Questions on going from civilian to nurse-Army, Navy, Air Force

lifeafter40 · Sep 9, 2009

I have been out of the Army for a long time now, but I don't see the Army paying to put you through Medic school then sticking you in the Artillery. That would require an MOS school also. Now that is not to say that once you get to your duty station that you will not do some time in the motor pool, or some other duty than being a medic, but it would only be temporary...you WILL be a medic.

As far as recruiters go...you always have to be careful...what they imply and what is actually going to happen can be two different things. also be aware that any program that they say you can do after you enlist... is ALWAYS a maybe. You have to apply and often be recommended for those programs, and there are lots of others who are trying to go those routes also. That is not to say that you can't do it, but there is also the chance that you will not be allowed into the program. (and it could be as simple as being stationed overseas, or getting deployed and not being eligible during those times.

get the facts, and then get them again. Nothing wrong with enlisting... but there are other programs to get you through Nursing school, or at least help out along the way... have you looked into ROTC? that is a great option... for those who are young enough

Good luck, and i am sure someone else will chime in with more and better answers to your questions.

LA40

mebamy · Sep 9, 2009

I have been out of the Army for a long time now, but I don't see the Army paying to put you through Medic school then sticking you in the Artillery. That would require an MOS school also. Now that is not to say that once you get to your duty station that you will not do some time in the motor pool, or some other duty than being a medic, but it would only be temporary...you WILL be a medic.
As far as recruiters go...you always have to be careful...what they imply and what is actually going to happen can be two different things. also be aware that any program that they say you can do after you enlist... is ALWAYS a maybe. You have to apply and often be recommended for those programs, and there are lots of others who are trying to go those routes also. That is not to say that you can't do it, but there is also the chance that you will not be allowed into the program. (and it could be as simple as being stationed overseas, or getting deployed and not being eligible during those times.
get the facts, and then get them again. Nothing wrong with enlisting... but there are other programs to get you through Nursing school, or at least help out along the way... have you looked into ROTC? that is a great option... for those who are young enough
Good luck, and i am sure someone else will chime in with more and better answers to your questions.
LA40

Thanks for the response. I didn't think that sounded right either. I've tried to get some information on ROTC but from what little I have been able to gather it sounds like you have to be accepted into the school and attending for a year before you can apply? None of the recruiters can give me any solid facts though on ROTC since it's totally separate from them. Shoot, they can't give me straight facts on nursing for active duty apparently! With my money situation as it is that is the reason why I am looking to enlist in the first place. I just don't see how it will be possible to attend a university nursing program (or even community college for that matter) otherwise unless the ROTC info I was given was totally off. I do know for any university I am going to have to take alot of prerequisites I haven't taken yet. Although I almost completed an LVN course (1 semester shy), those classes aren't transferable to RN courses since they are abbreviated and not exactly the same course. Which would mean it would take me a couple years to get those pre-reqs completed while I am working full time. And I figured that's a couple years I could be getting the hands on training and education for free with active enlistment. I'm open to suggestions though if anyone sees something I'm missing! :)

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2009

You need to talk to Health Profession Accessions recruiters, who can give you accurate information on programs that already exist to put you through nursing school and THEN give you a commission, without having to enlist first.

You also should directly call each branch's ROTC detachment at a university - ANY university - because enlisted accessions recruiters aren't going to know anything about ROTC.

If you enlist first and then try to apply to commissioning programs, you run the risk of it taking YEARS to get your degree, and you may find that you can't even get a slot into a program for a multitude of reasons that are nearly impossible to determine at this point.

Again - you need health professions accession recruiters, not the enlisted accessions folks that are in a shopping mall. AND you need to contact ROTC detachments directly.

Sgaik · Oct 29, 2009

If you want to be a Nurse, the fastest way is to go to school and take on loans. I was Air Force for 8 years and had to leave the service to get the classes I needed to become a Nurse, working 50-60 hours a week is not conducive to Nursing School at all. There are programs that the Air Force offer to enlisted to become a Nurse, but they are highly competitive, and you have to have the pre-reqs for Nursing school done, and be accepted into a Nursing school... I could never find the time to get the classes and most colleges that were near did not offer the pre-reqs for nursing. I am an RN BSN now and I have been shopping Services ( Navy and Air Force mainly) Air Force is better quality of life of all the branches BAR NONE ask any military person.

When I was going through school I know the Navy offers I believe it is up to a 3 year scholarship ( 1000 dollars a month) and like 10,000 dollars cash if you sign the dotted line. The Air Force never really came to my college. If you want to be a RN don't go enlisted at all, your wasting your time. Go to school then go military. The signon bonus for the navy, Air Force and the Army is 30,000 dollars ( I believe) for a 4 year commitment. There are various other sign on bonuses for varying lengths and amounts, and I want to say that one is for 6 years and 20,000 cash and up to like 100,000 student loan repayment... can't beat it spoon!

hope this helps

NursePamela · Oct 30, 2009

Ditto CarolinaPooh and Sgaik. With all the deployments and the mission comes first - NO ONE can guarantee you a nursing degree. If you really want to be the nurse - be the nurse first then go military.

Good Luck!

my_purpose · Aug 7, 2010

Hi all, I posted here a few months back with questions on enlisting with intentions of getting my nursing license while on active duty. I have talked to recruiters from Air Force, Army, and Navy today and am feeling thoroughly confused and seem to be getting conflicting information so I wanted to ask questions of those who are living it. :)
The Army is the only one who can guarantee I will even go in under a medical field MOS (68W). The Army Sergeant stated that he may even be able to get the M6 as part of my contract at MEPS through some connections he has at the base here in TX all Army medical personnel train at. I was skeptical of this but he said if they can't offer it to me at MEPS, then don't swear in or sign anything and come home and he'll work on it. So by the end of the day I was leaning towards Army. However an old friend of mine who is an AF recruiter, not the one I dealt with today, just told me to be very careful with the Army. That just because I am guaranteed the training doesn't mean I will have that job at the end of the day. For example when I get to my field station they could say they had to many medics and they want me to be an artillery mechanic until a medic spot opens up. Because (according to him) with Army you are a soldier first, then your job. So any army medics or nurses is there any truth to this? Both what my friend is telling me and also the possibility of being guaranteed a M6 education on enlistment?
As for Air Force, badly conflicting info. The recruiter today tells me that they will send me to school as my full time job for nursing but I have to be enlisted for 3 years before I can apply for that. I believe he said it was OCS but I'm not certain because my brain is mush at this point. I am certain he said 3 years though. He says they can't guarantee a medical MOS either. My AF recruiter friend says he must be new because you only have to be at your first duty station to apply for the nursing program or for officer. So to my Air Force nurses, which is it? I am hesitant to enlist with either AF or Navy if I won't know my job until I'm in and could wind up pushing papers for the next 4 years. I asked to talk to a medical recruiter for better and more definite info but was told they are only for those applicants with a medical degree already. Hmph.
And last but not least, Navy. This recruiter didn't tell me much. Said they also can't guarantee a medical MOS and I wouldn't know until I was in whether I would be a corpsman or a paper pusher. He stated I could apply for a Seaman to Admiral program with recommendation. Navy nurses how difficult is this to get into and are there any other routes for someone starting from scratch. My guy didn't seem to have a lot of info.
Thanks guys and I really really appreciate any responses. I'm trying to make the best well informed choice I can.

I agree, go to school first and then to the military. I considered the NCP in the Navy, but after doing more research, I found out that that the benefit is greater if you go after school. The NCP is: $10k bonus and $1k/month up to 24 months. After school, they pay a sign on bonus of $20k and student loans up to 40k.