Why join Army ROTC as a nursing student?
The Army Nurse Corps provides nursing leadership and quality nursing care, both in peacetime and during contingency operations, within a professional military system and in support of the mission of the Army Medical Department. If you’re considering, or currently enrolled in, an undergraduate Nursing degree at UM, joining Army ROTC can enhance your leadership skills and critical-thinking abilities, while providing financial support to help make your personal and professional goals a reality. By participating in both UM’s nursing program and Army ROTC, you will be preparing to serve the United States as an Army Nurse Corps (ANC) Officer.
Being a nurse in the Army provides you with opportunities not found in the civilian world. As an Army Nurse and Officer, you will have the respect of your peers and coworkers, as well as opportunities to train and serve in a variety of specialties. The autonomy to practice nursing as part of the Army Health Care Team is unlike most civilian health care facilities. Your professional judgment will be the driving force behind ensuring that all aspects of a patient’s care are addressed, and you’ll be responsible for initiating coordination of a patient’s multidisciplinary care.
The Army ROTC nursing program not only provides you with the classroom training that you need to be successful, but also provides numerous real-world opportunities to work alongside some of the largest and most advanced hospitals in the Army inventory. Some of the places where you will have the opportunity to train and gain experience can be found at:
- Tacoma, WA – Madigan Army Medical Hospital
- Ft Bragg, NC- Womack Army Medical Center
- Bethesda, MD – Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
- Honolulu, HI – Tripler Army Medical Center
- Kaiserslautern, Germany – Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
What are my obligations to the Army?
Accepting an Army ROTC Nursing scholarship entails signing a contract. This commits you to a total of eight years. In exchange for two, three, or four years of college tuition and stipend, the graduate nurse agrees to serve on active duty for at least four years. After the “obligation” phase, you may choose to stay on active duty or leave active service. If you choose to leave the service, you would have an additional obligation that can be fulfilled within the Army Reserves or National Guard.
What type of scholarship is available and how do I know if I qualify?
The Army is always in need of qualified nurses, and will typically provide scholarships as soon as demonstrated interest and requirements have been met.
The AROTC program offers two, three, or four-year scholarships for undergraduate nursing students. Scholarships pay full tuition, $1,200 annual book costs, and a monthly tax-free stipend, $420.00, based on your academic year. The following criteria must be met to be eligible for scholarship consideration:
- Be a US citizen Be between ages 17 and 27 (must be 30 or younger when you graduate)
- Have a college GPA of at least 2.5 (must be competitive to progress within the school of nursing program)
- Meet physical standards (must pass the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) Be medically qualified (must pass an Army physical)
- Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in a Reserve Component (US Army Reserve or National Guard)
What if I want to work in a clinical specialty or pursue a Graduate degree?
The ANC has 6 clinical specialty training courses offered through the Long-Term Health Education & Training Program. These specialty courses are offered as 12-16 weeks, fully funded courses in the following areas: Intensive Care, Emergency, OB/GYN, Psychiatric, Community Health, and Peri-operative Care.
In addition, Army nurses can be selected to attend fully-funded graduate training via the Long-Term Health Education & Training Program, either in a Master or Doctoral program. Each nurse will continue to receive their full salary and benefits even though their job is to be a full-time student. The Army will also pay your tuition in full.
Do I have to go to “Boot Camp?
The Army ROTC program is an Officer commissioning program. “Boot Camp,” or Basic Training, is an enlisted Soldier training program. All Army ROTC cadets go through the same commissioning requirements, which include a 32-day Advance Camp capstone course at Ft. Knox the summer before intended graduation. However, nursing students do not “compete” against other cadets on the Order of Merit List, as they are only within the nursing cohort.
