VA to DOD/overseas?

jerrylundergard · Dec 1, 2009

Im researching my options to get hired by the VA or DOD. Do you know if your FERS retirement and benefits, and rank transfers without a hitch between these two organizations? Is the only reason you want out of the VA and into the DOD so you can go to Germany and overseas? What about the VA dont you love?

TemperStripe · Dec 1, 2009

I have no idea about FERS/benefits/rank transfers between the VA and the DoD...hoping someone here can answer that. My hunch is that since it's all federal government, it all transfers, somehow, somewhere, but I really don't know

And yes, the only reason I "want out" of the VA would be to move abroad. I don't really want out, to be honest. Right now, I have no desire to work for any other system. I actually really enjoy working there. The benefits (specifically, vacation time) are pretty much impossible to top, and that is very important to me. (I cannot imagine doing this job, working this hard, and only getting 1-2 weeks of vacation a year. How is that even possible?) I love working with the Vets, I think they are a very unique population in every way.

What don't I like about the VA? Probably the same stuff as anyone who works in the government...

-Endless red tape

-People who have been working there WAY too long and are opposed to change (but you'll find that anywhere)

-Change can take a LONG time (but you'll find that anywhere)

Things that make it worth it for me:

-Benefits

-Patient population

-I happen to work on a great unit with a very supportive manager

-I really like our electronic medical records. They can be tricky to use, but it's great to be able to see what home meds a patient is on, or their previous history from years and years ago...you only get this type of in-depth history in the VA. I can access medical records from any VA facility in the country, if necessary.

-Teaching hospital, lots of students from all disciplines to keep us fresh and honest

-The VA is the largest health care provider in the country, therefore, you can do pretty much anything you want and still stay in the system. They also use NPs and advanced practice RN's a LOT...

-The focus on preventative care. We have outpatient clinics popping up all over the place. I think this is the key to decreasing health care costs, overall.

If you have time, read the book "Best Care Anywhere" to learn a little more about the system as a whole. It is a very interesting read.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2009

FERS transfers with you in the federal gov. as long as it is not active duty military. As far as "rank" paygrade the DOD is on the GS scale and the VA is on the title 38 scale. It would be fair to guess that you would convert to appox the same spot on the scale, only a guess thou.