The decision to join the military is a personal one, and no two people are likely to join the military for the exact same reasons. However, the military offers nurses a set of opportunities for career advancement and professional development that cannot easily be found in a civilian context. In addition, the military gives nurses the opportunity to travel and provide a meaningful service.
Purpose and Meaning
Many young people join the military with a sense of patriotism and a desire to serve their country. People interested in becoming nurses also are often motivated by the desire to do meaningful work and help others in need, so the two careers already have some points in common. Members of the Army Nurse Corps or the nursing programs of the other branches of the military may be stationed anywhere the U.S. military maintains a presence, so the military offers opportunities for travel and exposure to cultures around the world.
Along with the opportunity to travel and help others, a career as a military nurse also offers numerous options for professional development and promotion. The Army Nurse Corps and the other services' nursing programs operate as meritocracies, so moving ahead in rank and pay is based directly on job performance. Nurses who do well can move up from staff nurse to head nurse in four years or less. In addition, the military provides extensive opportunities for professional development. Military nurses can take classes in nursing specializations such as emergency nursing, public health nursing, critical care, obstetrics and gynecology, perioperative nursing or mental health nursing.
The military provides extensive tuition assistance to help nurses cover the costs of earning a master's or doctoral degree in nursing. Nurses who serve in the active duty military for a three to four year period can qualify for a bonus of between $20,000 to $30,000, as of the date of publication. The military also has programs to help nurses pay back their student loans. Nurses in the civilian world may or may not have a bachelor's degree, but all new recruits of the Army Nurse Corps are required to have a degree. Nursing students at many colleges can also participate in ROTC programs to prepare for careers as military nurses.
Any nurse considering a military career should look carefully at all aspects of life in the military before making a decision. In civilian life, you can always leave a job if you are not satisfied, but once you have made a commitment to the military, you cannot leave, under most circumstances, until your obligation has been met. You must follow all orders, which may include being posted to a distant location or a combat zone, where you may have to treat soldiers suffering from severe combat injuries and psychological trauma. If you think you might want to be a military nurse, make sure you have considered both the positive and the negative aspects thoroughly before you commit yourself.
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