How can I transfer from enlisted reserve/guard to being an active officer?

Question

My question pertains to the army and air force. Here's the situation: I have a BS in Nursing and Legal Permanent Resident Status. Nursing is an officer position but I'm not eligible to be an officer because I'm not a citizen yet.

My idea is to enter the enlisted reserve/guard, until such time that I become a citizen and can work in Active Duty as a Nurse. I would also appreciate suggestions. Thank you.

Answer 1

serve schmerve.....WTF are you doing in the military?  nurses are pulling down big bucks in private sector and you are in demand there!  especially with a BSN!  a friend's wife is pulling down $100k for 40-45 hrs work week!!  a customer of mine is pulling down 120-150 w/all the OT she can handle...why would you sacrifice your peak earning years when Mitt Romney's  five strapping boys don't even have the decency to Enlist themselves!!!

AND, if the republicans have their way, they'll do some serious Union Busting and scale back the salaries being paid to nurses, so you better get while the getting is good!!

Answer 2

Well your fastest route to becoming a citizen would be to get deployed to Iraq or Afghanastan.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarti...

I believe you have to deploy to gain this.

Typically you sign up for a 6x2 contract meaning 6 years in a drill status and 2 inactive but can be called back.

Now if you do enlist and then gain your citizenship, your commander can drop you from your enlisted contract conditionally if you go active duty.

A believe you would still have to go through a commissioning program such as OCS since your already done with college. You can enlist active duty with the OCS option and become and officer and thats that.

I know of a lot of army nurses that had to go through ROTC to become a Nurse, I know of a PA that had to go through OCS to become an officer.

I believe only Doctors and Lawers can get dirrect commissions, but in the guard I have saw a SSG get a dirrect commission in a combat arms branch.

Best of luck, hope maybe I helped answer your question.  

Answer 3

From what I've been told, in order to be a nurse as an officer in the USAF, you must have gotten your BS in Nursing in the states... not sure about the Army.  IF you got your degree in the US, you shouldn't have a problem if you want to be a nurse/officer.

You can also go from enlisted reserve/guard to US Army as an officer once you're a citizen (and also have college credits from an accredited college AMONG other requirements), but I'm not sure if you can go as a nurse.  

Answer 4

Talk to recruiter and explain your situation and if you need to be enlisted then get guidance as to where the best fit for your MOS is.

Good luck and thanks for serving.