me know what questions you have.

[link removed per TOS, search Facebook for "U.S. Navy Nurse Corps - Official"] Go Team RWB!

Hi Navytamac, 1) No visitors at Navy training. It's only 5-6 weeks long. They are invited to the graduation ceremony at the end. 2) The chances of getting your first pick location depend on what you want. People often go to the big three: San Diego, Bethesda, Portsmouth. But it's based on the needs of the Navy. I lived west coast and requested east coast. I was offered Bethesda, Portsmouth or FT Belvoir. I chose Portsmouth. 3) It is unlikely that you would deploy within your first year aboard. In my experience, people were volunteering for deployment. Most people that deployed wanted to go, many were prior enlisted or had prior nursing experience. 4) I don't know anyone that lived on base. As an officer, you receive housing allowance for off base living. Many Navy hospitals do not have officer housing. 5) Unless you come with nursing experience, expect to be placed where the needs are. For example, if you've been an ICU nurse for 3 years there is a reasonable chance you could be placed in ICU. Otherwise, you can put your request in, but be ready to be placed on a generic med-surg ward. You can usually apply for transfer to another department after 18 months.

As far as I know, as was written in my orders in 2012, you can take up to ten days off between ODS and your duty station but it is earned leave and NOT free house hunting days. People that mixed that up wen in the hole and used leave they hadn't even earned yet. It may have changed now.

Did you have your BSN the whole time? Or did you get it recently? They may not 'count' ADN time. I just got an offer this week for the VA Travel Nurse Corps. I'm a 5 year, RN, BSN, veteran. Nurse II Step Three at $75,900.

Hi there, 1. I tried and did not deploy in my three year tour. Deployments for nurses are mostly: Cuba (6 months), Djibouti (9 months), and Kandahar (9 months). Nurses that went were not 'new' (less than 2 years on board), 3/4 that went requested deployment. Currently a lot of nurses are out on 6 month humanitarian missions on the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy. On my first unit of 5-8 Junior Officer nurses (been in less than 4 years, came and went over time), one person deployed to Cuba. ER and ICU deploy more often and are the only one's eligible for operation billets (last I checked). In the ER we had 1-2 people deployed (9 months) per year, that was out of several JOs (10-15). People who were deployed were not always the highest ranking, most senior, or most qualified. Most wanted to go. Those who didn't, sucked it up. 2. Chances for San Diego first I would say are good. The Navy wants to send new nurses to one of 'the big three:' San Diego, Portsmouth, Bethesda. Your Spanish will most likely only help you in your civilian life. Everyone who joins the Navy must speak English. I did not use any of my Spanish during my career. 3. With your prior experience, if there is a need in the ER, there is a chance you could start there. I would push for it. Sitting on a med-surg unit will not give you as many opportunities as ER or ICU will. It will depend on the base, the Director of Nursing, the needs of the units, etc. When you arrive at your base I recommend being a very squeaky wheel and being aggressive towards voicing your prior experience. With that said, you may still be sent to Med-Surg/Labor and Delivery/Pediatrics, whatever the 'needs of the Navy.' 4. Deployments are '9 months'. Mind you that does not include training before that may not be at your base. That may also not include your tranport to and from. Deployments can always get extended for many many reasons. My friends on the USNS Comfort are working 16 hours a day 7 days a week with a day or half a day off per month. My friend that went to Kandahar had a similar schedule but it was either very slow or very busy. It was different each week. I'm sure everyone's Kandahar experiences are different because the base has changed a lot in the past 5 years. In Cuba you have a regular nursing schedule for the most part, 7 twelve hour shifts over 2 weeks. Hope this helps, again this is in my experience and what I have heard directly from my friends that have deployed in the last 4 years.

Congratulations. No problem. Just sent you a message.

Hello all, I see your comments and have been somewhat avoiding this topic until I'd had some time to reflect. I am currently in the process of tactfully crafting a response to address your questions. Thank you for your interest and patience. Will post soon.

Available for Navy Nurse questions, the application process, the training, and the lifestyle. Just completed a 3 year contract.

Hi HikingNinja, I haven't heard back about the $$$ part yet. They are credentialing me now. They pay all expenses. I'll let you know.

I'm also headed into travel nursing. 5 years of nursing, last was ER. I'm currently considering the VA Travel Nurse Corps. However they want first assignment to be Augusta, Georgia. If I can get west of the Rockies for my first assignment I'll take it. I'm interested in west coast assignments mostly.

Hi Don't Tread On Me, It doesn't matter what you arrive in, just know you will be checking in at the quarterdeck and should be wearing appropriate clothing-no cut-offs, graphic T-shirts, etc. You will be asked to change into 'PT' gear that night to muster, workout shorts/sweats and T shirt. It may be a white T-Shirt you're required to wear and then you will be issued your Navy PT gear the next day. I brought a suitcase of clothes and left it in my car, but you could leave it in the storage locker that is available in King Hall. All my other belongings were shipped in my household goods. I brought with me the only clothes I had for three weeks after arriving at my duty station, wish I had brought more. Pajamas, work out clothes, civilian wear for an earned-liberty-weekend at ODS, and for afterwards when you're settling at your next command. I went to ODS in February where it was freezing and ended up in Virginia in March where I had to go buy shorts and flip flops. Just some things to think about to make the transition smoother. The first first pages of this blog have a lot of information on what to bring. Here is one of my previous posts:

I am not extending. I will be ending my three year contract at Portsmouth Naval. In my ODS class, a prior enlisted nurse went to Guam. They always need people there so if you're will I would voice that.