Army ROTC Nursing Program
Why join Army ROTC as a nursing student?
Care for the Warrior
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.
Training and Real-World Experience All in One
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. Additionally, the Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP) allows cadets to complete over 120 clinical hours.
You will work one-on-one training with an experienced Army Nurse at one of the Military Treatment Facilities listed below:
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Accepting an Army ROTC Nursing scholarship entails signing a contract that 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, National Guard, or Inactive Ready Reserve.
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 Army ROTC program offers two, three, or four-year scholarships for undergraduate nursing students. Scholarships pay full tuition, $1,200 annual book costs, a monthly tax-free stipend of $420.00, NCLEX Review Course reimbursement, NCLEX Test reimbursement, and a one-time $650 payment for uniforms once starting the nursing program. 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 to pass the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT)
- Be medically qualified to 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)
After 12 months working as a medical surgical nurse, you are eligible 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.
After successful completion of a specialty AOC, you are eligible for a $35,000 bonus paid every year! Specialties and course locations include:
- 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
In addition, Army nurses can be selected to attend fully-funded graduate training via the Long-Term Health Education and 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.
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.
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 3-month residency program, in which new Nurse Corps Officers will perform at least 500 precepted clinical hours. The goal of the residency is to build the new nurses' autonomy and competency in caring for 4-6 medical-surgical patients. 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. CNTP Graduate Nurses work in a myriad of inpatient units as a 66H (Medical-Surgical Nurse). Examples of types of units can include, but aren't limited to: Adult and Pediatric Medical- Surgical, Postpartum, Post-Surgical, Progressive Care, and Telemetry. Once Nurses gain more experience, other clinical and leadership opportunities become available. You will be assigned to your first duty station for 2 years.