Submitted! Now What?

Waiting Game (May 2019)

This month I’ll be going crazy while the board convenes. They all have to come together and look at each nurse's application and packet and decide who they can take and who has to wait (depending on how much space they have for new nurses of each specialty). To keep myself busy, I’ve decided to look ahead to all the documents that are required for in-processing when you show up for training (and for getting pay/housing figured out). There is a list here for what you’ll need. Please note they must be CERTIFIED copies, meaning with an official seal. Not just a photocopy. Many of these things may take time (like requesting extra birth certificates or your marriage certificate if you lost it). 

Here’s where I started: 

I got an organizer file thingy like this to hold all my documents so I wouldn’t be looking everywhere for crap when it’s time to go. That’s my life. 

    My immunizations were all done after a certain year when they started uploading them into computers. I also had them all done at the same health department so I just went there and paid a few dollars for a copy of my immunization record. Get two copies just in case! For anyone who went to the same peds doc for all immunizations, contact them for your records. You may have to sign an information release in that case, which is a pain. 

    Birth Certificate was easy for me… same place I got my immunizations because I was born in the hospital of that county. It cost me about 10 bucks and 5 minutes. You may have to call the Health department where you were born and request copies, send a form, pay by mail, or request them online. Call and investigate, get enough to have three copies! You’ll need the same for children/dependents…. Groan.*DISCLAIMER- There are different forms that tell you that you need different amounts of these certified copies. I went with the form that says you need three of each, so go with that.

    SSN cards for everyone… Also groan. My stepson’s card was with his mother so it had to be mailed to me. The others I keep on file but if you lost yours, you have to request another one here.

    I made copies of my driver’s license (and my husbands) at work… cheat! I also printed copies of my car insurance from my provider’s website. Just sign in, find the insurance section of your bank, click request ID card somewhere, and it will be emailed to you! Bing, Bang, Boom. Two copies of that as well. 

    I also took this time to go renew my plates and then put those registration papers on file. This is through the BMV and I learned this year that the month yours expires depends on the letter of your last name… what?! How did I never know that?

    I have to ask about the housing part.. It states lease agreement but I pay a mortgage. I’m assuming they want to know how much I pay, so until I get an answer about this, I’ll print out my statements from my lender. *I found out later, I’m selling my house so this part is kind of a moot point.*

    I don’t have checks for the bank account we use to pay bills. So, it’s time to make the decision which bank will be getting your pay. Make sure it can make transfers easily if necessary, and that the account has a savings account attached to it. If you don’t have checks, contact your bank and request some, or you can order online from Walmart here and choose your own style to be shipped to you for a small price. Worth! Keep a voided check once you get it, so that you can set up direct deposit to that account. There IS a direct deposit form that your recruiter can provide to you and you can fill it out ahead of time, but I found the voided check route to be easier.

    I had just gotten my pap smear the previous week and dental x-rays the year before… So I contacted those offices for documents. The dentist should be able to get you a disc with your x-ray on it, or the actual xray films. Just let them know what it’s for and they are usually very helpful. I’ve read from some other blogs that if you don’t have any records they do a full set of x-rays on arrival regardless, so it may help to have those on hand. Others say that on arrival they don't care about your civilian dental history and you get an exam and x-rays no matter what. More on this later.

The other forms I obviously don’t have yet since I have not been accepted yet. If I am, I’ll post another one about where to find these forms and what they mean (assuming I can figure it out). 

The oath of office is after you receive a “yes” and I’ve heard that you can choose another military or prior service member to swear you in. I’ve chosen my dad, which my recruiter thought was super cool. I’ve also googled which army base is closest to me so my recruiter could help me get uniforms before the course. This happens to be Fort Benjamin Harris, but that’s a super far drive for me. I’ll call Grissom AF base and see if their store happens to carry any army uniforms. This might be a bit early but… something to think about. Name patches and certain sizes may take weeks to arrive when shipped so, there’s that. Yet again, I’ll be here hurrying up and waiting.