Pros/Cons of Army Reserves, Anyone?

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Hi, I'm a nursing student (graduating in '08) and have begun considering joinging the reserves. I've talked with a recruiter on-line some, but have some questions for those who have experienced being a nurse in the Army Reserves. What did you like/not like about the Reserves? Would you recommend the Reserves to a new grad? Were you ever called up? Any other info you can supply would be helpful. :)

Noel Christine

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Well, my doctor just resigned his commission because he was not willing to be activated every two years, as is being done now.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hi, I'm a nursing student (graduating in '08) and have begun considering joinging the reserves. I've talked with a recruiter on-line some, but have some questions for those who have experienced being a nurse in the Army Reserves. What did you like/not like about the Reserves? Would you recommend the Reserves to a new grad? Were you ever called up? Any other info you can supply would be helpful. :)

Noel Christine

Hello,

I have just been accepted to the active duty Army but, have heard mixed reviews. Most people I have encountered absolutely love working in the military and then there are people who left due to family ties.

I see you are considering the Reserves rather than Active duty. Have you looked into the ROTC programs at all? Since you still have two years towards graduation you may also qualify for the Army Nurse Candidate program which gives you a bonus of 10K right now, a monthly stipend and also a bonus upon graduation, (if your school does not have ROTC then you might qualify for ANC).

Good luck with your choice,

Gen

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Hello,

I have just been accepted to the active duty Army but, have heard mixed reviews. Most people I have encountered absolutely love working in the military and then there are people who left due to family ties.

I see you are considering the Reserves rather than Active duty. Have you looked into the ROTC programs at all? Since you still have two years towards graduation you may also qualify for the Army Nurse Candidate program which gives you a bonus of 10K right now, a monthly stipend and also a bonus upon graduation, (if your school does not have ROTC then you might qualify for ANC).

Good luck with your choice,

Gen

Hi Gen,

My school is a small diploma school so no ROTC, and since I'll only have my RN and not my BSN I will not be eligible for active duty. However, from what I've heard from the recruiter, it looks like the military will be very willing to assist me financially in getting my BSN (I had plans of getting it anyway eventually). :)

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hi Gen,

My school is a small diploma school so no ROTC, and since I'll only have my RN and not my BSN I will not be eligible for active duty. However, from what I've heard from the recruiter, it looks like the military will be very willing to assist me financially in getting my BSN (I had plans of getting it anyway eventually). :)

Hello,

Ah, good thing the Army recognized diploma for Reserves! Good luck! You can still come in with the LPN and work toward the RN completion OR go in as a Army Nurse Candidate, while working towards your RN completion. AT least, I think you could?

The Army Nurse Candidate program is for students who are in a school that does not have ROTC and for students in their last two years towards the BSN, (which, this would be you upon completion of your LPN, right?)

Good luck,

Gen

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Hello,

Ah, good thing the Army recognized diploma for Reserves! Good luck! You can still come in with the LPN and work toward the RN completion OR go in as a Army Nurse Candidate, while working towards your RN completion. AT least, I think you could?

The Army Nurse Candidate program is for students who are in a school that does not have ROTC and for students in their last two years towards the BSN, (which, this would be you upon completion of your LPN, right?)

Good luck,

Gen

I'm in a RN diploma program. It's my understanding that I could join the Reserves as an officier, and that they would assist me in getting my BSN so I would be of more use to them. :)

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Bump, Can anyone else share their thoughts?

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Glad to hear you are considering the armed forces. I have joined two separate services (USCG and USAF) and considered the reserves on both occasions. To me it seemed the reserves were the worst of both worlds, let me explain.

When you go active duty, the pay and benefits are ample to live on. Housing, health care and food are provided. It is comforting knowing your dependents are taken care of and your job is there when you return from deployment.

When you go reserves the pay while drilling is not enough to live on, medical is only provided when you are drilling/deployed, and sooner or later you are going overseas any way. You still need a full time job to provide health care, housing and food. All the while you are required to keep your weight down and stay in shape (which you should be doing anyway).

To me the reserves seemed like part time pay/benefits for full time work.

I am in no way trying to put down the reserves nor discourage anyone from going that route, just giving my view point.

Best of luck

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

I never really thought of it that way. I didn't realize that you didn't get benefits when you were drilling/deployed. That's a big thing. Thanks for the info.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Glad to hear you are considering the armed forces. I have joined two separate services (USCG and USAF) and considered the reserves on both occasions. To me it seemed the reserves were the worst of both worlds, let me explain.

When you go active duty, the pay and benefits are ample to live on. Housing, health care and food are provided. It is comforting knowing your dependents are taken care of and your job is there when you return from deployment.

When you go reserves the pay while drilling is not enough to live on, medical is only provided when you are drilling/deployed, and sooner or later you are going overseas any way. You still need a full time job to provide health care, housing and food. All the while you are required to keep your weight down and stay in shape (which you should be doing anyway).

To me the reserves seemed like part time pay/benefits for full time work.

I am in no way trying to put down the reserves nor discourage anyone from going that route, just giving my view point.

Best of luck

Hello, thank you for your insight. I hadn't thought about that aspect of the Reserves.

ChristineN

(formerly Noelchristine) :)

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello everyone and Happy New Year

Just saw this thread. Why don't you call up your local health care recruiter and ask for permission to check out the Reserve Unit while they are at their BA (Battle Assembly). Then maybe you could get the chance to ask a few questions. I know at my TPU many of the Reservists there are prior enlisted or are about to go "Green to Gold".

Unfortunately, there aren't enough AC Soldiers to continue the Mission, so the Government is looking for more Reserve Soldiers and Officers to (back)fill the void. Just remember, though, that in the near future OBC will be ten weeks long, instead of the usual two weeks (which is a good thing, IMHO) too much info crammed into two weeks. More time for field tx etc.

OR is there a ROTC in your university or college? Maybe you could hang out and ask them a few questions about life in the Army.

Either way, good luck with your decisions.

Have a Great Army Day!

athena

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