Would you join the Army Nurse Corps? Why or Why not?

Psqrd · Apr 14, 2007

I am in an ADN program and I know that the Army reserves commission ADN's as officer when the regular army does not. I believe that you have so many years to get your bachelors degree. I am definately considering it...I only need 12 more years for the retirement bens since I am prior service. Great bonus that would certainly get me out of the red after graduation and I will only be 39 at grad time. Life as an officer is different than for enlisted, the ones I worked with when I was in had it pretty good. If there was a bed they got it...if there was roof they were under it...that butter bar is looking pretty good right now, especially for the retirement...one can hardly survive with only one on the books...the military's would be a nice supplement.

Ebouster · Apr 14, 2007

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Rme4life · Apr 14, 2007

i was going to go back into the army as a nurse because that was always my intention (got out to go back to school full time). then when i called the recruiter to ask some questions, he said they just started the army nurse corps program. so i applied and got accepted. great program. they have paid me $1000 a month for the past 2 years while i finish school and a bonus of $10,000. so i would say, why would i/did i join?.....just for the honor of doing so. i love being active duty and have missed it while going to school.

i am always surprised at how many people look at me like i am crazy and they just do not get it. my husband is active duty and we have kids. this adds to their confusion. many people still feel that if women are going to be in the military they should not have kids (or that has been my experience because poeple will just tell you how they feel even if you don't ask for their input).

in my class of 64 students, we have 4 army, 1 air force and 1 navy.

TazziRN, RN · Apr 14, 2007

Yeah and she wasn't very good at answering my question. Did she even read my post? I already DID my time in Iraq and thankfully I came back alive. Thankfully my time was up in the reserves and I was honorably discharged and did not have to go back for another tour.
What, am I a bad person because I don't want to go back to Iraq? Give me a break. I didn't say anything that warrented such a rude response that she gave me. I asked what is it that the Army Nurse Corps could offer me opposed to a civilian hospital job?
I *DID* say that I would *CONSIDER* joining the Army again when I became an RN, I would just need some more information as to what I would be getting myself into. To say that to me was completely wrong.
I cannot picture myself doing anything but nursing. Nothing else, zip, nada. Working as a nurses aid for the past several years have taught me so much and has even furthered my desire for wanting to be a nurse. You are wrong for judging me and my desire of wanting to help others when they need it most.
I'm sorry I just felt what you said was very inappropriate. >:I

Down, dear, down! Gen did indeed answer your post. You said nothing, absolutely nothing, in your first post about having served in Iraq. All you said was that you had joined and was unhappy. I took it the same way Gen did, that you do not want to be in the military and that you were asking not "What can the Army Nurse Corps give me" with interest, but with a "How can the Army Nurse Corps possibly be better than civilian nursing?" If you had not written about how unhappy your experience with the Army had been, your actual question probably would not have come across the way it did. Gen was not rude at all, she was responding to what your post sounded like. That's the problem with the internet....we cannot see facial expressions or hear inflections, so often we misinterpret something written.

Ebouster · Apr 14, 2007

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Cherish · Apr 14, 2007

Yeah and she wasn't very good at answering my question. Did she even read my post? I already DID my time in Iraq and thankfully I came back alive. Thankfully my time was up in the reserves and I was honorably discharged and did not have to go back for another tour.
What, am I a bad person because I don't want to go back to Iraq? Give me a break. I didn't say anything that warrented such a rude response that she gave me. I asked what is it that the Army Nurse Corps could offer me opposed to a civilian hospital job?
I *DID* say that I would *CONSIDER* joining the Army again when I became an RN, I would just need some more information as to what I would be getting myself into. To say that to me was completely wrong.
I cannot picture myself doing anything but nursing. Nothing else, zip, nada. Working as a nurses aid for the past several years have taught me so much and has even furthered my desire for wanting to be a nurse. You are wrong for judging me and my desire of wanting to help others when they need it most.
I'm sorry I just felt what you said was very inappropriate. >:I

Don't think Gennever was rude at all in the post. His response was not rude. Gennever is not an RN yet and has not served in the Army either so he could not answer that question you posed. Me as a former 6 yr Active Duty soldier I can understand your responses on how unhappy you were being in the Army. It's to each their own. You may enjoy civilian hospitals better than military ones and if so by all means do that. If you want to be in the Nurse Corps talk to people in the Nurse Corps, ask to shadow as prior service I don't think they will tell you no. Hope everyone finds everything they want out of life and do it well.

KellNY, RN · Apr 14, 2007

There's no way I would seriously consider joining any military branch in any capacity. I do not support what is going on in Iraq and would not risk being forced to participate in something I do not believe in.

I also think that too many people are deceived by the armed services in any number of regards (living situations, jobs available, actual service time, being sent to a combat zone, etc) and would not personally trust a recruiter.

Having said all that, I am well away that many people join the armed services and appreciate their experiences and opportunities. My coworker was an Army nurse, and my grandfather was probably one of the proudest Marines you could ever meet. I think the military has a lot to offer some people. It's just not for me.

PickyRN · Apr 14, 2007

I considered joining the military as a nurse, but there are four obstacles: 1. my family (wife doesn't want me to join), 2. my weight (I would need to drop about sixty pounds), 3. my health (I have psoriasis, and a hx of retinal detachment...both of which would require waivers), and 4. my lack of a BSN (I have my associates). So even if I wanted to join, it would be a few years before I could.

If I did go in, I would join the Navy Nurse Corps. Why Navy? My paternal grandfather was a PT boat sailor in WWII. My maternal grandfather was a Navy Seabee in the South Pacific during WWII. My dad and four out of my five uncles (both sides) served in the Navy during Vietnam. My sister and brother are currently active duty Navy on two different aircraft carriers. If my family heard that I was even CONSIDERING a non-Navy branch, I would be disowned. ;-)

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 14, 2007

I... i dont want to go active duty, i am not opposed to deployment but dont want to be active duty. What is the pay and what are the duties? Do you work in hospital settings? When deployed do nurses stay back behind enemy lines? Have you ever gone overseas, and if so what did you do? I have heard that they treat nurses VERY well, sign on bonuses and all!
Sorry i know i asked alot! Thanks for any input!
*Ashley*

Hello Ashley,

While I am not the OP I might have some information for you.

There are three nurses I know who are reserve...all of done tours of duty...THREE times each.

Gen

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 14, 2007

Gennaver IS answering the question - she actually is in the military. This was a reference to another poster.

TraumaRUs,

Thank you for helping clear this up.

I hope my direct answers do not seem "hostile" as I've recently been told by my own nursing director that my emails can appear that way!

Wowsa, hostile...me? Nope.

Direct, yes at times so, emails and postings are risky for misinterpretations.

Gen

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 14, 2007

I have always thought I would like to join the Navy but the time was never right, when I was young I was married and then the children came, now I am just too old and too fat. The only thing I could do at boot camp would be the boot that everyone could kick around.

Hello Burn Out, :) ...be the boot! You are a hoot.

Here are the age's for entry for Active Duty that I found for nurses,

Army = 46, (yet up to 52 with many qualifiers, education experience.._

Navy = 44 (yet anything past 40 needs a special age waiver)

Air Force = 48

Gen-commissioned GLADLY into ANC at 40 for AD

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 14, 2007

...
Oh and there is No BASIC TRAINING for Army Medical Officers.

Hello,

Right, it not basic, it is called

OFFICER BASIC LEADERSHIP COURSE and they are changing it, from what I understand, for Active Duty and Reserve to both complete it in the same initial 10-12 week program with a 3-4 week field training exercise program.

PT is every day at 5 am and we must still pass the Army Physical Fitness Test, (APFT) in the same standards that the enlisted soldiers do, right?

Gen