The hardest question for most Army ROTC cadre to answer from a prospective Nursing Cadet is "What will I be doing as an Army Nurse?" and that's completely understandable. Most non-medical Soldiers will have limited interaction with Army Nurses, and the interactions they DO have will be very specific to the role that Army Nurse is performing.

This page will work to shed some light on what Army Nursing is, and what opportunities one can expect while serving on ACTIVE DUTY as an Army Nurse Corps Officer.

What to Expect as an Army Nurse Corps Officer

As Nurse Corps Officers, our primary mission is to provide healthcare to service members, retirees, and their families, at home and abroad, in times of peace and war.

Your First Years

First Duty Station

Upon commissioning as a Nurse Corps Officer, and once you pass your NCLEX exam, you'll be assigned to 1 of 13 duty stations as a brand new Lieutenant Nurse Corps Officer. Assignment is merit-based. Those options are: 

• Bethesda, Maryland

• Fort Belvoir, Maryland

• Fort Bliss, Texas

• Fort Campbell, Kentucky/Tennessee

• Fort Carson, Colorado

• Fort Cavazos, Texas

• Fort Eisenhower, Georgia

• Fort Liberty, North Carolina

• For Moore, Georgia

• Germany

• Hawaii

• Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

• Joint Base San Antonio, Texas

BOLC

Prior to moving to your first duty station, you will attend Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Basic Officer Leaders' Course (BOLC) in San Antonio, Texas. BOLC is an 11 week course where you will learn doctrine of the AMEDD Regiment, and employ that doctrine in a tactical field environment. 

Upon graduation, you will be assigned the Army Occupational Specialty (AOC) of 66H, Medical Surgical Nurse, and move onto your First Duty Station, and CNTP.

CNTP

Upon arrival to your first duty station, you will be assigned to the Clinical Nurse Transition Program (CNTP) at the Military Treatment Facility you are assigned. CNTP is a 10-12 week residency program, in which new Nurse Corps Officers will perform precepted clinical hours. The goal of the residency is to build the new nurses' competency to be fully capable of caring for 4-6 medical-surgical patients autonomously. During this time, all CNTP Nurses are placed into the "non-deployable" status. 

Upon graduation from CNTP, you will be assigned to one of the numerous inpatient units of the hospital you're assigned.

 *Some Soldiers who have civilian RN work experience on an inpatient unit will be allowed to bypass this residency program.

Specializing- Earning a new AOC

At the 15-24 month mark at your first duty station, Nurse Officers will be allowed to request to specialize as a Nurse Officer, and therefore earn a new AOC. Soldiers requesting to specialize must compete for, attend, and successfully graduate from the specialty course associated with their desired AOC. Those specialties and course locations are:

• 66B- Public Health Nursing

  • 9-week course, San Antonio, TX

• 66C- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

  • 16-week course, Washington, DC

• 66E- Perioperative Nursing

  • 16-week course, San Antonio, TX and Tacoma, WA

• 66G- Obstetrical/Gynecological Nursing

  • 16-week course, Killeen, TX

• 66S- Critical Care Nursing

  • 18-week course, San Antonio, TX

• 66T- Emergency Nursing

  • 18-week course, San Antonio, TX

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

At the 24-month mark you will PCS to your next duty station. 6 months prior to your PCS date, you will enter into the job selection process, known as AIM Marketplace. This website will list all vacant positions you will be eligible to fill. You MUST rank all positions listed in AIM, and need to reach out to the position Points of Contact (POCs) and request interview.