"Are you serious?!"

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Specializes in Neuro/Trauma, 66H.

After some sulking and feeling bad for myself over all the changes in requirements, and finding out i was ineligible to apply for active duty army.. i decided to go ahead and try my luck at getting a foot in the door through the reserves. I can't say i was really expecting too much, at the time of the board i only had 7 months experience and no certs outside of good ol' BLS. But i work in neuro/trauma and had a couple really good evals and letters, and a letter from a retired army nurse thrown in there. So i submitted everything and forgot about the whole thing because i didn't want to be as disappointed as i was last year. BUT.. two weeks ago I got a call from my recruiter to tell me I had been selected for commission :w00t:!! I was in a state of shock and awe and had to keep asking if he was really serious lol. I'm extremely excited to say the least and i'm going to take everything i possibly can from this experience. And, when the time comes and i'm eligible, i'll hope to be joining the rest of you in active duty! No word yet on when i'll sign papers or do my commissioning. So in the meantime i'm still waiting for something to remind me that this is all real!

Until then, i guess its time to put myself to the grind and lose my last couple pounds and make some improvements to my PT..

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Congratulations!!!! and Thank You for your service!!!! My prayers for you to remain safe!

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Good luck to you.

By the way, even if you went into the active Army, your commission would still have been through the Army Reserve. Active Army commissions rarely go to anyone other than Military Academy (West Point) grads along with some but not all the grads from a handful of other military schools such as the Citadel, VMI (the "West Point" of the South - set up after the Civil War to help prevent another one) and oddly, tiny Norwich University in VT.

"Lead by Example!"

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Chuckster, what about direct commissions? That is a very common way for medical personnel to go active.

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What do you mean commission goes through the reserves? I'm AF medical for 14 years and this is a new one so I'd like to learn more. Most AF medical are commissioned straight out of their program, head to COT and commissioned... I know of very few medical officers that ever go through any military academy and our reserves are completely seperate. Lemme know! Tks!!

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Except for a few exceptions, OFFICERS in all branches have a bachelor's degree of some sort. I am now retired from US Army but started as Flight Nurse with Air Force Reserves as in the old days, single parents, married women were not allowed to serve active duty but could be in Reserves.

Requirements change according to the needs of the service which also translate to war time versus peace time and who is President and who is Congress. There are big variables. With a decree in the number of forces in all branches there will be a decrease in the need for medical assets. Military nursing is NOT the same as civilian. I recently got a post card that the Army was giving some huge bonuses for about 5 specialties. DANG, even though I have 2-3 of those specialties, I am not eligible as I am retired. However, I was fortunate enough to spend my last 7 years in Special Operations Reserve Unit with deployment to Iraq 2003 where I used pretty much everything I ever learned in life.

New grads have always been accepted as med surg nurses so not sure why Reserves would accept but Active would not unless: 1. there were no openings or 2. the pay was not what acceptable. New grad nurses in the Army do not make as much as in the civilian world. BUT later on, the advantages far out weigh civilian ones.

The physical training is something that was a pain the butt but I was still passing for my age group at age 59 so it is not bad when I look at my civilian contemporaries.

Military life is NOT for everyone. Joining the Reserves can give one a taste without being totally overwhelmed.

During Viet Nam there was a waiting list of nurses wanting to go to Viet Nam. Nurse are hard workers. They need to stop the petty bickering, be honest and caring with everyone they come into contact, including other nurses, with and do the best job they know how.

There is an old saying from the 1970s: Nurses eat their young. You don't see other professions acting that way. Wish I knew why.

Take advantage of what is offered, whether civilian or military. Always treat others are you would want to be treated.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

The AF did away with the reserve commissions for active duty officers a few years back. I am not sure about the other services though.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
ah;6023639']After some sulking and feeling bad for myself over all the changes in requirements, and finding out i was ineligible to apply for active duty army.. i decided to go ahead and try my luck at getting a foot in the door through the reserves. I can't say i was really expecting too much, at the time of the board i only had 7 months experience and no certs outside of good ol' BLS. But i work in neuro/trauma and had a couple really good evals and letters, and a letter from a retired army nurse thrown in there. So i submitted everything and forgot about the whole thing because i didn't want to be as disappointed as i was last year. BUT.. two weeks ago I got a call from my recruiter to tell me I had been selected for commission :w00t:!! I was in a state of shock and awe and had to keep asking if he was really serious lol. I'm extremely excited to say the least and i'm going to take everything i possibly can from this experience. And, when the time comes and i'm eligible, i'll hope to be joining the rest of you in active duty! No word yet on when i'll sign papers or do my commissioning. So in the meantime i'm still waiting for something to remind me that this is all real!

Until then, i guess its time to put myself to the grind and lose my last couple pounds and make some improvements to my PT..

Congratulations sa[RN]ah! I was in the same situation as you. I had applied for the new grad program with the Air Force and wasn't selected. Then, I planned on going Army just to find out the new requirements were a min of 2 years. I was selected for army reserve and was sworn in on Dec 7, and am now awaiting orders. When I get my experience up, I hope to try for active duty as well.

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Specializes in Neuro/Trauma, 66H.

Spencerma2- the Army recently changed requirements for active duty nursing.. they require 2 years of experience now so thats why i was unable to get in as a new grad. Reserves though still has the same requirment of 6 months..

mmcgorrian- congrats to you as well! I remember reading in another thread that you were in the same boat.. glad to hear this route worked out for you too. I'm hoping to swear in soon.. still no word from my recruiter. Since i found out so close to christmas i knew it would take a little longer for everything to be finalized and what not.. so with all the holidays being over i'm hoping to know something soon. Who knows, maybe I'll be seeing you at OBLC :]

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Chuckster,

Actually the law was changed in 2005 or 2006 and now requires all active duty officers to hold Regular Army Commissions. You are correct that at one time the Army did have 2 classes of commissioned officers Regular and Reserve. Congress changed the law to ensure that all Active Duty officers were given Regular Army Commissions. Below is an excerpt of the AR 601-100 dated November 2006

AR 601–100Appointment of Commissioned and Warrant Officers in the Regular ArmyThis major revision, dated 21 November 2006--o Has been completely revised to meet the mandate of an All-Regular Army ActiveDuty Force, which required all commissioned officers (basic branches and

special branches) to be appointed as Regular Army officers

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Specializes in ED, Long-term care, MDS, doctor's office.

Congratulations & Good Luck...Thank you for your service to our country:)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

sa[RN]ah, I am so excited for you! I know how badly you wanted this. Yay! Congrats!!!

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