Jcon13 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Hello all, I've recently been accepted into PA school and will begin in January 2017. I have actually already started the process of applying for the Navy HSCP and if I continue with the process I should have everything ready well before I submit my application in October. Seems like a great opportunity to get my school paid for and getting some extra money during school sounds great. I also think it would be an amazing experience to work as a Navy PA as it would set me apart from PA's fresh out of PA school when trying to look for a job after my 3 years of service. I am recently married. My question to anyone that can help is, if I am placed in a particular medical center in some part of the world, should I expect to be there for all 3 years of service? Or is there a very strong possibility that I will be moved from place to place during my 3 years of service? Also, are there any benefits for my wife during my 3 years of service? She wants to get her masters in social work, so is there anything that the navy would be able to do for her in regards to paying for tuition for grad school or job placement? I really appreciate the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMtoPA Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Hello all, I've recently been accepted into PA school and will begin in January 2017. I have actually already started the process of applying for the Navy HSCP and if I continue with the process I should have everything ready well before I submit my application in October. Seems like a great opportunity to get my school paid for and getting some extra money during school sounds great. I also think it would be an amazing experience to work as a Navy PA as it would set me apart from PA's fresh out of PA school when trying to look for a job after my 3 years of service. I am recently married. My question to anyone that can help is, if I am placed in a particular medical center in some part of the world, should I expect to be there for all 3 years of service? Or is there a very strong possibility that I will be moved from place to place during my 3 years of service? Also, are there any benefits for my wife during my 3 years of service? She wants to get her masters in social work, so is there anything that the navy would be able to do for her in regards to paying for tuition for grad school or job placement? I really appreciate the help! Is it only a 3-year obligation with that program? I think I heard that before, but for some reason it always surprises me. 3 years is the typical tour length for shore duty for PAs at the moment, so I think it's safe to expect to spend your entire term at one command. Now, you very well may be deployed from that command (if on sea duty, or sent to another command as an augmentee to deploy with them), but it won't be a PCS move, and your family would just hold down the fort at your original duty station while you were gone (or go home for a few months, on your dime). There is a Spouse Tuition Assistance Program, and as a fresh PA you would be barely eligible (officer eligibility is limited to grades O1-O2). It's not a ton of money, only up to $2K annually with a $4k cap, but it's free money. That said, I've never personally known anyone that's used this program, at least not anyone that has ever mentioned it to me, so I can't really comment on how easy it is to take advantage of or anything. My wife would've used it, but I had just made E-6 when it came out (the cut-off for enlisted eligibility), and by the time I was commissioned at O-2 (and thus re-eligible, ironically, even though I was making much more money) we didn't need it. Now I'm an O-3 and no longer eligible again. Sucks, cause I sure wouldn't mind $4k to apply against my wife's student loans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted August 6, 2016 Moderator Share Posted August 6, 2016 While anything is possible with the Navy, 99.9999% you'll be at one duty station for the first three years. There's a 75% chance you'll deploy in that time, depending on the geopolitical climate at the time you actually start working as a PA for the navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcon13 Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share Posted August 7, 2016 Thank you for the information! I sure appreciate it. I also wanted to know how likely am I to be stationed outside the US? I think I read something somewhere about being able to give your preferences on where you would prefer to go but also at the end of the day, you are going where they need you. And as far as during PA school, are there any big commitments that need to be made during that time? Or things that will make me miss class during PA school? Thanks again for all your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted August 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2016 If you want to stay in the states for your first tour, that shouldn't be a problem. There will likely be somewhere on your preferences that is in the US. How nice that place is may be questionable. You'll have to do the fitness test twice per year, see your recruiter quarterly, and drug test once per year. People were always flexible with me about having to get stuff done around tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karebear12892 Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 You may be correct, but I've also applied for Navy HSCP and my recruiter told me the active duty service obligation was 4 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted August 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2016 You may be correct, but I've also applied for Navy HSCP and my recruiter told me the active duty service obligation was 4 years.He's wrong. The actual instruction states it's one year of service per year of participation with a minimum of 3 years. Since they only give PAs 2 years of participation, it's a mandatory 3 years of obligation. You can even sign on just for one year if you missed the cycle your first, but still owe a 3 year obligation. He may have misspoke because medical students can participate in the program for anywhere between 1-4 years giving them an obligation of minimum 3 and a max of 4. If he insists on the minimum of 4, I would pull up the instruction so you don't get boned. Even if you decide to stay in, it's important because you wouldn't be eligible for the huge retention bonus that you cannot apply for until your obligation is finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karebear12892 Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 He's wrong. The actual instruction states it's one year of service per year of participation with a minimum of 3 years. Since they only give PAs 2 years of participation, it's a mandatory 3 years of obligation. You can even sign on just for one year if you missed the cycle your first, but still owe a 3 year obligation. He may have misspoke because medical students can participate in the program for anywhere between 1-4 years giving them an obligation of minimum 3 and a max of 4. If he insists on the minimum of 4, I would pull up the instruction so you don't get boned. Even if you decide to stay in, it's important because you wouldn't be eligible for the huge retention bonus that you cannot apply for until your obligation is finished. LTJGonealPAC, thank you for clarifying. Once my active duty service obligation is complete, do you know if I am eligible for a retention bonus if I choose to continue in the Navy Reserves? Or are you only eligible if you remain on active duty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted August 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2016 LTJGonealPAC, thank you for clarifying. Once my active duty service obligation is complete, do you know if I am eligible for a retention bonus if I choose to continue in the Navy Reserves? Or are you only eligible if you remain on active duty? No, have to sign on for an additional 2-4 years active duty. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.