[latrell]

I am currently in the National Guard, after a recent deployment I am seriously considering changing jobs with the Guard or going Reserves with a different job, my reasoning for this is if I where to be deployed again I would want a job that would actually be helping troops and working with troops, where my current job is in admin and I did not like working my butt of and not really seeing who I was effecting.. if that makes any since,, any way I have been checking in to units with openings and have been offered a slot in a medical unit where I would go through one year of straight training and then be an LVN, which sounds great but if I do that does any one have any idea how the civilian nursing boards view this training would I be able to simply apply for a licence in the state where I live and go through what ever the process is or would I still be required to attend a civilian school in order to get a civilian licence??

[Mixedpuppy]

I've been in the Army Nurse corps for 7 years and attended Nursing School for a BSN with an Army ROTC Scholarship. I am aware that the US army offers programs for enlistment as an LVN which the Army has it's own training but your primary job is a Combat medic with an indentifier (91-W M6). You have to take the National Board NCLEX-LPN prior to practicing as an LPN in any military hospital otherwise you will practice as a Combat medic and have gone through LPN training for nothing. Your License will be a state recognized license that is tranferable across the nation but you need to check with each state on what each requires. There are plenty of opportunities in the Army to work with troops, I do not think the National Guard has Combat Support Hospitals or Mobile Area Support Hospitals but in the Reserves they have CSHs. MASHs are almost phased out. Forward Support Companies, Forward Surgical Teams, Battallion Aid Stations use LPNs and some of these have RNs but when you are assigned to a field unit prepare to not use your nursing skills very much. Let me know if you have other questions and avoid talking to recruiters. There mission is primarily the Army's interest. Yours is secondary to them.

[latrell]

thank you so much for the info, i really and thinking the reserves offer so much more than the guard, i am leaning toward an interstate transfer to Texas reserve for that reason, i have not made move yet because as odd as it may sound i really wanted to spend the Holidays with my current unit, we got really close last year durning our deployment in Kuwait so this year i thought leaving now would be like leaving family. any way i spoke to a recruter you are right he as the Army in mind he offered me the lvn course but then when i went to sign the paper work he said he could only garuntee me the first 17 weeks of training and then the rest was up to the unit i get assigned to so i plan to visit them before i sign any thing.

my main concern at this point though is that i have a sister who is an lpn and she said she came across some one who was an lvn in the military and then had to go to school on the civilan side. I am doing more research and will post it on here when i find out some more information..

[Mixedpuppy]

Most LVNs I have known usually become RNs later but the older LVNs tend to remain as LVNs. The choice is yours where you want to go. The Army does offer a lot of different programs but either way, at this day and age with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo/Bosnia, South Korea, plan on being separated from family and home for about a year in the near future. I spent 2.5 years in Korea and 6 months in Iraq. I lucked out in Iraq. I know that South Carolina pays tuition for those who want to become RNs. The catch is to work somewhere in South Carolina for one year, I don't know all details but I had a couple friends who had the state pay for their education. If you get your LVN through the army, you don't necessarily get a bonus and still have to put up with the BS of being enlisted. As an RN and Commisioned Officer you not only get more pay but also the BS has lightened up....trust me. I'd go for your RN.

[1mg.epi]

I retired after 13 years of National Guard service (I had 7 1/2years in the USMC, 2 years reserve duty) I was an ordinance officer, although In the real world I am an RN.

I have found the National Guard gives many state benefits. I went to the University of Hawaii for free, received over 80 credits in "****tail party" Lib. arts.

Depending on the state the Guard benefits change. But they can be so much better than federal benefits.

[Mixedpuppy]

My understanding when I went through school was that the National Guard has a little more pay off for state funding. I was tuition funding was 100% as long as you are fulfilling your military obligations faithfully. I am not sure about LVNs and RNs in the National Guard. I know some about the reserves since many of my good friends were reservists. Either way I would be wary about staying in if you are looking to complete your education in a timely manner. A lot of RN reservists and other National Guardsman are deploying when they are still full time students.