RN to CRNA through the military

zack1a · Apr 21, 2010

As a nursing student, a 6 year veteran of the Army National Guard, and a former recruiter, I think I can help.

1. The guard is great if you want free college (in some states), extra money while going to school, or simply want to serve. I will tell you, however, that it is not free money, you will earn it. Disadvantages, your drill weekends will always seem to interfere with your plans and you can count on having to deal with a few unsavory people throughout your career.

2. When I was a recruiter I would get this question a lot and my answer was always, yes, count on being deployed. Will everyone that joins be deployed? No, but it's better to count on it than to be surprised when you get called up. You have to understand that they are paying you to goto school so you will be an asset to the organization and what good is the investment if they never use it?

3. Although, they vary by state, there are many financial benefits to joining the National Guard. First, in many states, college tuition is paid 100%, in addition some states will cover up $50,000 in student loans you already have. You will qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill which is a tax free monthly stipend that can range from $350-$1500 depending on contracts and service record. Also, you will get paid for your one weekend drill which varies by your rank and time in service. There are also bonuses available depending on the needs of the Army that can reach up to $20,000. Beyond that, after you graduate, there are bonuses availabe for health care professionals.

4. When you join the National Guard you will sign a 6 year contract and you will be obligated to attend your monthly drill and 2 week annual training each year. You can, in most cases, transfer to another branch of the military if you wanted to go active duty Army or another branch, i.e Airforce, Navy, ect. You will, however, be obligated to complete your six years one way or another.

5. You don't get to choose your destination as it is determined by your unit. Everything is paid for by your unit and you will get paid for the 15 days you are there. As for destination you could end up anywhere really, depending on your units funding, you could end up at a base down the road or in Hawaii. I've done both.

Making the decision to join would take the financial burdeon of school off your family, but keep in mind they are not going to be able to go with you to your training stations. As long as you are ok with being separated then you should be fine. Also, if the benefits in your state aren't as great as others consider moving, if possible. This is something you can do after you join, but make sure you check out all your options.

There is a military school, but you can go to a regular college and probably get through it faster. The Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences is three months longer than some programs, but I think you can get a sponsorship where they will give you room and board. Keep in mind though, in many states, loans you take out for school exspenses will be repaid up to $50,000, should you choose to reenlist for another 6 years. You can use this money for room and board if you play your cards right.

This is a good start for you, but if you have any other questions let me know.

***Not all student loans are eligible for repayment, for example they won't pay for private loans. Make sure you show your recruiter your promisary notes before you make any decisions.

Hope this helps,

Zack