Transcript File
Wayne Overly
Lieutenant Commander, Nurse Corps
U.S. Navy (ret.)
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Emergency Dept.
VA San Diego Hospital
Military services with nurses
Army
Air Force
Navy
Coast Guard served by PHS
(reserves, guard covered separately)
Average new grad RN salary in
San Diego is $69,000
Benefits of military nursing
Job security
All nursing specialties
Regular promotions, career progression to leadership
Up to $15,000 annually for specialty certification pay
Free medical and dental benefits for member/dependents
Retirement
VA benefits
On-base shopping (exchange, commissary), gyms
Military discounts (on and off base)
Travel opportunities (moves paid for)
Benefits (cont’d)
Housing assistance (provided or pay)
VA home loan
Continuing education (full pay and tuition)
30 days paid vacation annually
10 federal holidays annually
Not a democracy
Pay rates
$34,860 first year ($60,500 with extras)
$62,000 ($91,000at 4 years)
Sea pay, imminent danger pays
Requirements
U.S. citizen
Age 20-34 (up to 47 for reserves)
Pass physical fitness requirements
Navy Hospitals & clinics
California
- San Diego
- Cp. Pendleton
- 29 Palms
- Lemoore
Florida
- Jacksonville
- Pensacola
Hawaii (clinic)
Illinois (N. Chicago)
Maryland
- Walter Reed
- Annapolis, Patuxent River clinics
N. Carolina
- Cp. Lejune
- Cherry Point
Rhode Island (clinic)
S. Carolina
- Beaufort
- Charleston
Texas (clinic Corpus Christi)
Virginia
Washington
- Bremerton
- Oak Harbor
Overseas Navy facilities
Cuba
Guam
Japan, Okinawa
Italy (Naples, Sigonella)
Spain
Non-traditional assignments
Teach at Hospital Corps school, FMSS, fleet hospital
Shipboard (carrier, LHA/LHD, hospital ship)
Fleet Marines
Recruiting
Drawbacks of military nursing
Frequent moves
May be called into harm’s way
Drawbacks of military nursing
84 hour work every 2 weeks
No charge, overtime or holiday pay
Cannot quit
Big bureaucracy
Not a democracy
VA careers
Largest healthcare system in the U.S.
152 medical centers
1400 clinics, including Philippines,
Guam, Samoa, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands
VA benefits
Pay
- $66,783, promotions every 2 years usually
- Nurse 2, step 2 makes $90,702
- Double time for holidays, 1.5 for overtime
- 10% extra for PM/nights, 25% for weekends
- critical care pay, award pay
VA benefits
medical, dental, life, TSP
retirement (can buy back military service)
5 weeks leave, 104 hours sick leave annually
loan repayment, NNEI
veteran hiring preference
VA drawbacks
No pediatrics
Very little OB
Must be citizen
Bigger bureaucracy
Veteran hiring preference
No charge RN pay
80 hour work week
Further Navy info
LCDR Derrick LeBeau (224) 280-2490
[email protected]
VA/federal jobs
www.usajobs.org