Roll Call for all Military and VA Nurses and those considering the Service

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As the moderator for this forum ... I am interested to know where everyone is from, their background, branch of service (or VA VISN) and what they like the best about Military or VA Nursing .... this forum generally has some really good traffic, and I would like to pull all of us together and get to know one another a little better. :rolleyes:

Graduating with a BSN in MAy and taking the NCLEX in June.

I've always had an eye on joining the AirForce but was always on the fence because I wasn't sure if I would be able to do the type of nursing I wanted and was concerned about being sent to Iraq.

The lack of jobs in my area though has made it much more appealing. I sent in my info via the airforce website nearly a month ago and just got a canned email response saying that I was a great candidate for the AirForce and to expect to hear from a recruiter "soon!".

Nothing so far. So here I am: 22 year old, healthy, male nurse at the top of his class at an accredited university interested in military service but wondering if he will find a job anywhere!

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Specializes in ER.

Hello, I just commissioned in the Air Force Nurse Corps as an ER RN in February and completed COT on the 10th of this month. I graduated from BSN program last May and began working in a great hospital ER in Chicago. Now I am back in sunny California working in an ER at an Air Force hospital. I guess I loved the military more since I am prior enlisted Navy. I spoke with my recruiter today who informed me that due to nationwide hospital hiring freezes, he and many other recruiters have had a huge influx of new and experienced RNs submitting packages. It is beginning to become more competitive to come in now. I would suggest that if you are truly interested in joining, start your package ASAP. I wouldn't wait for a recruiter to contact you. Look on the Air Force website and look for a health professions recruiter in your area and call them. Be proactive with getting your package together and submitted. Be careful though. Make sure you are working with a health professions recruiter and not a regular enlisted recruiter. There are some recruiters out there who will try to enlist you regardless of whether you are a registered nurse. You want to be commissioned instead. Keep in mind of the prospects of incentive bonus and/or loan repayment as well. The longer you wait, the less chances of receiving a decent bonus if you commission. I will be getting 30,000. Good luck!!!

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finishing up rn school this month and hopefully passing my boards in june. i was in the air force as a medic for 4 1/2 years and am now looking to join back in as a nurse once i finish my bachelor's next year. i loved my experience on the enlisted side and hope to be able to serve as a nurse soon. just curious...for anyone who has gone through the boards process for af nursing...how far in advance do you suggest to start talking to a recruiter?

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hey ciscopatrick!

since you're done with training and actually working in an af hospital now, what are your impressions of it? can you share on the good, the bad, and the ugly? i've gotten all the paperwork from my recruiter and now i'm just trying to decide if this is something i want to do for sure. i'm rather nervous/anxious about the whole thing. was california your first choice for being stationed? have you had a positive experience thus far? i think i'm okay living wherever stateside, it's the deployments i may be unsure about. but then i guess you get support from everyone you work with and then it's not so scary? this is a tough decision for me to make and i just need to make up my mind already! i hear all the stories of people that love af nursing but then there are of course the horror stories about not being able to take leave when you want, etc. are your hours pretty comparable to civilian nurses?

any input would be greatly appreciated as i have almost exhausted all avenues of researching af nursing!!

good luck!!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics.

Hello my name is David and I am prior Navy. I am currently and LPN here in Indiana and am working towards my RN. I was a CNA before I joined the Navy and got suckered into the non designated seaman deal. "Boatswainsmate"... Decided to get back into nursing and have worked my way up the ladder from NA, CNA, Tech in hospital and now LPN. I have Med Surge experience and geriatrics. I am literally going nuts trying to finish this degree. I have had trouble with the TEAS test, particularly the math portion. I know that Navy Nurse Corps is my calling I am just getting frustrated. I have 127 credit hours of college and all my pre-requisites except Chemistry. I am reaching my 36th birthday and would not be able to go general enlisted after that. (with 2yr. waiver for prior service) My hopes are to finish my RN through Ivy Tech Community College here and the transfer to Indiana State University for my BSN. Hope to chat with you all soon!

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Hey David,

Have you utilized the study manual for the TEAS test? It makes life so much simpler. Trying to wing that test without reviewing all those concepts that you have long since forgotten is a tough thing to do, especially without the help of a calculator. If you haven't already, I would definitely say snag a copy from the ATI website or go down to your local library and take out a copy. It is really helpful on the math section. And will probably help you improve your score.

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BSN with prior BA in Anthropology. 4+ years experience in traumatic brain/spinal cord injury, as well as critical care in the civilian world. Working on MPH, considering military (active or reserve) for education benefits. Would like any info available about public health or environmental health in the military.

thanks

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Just got word last week that my application with the USAF Nurse Corps was accepted and I have a COT date of 23 August 2009. I'm going to Wilford Hall at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas to work on their oncology unit (and how that happened I have no idea - I was told to expect a med-surg slot, so I'm ecstatic that I'll essentially be doing there what I'm doing here!).

I have 4 years prior service (which with my inactive time got converted to just shy of six years) and I'm very excited. This whole process was the most taxing thing I've ever done and my DH and I are relieved it's over.

I spent extensive time in San Antonio when I was active and it was either my first or second choice (we can't remember which), so I'm hoping everything else goes as well as the assignment stuff has.

I went through an Accelerated BSN program, and thought I had no time to get anything done, but this is even worse - I have eight weeks - well, really seven, I guess - to get ready and get everything straight to go to Alabama. The process took so long (and the recruiter was, on occasion, so stereotypical) that I'd given up on it and was already planning for grad school as a civilian - so I'm a bit off guard here!

My advice to anyone considering the military for nursing is to BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE. Even with prior service, I was a little too trusting of the system (I know - unbelievable, all you service folks are saying) and I think I could have cut months off this wait by being more proactive. And it's NEVER too early to start feeling out a recruiter.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.

Hello All!

I live in st. Louis, MO and I am an Adult NP(for 4yrs) with a total of 12+ yrs nursing experience. I am going in the Army, acitve duty, as 66H(Med Surg RN) instead of NP(several reasons). I will go in as CPT though. My packet boarded 2 June, I found out I was selected about 9 days later. I commissioned into inactive status 2 days ago. I will now wait for orders which will take about 3 months. My plan is to go to OBLC in March 2010. I am so in love with these boards and only wish I would have found this site a long time ago.

If anyone in the St. Louis area needs a Health care recruiter PM me and I will give you my recruiter's #. Best wishes to all of us !!!!!!!!! HOOAh

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Specializes in CCRN.

Im a 68WM6 (LPN), currently in the Army Reserves and have just finished nursing school (passed my NCLEX a few days ago:yeah:)and will be commissioning soon

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.
Im a 68WM6 (LPN), currently in the Army Reserves and have just finished nursing school (passed my NCLEX a few days ago:yeah:)and will be commissioning soon

CONGRATS !!!!:yeah:

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Specializes in ER/Trauma Administration Geriatrics.

Old old Army Nurse here. I remember when Class B's were cords with gloves lololol If I had it to do over again I'd jump at the chance!!! Of course it was my life for 30 yrs so maybe I'm jaded. Army nursing allowed me to grow within my profession -- have experiences that I would never had if I had stayed at home at the local hospital after graduation -- and meet some wonderful people. Granted not everything was perfect -- but what job is???? If you hated an assignment -- no problem -- in a couple of years you'd PCS and have a new one. No loss of pay or benefits -- no loss of seniority. And yes, there were many times working only 40 hours a week was not an option -- and granted living in a tent in 130 degree weather was not the Hilton -- but if you can survive that you can survive anything.

Military nursing is not for the faint of heart. If you want to clock in at 07 and clock out at 1530 -- not work weekends -- call off at the drop of a hat -- expect OT pay if you work over 40 hours in a week -- stay a civilian nurse. But if you want to learn and grow -- challenge yourself beyond your wildest expectations -- grab your duffle and fly out the door if the call comes -- and then live under primitive conditions -- and say "Yes Sir" when you want to debate the fact -- consider the military.

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