Want to be a navy nurse, but why my recruiter wants me to enlist?

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please help. I am currently working as a registered Nurse in a hospital while at the same time going to school to pursue my Bachelors Degree in Nursing. I went to Navy recruiter becaouse I want to be a Navy Nurse Officer, but he said I need to enlist. My ASVAB score was 72.

What I intend is to join as a NAvy Nurse Officer but since I only have my associate's; Navy will allow me to finish my school in a year or two whil paying for my tuition and then hire me as a NAVY nurse once I graduate!!

But How come My recruiter keeps mentioning me to enlist, I have physical on tuesady and will meet with navy counselor, but If I can get any suggestions from you guys on what to expect on the navy counselor and what to ask, will be appreciated! thank you guys

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also, please guys lemme know what you think: If navy enlist me as a Hospital corpsmen, dont you think its like I was "demoted"! I mean im currently working as a Nurse but a Hospital corpsmen In the Navy will be paid as a nursing student in civilian world.besides, I feel I can serve more if I'm entitle to work a s nurse.

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Specializes in OB, Cardiac.
please help. I am currently working as a registered Nurse in a hospital while at the same time going to school to pursue my Bachelors Degree in Nursing. I went to Navy recruiter becaouse I want to be a Navy Nurse Officer, but he said I need to enlist. My ASVAB score was 72.

What I intend is to join as a NAvy Nurse Officer but since I only have my associate's; Navy will allow me to finish my school in a year or two whil paying for my tuition and then hire me as a NAVY nurse once I graduate!!

But How come My recruiter keeps mentioning me to enlist, I have physical on tuesady and will meet with navy counselor, but If I can get any suggestions from you guys on what to expect on the navy counselor and what to ask, will be appreciated! thank you guys

PLEASE call a medical officer recruiter & see what they tell you!!! There are different programs that can help you get your BSN & then become a navy nurse w/o enlisting. I'd SERIOUSLY call one & find out all your options before you commit to anything w/ the enlisting recruiter! & don't let the recruiter talk you out of contacting a medical officer recruiter....no matter what they try telling you!

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Specializes in OB, Cardiac.
also, please guys lemme know what you think: If navy enlist me as a Hospital corpsmen, dont you think its like I was "demoted"! I mean im currently working as a Nurse but a Hospital corpsmen In the Navy will be paid as a nursing student in civilian world.besides, I feel I can serve more if I'm entitle to work a s nurse.

You would get paid less & start at the bottom of the ranking system if you b/co an HM. Also, you'll be starting off w/ a lot of really young ppl who just graduated from high school (I don't know if that makes a difference to you or not---it did to some ppl i knew).

HMs are great & I've had a lot of good friends that were HMs. I almost went HM when I was fresh out of high school. But personally, I wouldn't go HM @ all if you want to be a navy nurse & already are an RN. Even if you pay for your bsn yourself, there are sign-on bonuses & loan repayment programs to help pay that off once you get commissioned. So, my 2 cents, talk to the medical OFFICER recruiter to find out your options. If you can't get into a navy program that helps pay for school now, then finish on your own & during your last yr of school begin talking to the medical officer recruiter again to get in the navy nurse corps. Good luck! Hopefully, one day we'll be passing each other by in uniform!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
also, please guys lemme know what you think: If navy enlist me as a Hospital corpsmen, dont you think its like I was "demoted"! I mean im currently working as a Nurse but a Hospital corpsmen In the Navy will be paid as a nursing student in civilian world.besides, I feel I can serve more if I'm entitle to work a s nurse.

Let me put it mildly: ARE YOU FREAKING NUTS! Don't even let your recruiter talk you into this not only is it a demotion, but also a drastic reduction in pay. You would have to go through basic training, then corpsman school, and then would have to wait probably another 6-12months after getting to your permanent duty station to finish your BSN. Then after you obtained your BSN there is no guarantee that you would immediately be allowed to switch over to the nurse corps/go to officer training. You would basically spend your entire enlistment 3-4yrs obtaining your degree and then trying to transfer into the Navy nurse corps.

This is a ridiculous offer! All this recruiter is trying to do is meet his/her quota.

Just in base pay alone as an officer you would start out making at least a $1000 more a month and in the 1st 4 yrs as an officer your pay would increase over $2000 a month! As an enlisted you would be lucky if your pay increased more than $500-600 a month in 4yrs. http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/militarypaytables/2008MilitaryPayCharts35.pdf

This doesn't include the differences in housing allowances either.

One other thing to think about you would have to live in dorm with a bunch of teenagers until corpmen training was done, and then if you aren't married/have kids you usually have to stay living in the dorms until you are an E-4/5 (I am not really sure the exact Navy policy on this since I am AF, but hopefully LCDR Dan will chime in).

As someone has already stated, Please stop talking to this recruiter and go Navy healthcare recruiter for officers.

I had an Army enlisted recruiter try almost this exact same thing with me right before I earned my BSN.

Sorry for the tirade...

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thank you guys! this actually confirms my concerns!! My problem is Im trying to scan US navy website, i cant find a medical officer recruiter number. help!!! I just sent a test message to my recruiter I may cancel my physical on tuesday, but I relly need to speak with a medical officer recruiter asap!!!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
thank you guys! this actually confirms my concerns!! My problem is Im trying to scan US navy website, i cant find a medical officer recruiter number. help!!! I just sent a test message to my recruiter I may cancel my physical on tuesday, but I relly need to speak with a medical officer recruiter asap!!!

I would send a PM to LCDR Dan. He can probably help you faster than anyone. Also, here is the chat link on the Navy.com site http://www.navy.com/chat/ it doesn't open till Monday though. You can also just call another recruitment office Monday and ask them for the number for the number to a Navy healthcare recruiter for nurse corps officers just be firm and don't let them give you the run around.

Here is link to someone that was having similar problems. https://allnurses.com/forums/f57/i-m-thinking-joining-navy-nurse-108516-3.html

Good Luck!

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR A FAST REPLIES! THIS IS AWAESOME!

I HAVE PROBLEM GUYS, U have physical on tuesday at new york and the recruiter watns me on monday for whatever reasons! he also told me I will speak to a navy counselor after I pass a the physical! Basically the asvab test I did and the physical I need to pass on tuesday is to find out if I qualify for the navy. But definitely I will not sign any papers requiring me to work as HM until I meet with medical officer recruiter, NOW knowing that i wont be able to speak with any medical recruiter due to weekend, I will come to the physical and speak to the counselor about this! Now any thoughts???

Now will the navy counselor provide me the suggestions you guys did or basically he is just the same as those enlist recruiter????

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR A FAST REPLIES! THIS IS AWAESOME!

I HAVE PROBLEM GUYS, U have physical on tuesday at new york and the recruiter watns me on monday for whatever reasons! he also told me I will speak to a navy counselor after I pass a the physical! Basically the asvab test I did and the physical I need to pass on tuesday is to find out if I qualify for the navy. But definitely I will not sign any papers requiring me to work as HM until I meet with medical officer recruiter, NOW knowing that i wont be able to speak with any medical recruiter due to weekend, I will come to the physical and speak to the counselor about this! Now any thoughts???

Now will the navy counselor provide me the suggestions you guys did or basically he is just the same as those enlist recruiter????

Simple be firm tell the recruiter you are no longer interested and you will not becoming in the Navy for any reason as an enlisted person, if he/she persists ask for their commanding officer/CO name and number. Then abruptly report them to their CO telling them that the recruiter will not leave you alone and that he/she is trying pressure you into coming in the Navy as an enlisted person when all you are interested in is coming in as an officer.

You need to cut off all contact with this particular recruiter. Do not go to their office. Do not go to the physica; don't return their callsl etc. It is not in your best interest!

As far as the Navy counselor...if he/she is the person at MEPS. They aren't going to be able to help you. Bide your time until you can meet with the Navy healthcare recruiter.

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thanks for all your advice.

this is what I going to do,

I will go to the MEPS on tuesday, I will try to see if I passed the physical;

WHen I meet the navy counselor, I will tell him straight up, I wanted to be an officer I want information about OCS before I sign any papersany thoughts?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
thanks for all your advice.

this is what I going to do,

I will go to the MEPS on tuesday, I will try to see if I passed the physical;

WHen I meet the navy counselor, I will tell him straight up, I wanted to be an officer I want information about OCS before I sign any papersany thoughts?

You need to skip MEPS. The physical is the same for officers & enlisted, but the paperwork/waiver process will be different. Besides you will like probably like the process going through MEPS as an officer canidate vs. enlisted canidate. I have been through the process as both. In general going through MEPS as an enlisted canidate they treat you like high school deliquent, and as officer canidate you will be treated like the professional you are.

Just remember you are nothing more than a number for your enlisted recruiter and they will do & say almost anything to get you to enlist. Most of what they promise is half truths and they know they have absolutely no control over half the things they promise.

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Specializes in OB, Cardiac.

I second everything wtbcrna said! Do not even see the recruiter again.

If you go to navy.com there is a link at the top that says find a recruiter. you put in your zip & it will give you a # for an enlisted & officer recruiter. Call the officer recruiter & tell them you want to speak to a medical officer recruiter. Tell them you are a nurse & they should give you the appropriate contact. They'll ask you right away if you have your bachelors, which you don't. Tell them you are committed to joining the navy nurse corps & want to know about all the best avenues of getting there for you.

Like I said earlier, if worse comes worst, then finish your bsn & sign up when your done. Right now, the sign-on bonus for 3 yrs is $25,000 & $30,000 for 4 yrs. Good luck! And don't let the recruiter make you feel inferior. He/she is working for you!! Ya, it sucks for the recruiter that you're pulling out but this is YOUR life not his/hers.

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