Starting BSN program. Navy and Air Force Reserve questions

Hannah25 · Mar 12, 2010

I graduated a year ago and just commissioned into the navy reserves nurse corps.

I researched joining the air force reserves as well, but the nearest air force reserve unit was in another state. They did offer an incentive of $20000 but their bonuses depend on if that particular unit needs nurses. So a medical unit in one city may offer a bonus, but not offer one in another medical unit 60 miles away.

The navy reserves didn't offer a bonus at all, but that is what i chose to do because I love caring for our troops and their families.

If you have a specialty, then that's a different story. A specialty requires you to work so many hours in an area they have a need for. For instance Critical care, if you work a couple years in an ICU then you may qualify for a specialty bonus in the navy reserves.

I didn't have the experience required for that.

If you really want money for school then the army may be the best option, especially if you have a specialty. They offer $30,000 bonus plus loan repayment. But there are other factors that I took into account (I'm prior service army reserve medic).

Your deployment for instance.

In the army it's likely to be Iraq or Afghanistan 12-18 months. That gets old! (Not to say I didn't love my experience in iraq, it was awesome, but after a few months, i really missed home!).

In the navy reserves the iraq and Afghanistan deployments are out there but there is a bigger variety of possible locations throughout the world for a navy deployments, and the deployments are likely to be less than 12 months at a time.

The air force is a little more likely to do a tour in iraq/Afghanistan, but their deployments are more like 4-6 months. My boyfriend is an air force pilot and said in Balad, Iraq he has seen air force nurses working with the army nurses. When i was working there, there were only army nurses.

Which brings me to another consideration. What type of nursing care do want to deliver to the troops? If you want war stories and to care for soldiers in the first critical hours then the army is the best option.

So far I really like the navy reserves. I will leave for DCOIC soon. (two week officer training school). It's in rhode island. If you chose to join the navy reserves you would have a year to schedule you DCOIC class. Once that's done you can deploy, The way it seems to me is there are optional deployments all over the world and every once in while there are required deployments.

I hope i answered some of your questions:)

tkuypers · Mar 13, 2010

Thank you for the reply. That did answer a lot of my questions. In my head, I was thinking I would join the reserves and work one weekend a month and 2 weeks a year and then go back to school for my CRNA schooling. In reality, it seems more like I will be deployed and work overseas for up to a year.

I guess that is what I was looking for is what I can expect. I know that nothing is written in stone but it seems almost everyone gets deployed and maybe not the best idea with a new wife at home. I respect all of those that go this route buy maybe it's not for me!

Thanks again,

Britt7 · Mar 21, 2010

So do most or all of the Navy reserve nurses get deployed for an extended period of time? I saw that single parents can join the reserves. I am a single mom and was looking into the Navy reserves. My dream was to join AD but then I got pregnant. I thought maybe the reserves would be a compromise...but I doubt I am mentally strong enough to leave my daughter for a year.

Hannah25 · Mar 21, 2010

In my unit the deployments are mostly voluntary but you have to deploy sometime. It looks bad for your career if you don't. You can request to be put on a deployment. There are 2 major deployments right now in the navy reserves for nurses. One year in Kandahar, Afghanistan and 8mo-1 year Landstuhl, Germany. The have deployments pop up periodically. Like with the Haiti crisis, nurses and medical staff in the reserves "back-filled" the hospitals they were attatched to so those sailors could deploy to haiti. They also asked for a few reservists to go. That can be like a 30 day deployment. So pretty much you can do short deployments, but sometime you really need to do a big deployment for your career. You would have to have someone who could care for your child while you are deployed. If you don't have anyone to do that then I don't know how well the navy reserves would work out.

Britt7 · Mar 22, 2010

Thank you for the info! My parents have really stepped up to help out with everything....even offering to adopt her when I was unsure about what to do. I know I could count on them to take custody or whatever while I went. Maybe when she is much older? Is there an age limit on joining the Navy reserve? I am 23 right now and will be starting my 16 month BSN program in the fall.

Hannah25 · Mar 22, 2010

There is an age limit but its like 40 or something. I'm not sure. A navy recruiter could give this info, but be sure you talk to an officer recuiter. They are the experts on commissioning. When you do join the reserves you commander will likely not want you to deploy for year so you can learn the ropes. Of corse, nothing is written in stone with the military.

lula2000 · Jun 27, 2010

Hi.. been thinking about joining the navy reserve as nurse am married with two beautiful girls, I've read on it a lot about the deployment and stuff I find a webside that says being a reservist there's a two years that you go without being deploy as part of they agreement am not realy worried about being deployed i know about the one weekend a month thing and the two weeks and the possibiity of getting deploy for a year or more what am trying to find out is say i get deploy to germany or japan or somewhere out of the country(not included the war zones) being a married navy reserve can my family come with, please i would realy love to know from someone with who's going through that or have very knowledgeable information on what am talking about thanks.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2010

According to the Army RNs on here, they're doing six month deployment rotations, not a year.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2010

There is an age limit but its like 40 or something. I'm not sure. A navy recruiter could give this info, but be sure you talk to an officer recuiter. They are the experts on commissioning. When you do join the reserves you commander will likely not want you to deploy for year so you can learn the ropes. Of corse, nothing is written in stone with the military.

Be sure you talk to a Navy Health Professions Recruiter, not just an officer recruiter. Even when I was thinking about Navy Reserves I had to call a Reservist Health Professions Recruiter myself.

just_cause, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2010

Hi.. been thinking about joining the navy reserve as nurse am married with two beautiful girls, I've read on it a lot about the deployment and stuff I find a webside that says being a reservist there's a two years that you go without being deploy as part of they agreement am not realy worried about being deployed i know about the one weekend a month thing and the two weeks and the possibiity of getting deploy for a year or more what am trying to find out is say i get deploy to germany or japan or somewhere out of the country(not included the war zones) being a married navy reserve can my family come with, please i would realy love to know from someone with who's going through that or have very knowledgeable information on what am talking about thanks.

germany / japan is not a deployment but rather a duty assignment and yes family could go... but you should really look at where the navy hospitals are located as that is the highest density of nurses and the highest likelyhood of where a nurse would find him/herself.

rhino911 · Jun 30, 2010

Tim and Hannah -

I too and looking to join either the Navy or AF Reserves. I will graduate with a BSN next July and would love to join either branch. Hannah, have you enjoyed the Navy Reserve? Are there any opportunities to become a flight nurse? And Tim, I too would like to be in the reserves for a few years and then go on to CRNA school. If either of you have any good information, I would love to hear from you! Maybe even over email or something.

Thanks!