Anyone in the Army Veterinary Corps?

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dauglove

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I start vet school this fall and plan on applying for the HPSP and joining the army veterinary corps. I've been reading everything I can on the internet and currently work with a dvm that went through the program back in the day. Some questions haven't quite been answered yet though. I would have a 4yr commitment in active duty upon graduation and I was wondering how much I should expect to be moved around during that time. I guess overall I'm just wondering what the typical experience of an army vet is in the first 4 yrs of their career as far as rate of deployment, career experiences (I know it's a lot of public health/food safety type stuff but is that only abroad or also when stationed in the US... even if my primary purpose is as a food safety person, will I see ANY patients? I don't want to get rusty...), and likelihood of being separated from my husband and daughter. Will family affect my likelihood for being moved around? Does anyone know how long tours are? (is there a limit?)
I'm a newbie to the army. I've read the old threads on this stuff but any info as far as what to expect would be helpful!
Also wondering about maternity - how does the army treat people. I know you get your 6 weeks leave and can't be deployed for I think 6 months, but do they "punish" you, like by sending you to a crappy base or position, etc.

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Sometimes they come back... :)

Honestly, the best resource would be for you to locate and pester the nearest CPT or two (or three) to you. I'm willing to help you locate that person(s) if you don't know and you tell me where you're located (city/state). PM would be best so I don't have to hunt for threads to check for responses.

As for the rest, I am a lot out of date as each year goes by. The bottom line is you will not be deploying unless (1) you are assigned/attached to a unit that does within a duty assignment (i.e., Fort Bragg, Fort Hood, etceteras - some units with vets there deploy but not all vets assigned there are with deploying units) or (2) you volunteer for an opportunity that gets passed around or (3) someone gets injured and your Regional/District Command gets pinged for the replacement body and you're the "It" girl.

You'll see food when assigned state-side. You'll see public health as you will likely be responsible for things like bite/scratch/rabies reporting and other surveillance programs (avian and piggie flus) as well as the preventive med program for the companion animals. You'll likely see patients in the form of military working dogs or privately owned on a regular basis unless you are slotted as a Branch Chief. There are a mininum number of cases in internal med, surgery and emergency/critical care you have to report every quarter so you will get experience. The amount of all of this and the depth in which you will go into any of it will depend on (1) the duty assignment and (2) the duty assignment. Can't predict until you know that piece of information. It varies that much. And if you don't get to see patients there's always moonlighting if your Commander will approve it.

Family will have no bearing on where you're going unless (1) you have a documented special needs family member or (2) you're married to other military. Sometimes not even for (2). They do try to accommodate personal preferences and requests but nothing will ever be in writing and if they need you to go to "spot z", that's where you'll go. Period. End of story. Unless you're within twelve months from the end of your Active Duty service obligation (ADSO) and decide to resign your Active Duty commission. Then you'll sit where you are and rot until you get out. But with a four year initial ADSO you might be moved at around 18-24 months mark if you are motivated to move.

Overseas duty assignments range from six months to three years depending on the location. The three year tend to be accompanied (spouse, kids) the one year not. OEF/OIF/whatever deployments range from six months to 15 months or so. Civil Affairs deployments range from 30 days to 15 months. There is suppose to limits to deployments to places like Iraq. Don't ask me what they are as it seems a lot of people are still deploying more frequently than the "12 months there in exchange for 24 months stabilized" that's been around since at least 2006.

If you ever feel someone in your Chain of Command is "punishing" you for being pregnant start climbing the Chain. Known several to have kids in the military, none seemed to experience that. Although I'd imagine if you spent all four years pregnant you'd likely be the butt of many private half-jokes centered around a malingering theme.

I know there's a new GI Bill these days (9/11). Not sure if the old MGIB is still offered. If it is - TAKE IT - you are entitled to the GI Bill if you have no prior military service. And you can have more than one type of GI Bill at the same time - it'll maximize the amount of benefits you get. DO NOT take the 9/11 "in lieu" of the MGIB if they are both still around.
 
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Thanks for all of the great information, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond so thoroughly. I plan to talk to a recruiter early next week and get the ball rolling.
 
Please make sure you talk to an AMEDD Health Care Recruiter. And please, for the love of whatever you hold dearly, talk to several current Active Duty Captains. Seriously. Much like veterinary school, no two people will experience the VC exactly the same. Multiple perspectives are good. Especially from someone who has BTDT when it comes to the HPSP, too, because they are in a program shifted slightly to the right of someone who commissions directly (e.g., just enough difference that somethings are/are not relevant to both routes to Captainhood).

Don't be shy. I can't think of a single veterinarian in the military, from spanking shiny-new Captain to the Corps Chief, who would not talk to someone wanting to know more about it. Because we've all been where you are right now. The worst hurdle is them having time to respond to your inquiry. Call/offer to call if you can't meet in person to avoid the "procrastination due to having to take the time to type a reply" phenomenon. I know that's what got me last time I was lurking around here and I'm not even on Active Duty any more.

Also, there is an alternative you can consider besides the Air Force or PHS. The Army is looking for civilians to basically work as Captains. You won't get the HPSP. And you won't get the potential loan repayment incentive direct commissions are eligible for. But you will do the work of a junior Officer (new Captain), get federal employee benefits and get paid at a pretty darn fair starting wage for it. And there may be federal-level signing bonuses/student loan repayment incentives authorized. And the opportunity for overseas assignments. There is an announcement up on USAjobs right now if you wanted to review it. You just have to distinguish it from the NAF veterinarian and IMA veterinarian announcements the Army has up as well right now.
 
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I don't know if this is true or not, but I thought women who became pregnant while on active duty were receiving reprimand letters? I may not be saying it right; it may be women who are deployed, but there was a special report on NPR about it the other night. I only caught it because my husband is ex-military.

Call up the school you will be attending and ask them for contacts as well. I have met people from the program that LOVE it, can't imagine anything else (including an older vet nearing retirement that was just activated from reserves to deploy) and vets who hated every minute. Also, if you have an interest in residency while in the military, it can affect your duration of commitment (extend it.)
 
What I know via hearsay was the new Commander in Iraq came on board originally talking about court-martial for women who became pregnant while deployed to a war zone. Downgraded to merely giving letters of reprimand (LORs) rather quickly. Still not very popular with many "groups" and the rumor is even that deterrent may disappear.

IMO, it's crap that this should even be an issue. The part of General Order No. 1 prohibiting sexual activities should've included within ranks relations and failure to obey resulting in the maximum penalty possible for both parties involved.

If you stay in the VC to the point you are required to pursue long term health education training (LTHET), yes, it will affect your ADSO. You will gain a new obligation once you complete your LTHET. In other words, your time spent going to school does not count towards/cancel out any part of the additional time you must serve on Active Duty in exchange for the education. The information I have, which is old, gives the general rule of thumb of:

3 years for 1 year program
4 years for 2 year program
5 years for 3 year program
 
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IMO, it's crap that this should even be an issue. The part of General Order No. 1 prohibiting sexual activities should've included within ranks relations and failure to obey resulting in the maximum penalty possible for both parties involved.

Oh, I fully agree, as does my husband, but people should be aware that there are some vagaries and different 'rules' for those in the military.
 
I am a recent graduate from St. Matthews a foreign veterinary school in the Caribbean. I am going to be taking the CPE which is the final part of the ECFVG program and am interested in commissioning in as a captain in the vet corp. I am currently living in FL in the palm beach area and would like to speak with someone currently in the vet corp. Does anyone know any contacts that I can speak with. I should be complete with my foreign exams in about 2 months.
 
Seeing as most of the threads on the vet corps are a couple of years old not, I just wanted to bump this thread to see if anyone out there has any current experience with the Army Vet Corps. I've been gathering as much as I can from the Army's website, but I was wondering if anyone on here would be able to share some of their personal experiences with the vet corps or being in the reserves while finishing school? If there's anyone out there willing to share their experiences, I would greatly appreciate it :)
 
Seeing as most of the threads on the vet corps are a couple of years old not, I just wanted to bump this thread to see if anyone out there has any current experience with the Army Vet Corps. I've been gathering as much as I can from the Army's website, but I was wondering if anyone on here would be able to share some of their personal experiences with the vet corps or being in the reserves while finishing school? If there's anyone out there willing to share their experiences, I would greatly appreciate it :)

I'm currently a captain in the Veterinary Corps and would be happy to answer any questions here or on my website. I've actually been writing up a little series of articles about my experiences first as an HPSP student and then as a vet in the Army. You can find the first here:

http://www.elliottgarber.com/army-veterinarian-part-1-lets-start-at-the-very-beginning/

Good luck!
 
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I am interested (maybe) in the Army Vet Corp-- quick question though. How do they view people with health issues? Is that an automatic no? I have thyroid autoimmune diseases but they're well managed now as I've undergone radioactive iodine treatment. Does this disqualify me?
 
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I am interested (maybe) in the Army Vet Corp-- quick question though. How do they view people with health issues? Is that an automatic no? I have thyroid autoimmune diseases but they're well managed now as I've undergone radioactive iodine treatment. Does this disqualify me?
I have minor asthma that I don't even have an inhaler for and that was an automatic no for me. Just FYI.
 
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Yeah, unfortunately they are pretty strict with the medical requirements. The military wants to be sure that no pre-existing conditions are going to make it difficult for you to do the job. It can be difficult to say about any particular condition, however. The only real way to find out would be to try to talk to someone who is actually involved in making those decisions. You might be able to get connected through the HPSP office or a recruiter. It's often possible to get a waiver for a medical condition if your health care provider officially says it won't affect your military service.
 
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Ok. We had a recruiter from the navy come to one of our ASM meetings at school and he was like "we don't want anyone with any health condition whatsoever," which I felt was a slap in the face. Anyway, I'll go ahead and contact the hpsp or a recruiter to find out about my particular situation. Thanks!
 
I don't know if this is true or not, but I thought women who became pregnant while on active duty were receiving reprimand letters? I may not be saying it right; it may be women who are deployed, but there was a special report on NPR about it the other night. I only caught it because my husband is ex-military.

Call up the school you will be attending and ask them for contacts as well. I have met people from the program that LOVE it, can't imagine anything else (including an older vet nearing retirement that was just activated from reserves to deploy) and vets who hated every minute. Also, if you have an interest in residency while in the military, it can affect your duration of commitment (extend it.)


Speaking of residency the only problem with the vet corps was that I would have had to spend several years being a general practice vet (oh god no) for base pets, military dogs, horses, etc, then have to spend a year abroad doing who knows what, and only THEN could I progress to a pathology residency (which was what I really wanted to do). I don't know if they still do it that way, but just a thought for people interested in specialty medicine.r

I have a huge amount of respect for military veterinarians overall though. Good program.
 
Ok. We had a recruiter from the navy come to one of our ASM meetings at school and he was like "we don't want anyone with any health condition whatsoever," which I felt was a slap in the face. Anyway, I'll go ahead and contact the hpsp or a recruiter to find out about my particular situation. Thanks!

The Navy standards are different from the Army. Recently we had a Navy dentist who wanted to come over to the Army and an Army dentist that was willing to "swap". Bottom line is that the Navy refused a fully trained Army dentist because he didn't meet their standard.

You can google Army Regulation AR 40-501 it's the regulation that covers what are acceptable medical conditions and what aren't. You need to look at chapter 2 and not chapter 3. This will give you an idea of where your condition falls, but remember, just about any condition can be waived. Much like Dr. Garber stated, you may not know exactly what can or can't be waived until you do your entrance physical and speak with those making the decision.
 
Speaking of residency the only problem with the vet corps was that I would have had to spend several years being a general practice vet (oh god no) for base pets, military dogs, horses, etc, then have to spend a year abroad doing who knows what, and only THEN could I progress to a pathology residency (which was what I really wanted to do). I don't know if they still do it that way, but just a thought for people interested in specialty medicine.r

I have a huge amount of respect for military veterinarians overall though. Good program.
This is my concern as well. I want to be an ACVS Diplomate -- considering surg onc at the moment that would require a fellowship. Does anyone have any current info on how being in the military as a vet would affect this?
 
This is my concern as well. I want to be an ACVS Diplomate -- considering surg onc at the moment that would require a fellowship. Does anyone have any current info on how being in the military as a vet would affect this?

If you send me a PM, I can hook you up with a .mil vet that can answer this.
 
Are any c/o of 2019 considering this opportunity?
 
Yeah, unfortunately they are pretty strict with the medical requirements. The military wants to be sure that no pre-existing conditions are going to make it difficult for you to do the job. It can be difficult to say about any particular condition, however. The only real way to find out would be to try to talk to someone who is actually involved in making those decisions. You might be able to get connected through the HPSP office or a recruiter. It's often possible to get a waiver for a medical condition if your health care provider officially says it won't affect your military service.

I clicked on your link b/c while unlikely, this is something that has crossed my mind. When I went to your page, I took a closer look at your picture and then realized that you had the Podcast for the Uncommon Vet! I loved listening to those for general information as well as preparation for my vet school interview. Thanks for all of the information!
 
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Bump!

I, too, am trying to gather some more information about this, as I'd be completely new to the services. I'd love to hear from other c/o 2019ers who are also looking to do the HPSP! I've always wanted to specialize as well, and I've read that the Veterinary Corps may have some opportunities for this, but I could be entirely wrong. The way I'm thinking is that a specialty would simply have to wait until your commitment is up?
 
Bump!

I, too, am trying to gather some more information about this, as I'd be completely new to the services. I'd love to hear from other c/o 2019ers who are also looking to do the HPSP! I've always wanted to specialize as well, and I've read that the Veterinary Corps may have some opportunities for this, but I could be entirely wrong. The way I'm thinking is that a specialty would simply have to wait until your commitment is up?

It is my understanding that yes, the Army Vet Corps does have Specialties. Generally, you are allowed to apply for those residencies after doing the FYGVE, and having served a utilization tour. In a nutshell, HPSP incurs a three-year service obligation. During fouth year of vet school, you will have to apply for the one-year FYGVE. If you are selected and accept the FYGVE, that one year of additional training does not count toward your obligation, nor does it incur any additional obligation. After the FYGVE, you are assigned to that utilization tour to fulfill your three year obligation, and during that tour is when you would apply to the residency of choice which would start after the three-year payback.
 
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Can anyone shed some more light on this? How would the timeline work? I'm a c/o 2019 and I am going to start classes in August.
 
Can anyone shed some more light on this? How would the timeline work? I'm a c/o 2019 and I am going to start classes in August.

You can contact an Army medical recruiter at any time but bear in mind that the selection board for new veterinary officers meets one time per year (around early to mid-April in previous years) with applicants notified of decisions by late April or May. You will apply as a first year student and submit first semester grades, undergrad grades, GRE scores, a statement of motivation, as well as a brief synopsis/listing of leadership positions. You can certainly take this time to work on your statement of motivation and go through MEPS to get evaluated healthwise for military service. This would be a good time to dig up any paperwork you need (i.e. previous surgery/hospital records for MEPS) too. You have plenty of time to mull over the application; bear in mind that selection is competitive and keep on the lookout for positions that would bolster your leadership credentials if they are lacking. Good luck and feel free to leave questions here; I'll try to answer what I can from experience.
 
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You can contact an Army medical recruiter at any time but bear in mind that the selection board for new veterinary officers meets one time per year (around early to mid-April in previous years) with applicants notified of decisions by late April or May. You will apply as a first year student and submit first semester grades, undergrad grades, GRE scores, a statement of motivation, as well as a brief synopsis/listing of leadership positions. You can certainly take this time to work on your statement of motivation and go through MEPS to get evaluated healthwise for military service. This would be a good time to dig up any paperwork you need (i.e. previous surgery/hospital records for MEPS) too. You have plenty of time to mull over the application; bear in mind that selection is competitive and keep on the lookout for positions that would bolster your leadership credentials if they are lacking. Good luck and feel free to leave questions here; I'll try to answer what I can from experience.

So it's competitive? Well, I knew it was going to be competitive but how much? As much as getting in to vet school in the first place?
 
So it's competitive? Well, I knew it was going to be competitive but how much? As much as getting in to vet school in the first place?
Figure that you have to stand out among an even more selective pool of students (which includes solid applicants from just about every school) and that selection rate for a three-year scholarship is probably ~15%. I don't have exact numbers but the number of qualified, interested applicants greatly exceeds the number of scholarships available each year.
 
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Students who attend island avma-accredited schools are not eligible to apply, correct?
 
In order to be eligible, you need to attend an accrdited school in the US.
 
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Are any c/o of 2019 considering this opportunity?


I am. I am meeting with a MEDD recruiter on Wed during my lunch break. I am not sure if they accept Ross University students, but I am going to find out for myself. He said that I might be eligible with Ross. I start Ross Jan 2016 and took myself off the Sept waitlist 2015.
 
Bump.

I am a May 2015 graduate of Auburn University and I am considering joining the Army Veterinary Corps. I am in private practice currently and I am looking to do something more challenging and fulfilling (not a knock on GP at all). I was wondering if there was anyone out there currently active duty that I could contact to gather more information. I have been doing a lot of research on what the corps entails, but I would like to get some personal experiences from veterinarians that graduated first, then joined the corps. Here are a few of my questions just off the top of my head:

If I were to apply, what is the time-line from acceptance into the corp and beginning training?

What is the minimum requirement for time of service if I join?

Is the application competitive for veterinarians that have already graduated? Would it be more difficult for me to get into a First Year Graduate Veterinary Education Program since I did not do the HPSP scholarship while in vet school?

What alternatives are there to clinical residencies provided by the Army?

If there are any current active duty veterinarians out there willing to share their stories/advice/do's/don'ts please email me at [email protected]
Any information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, guys!
 
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I’ll take a quick stab at this…

First I recommend that you contact Dr. Elliot Garber (http://www.elliottgarber.com/) He is an Army vet that I personally hold in high regard.

Minimum time is 8 years, with no less than three on active duty. It is possible to join and do the three active and then the last five in the Army Reserve. It’s best to speak to an Army Recruiter concerning this. 1-800 872-2769. Make sure you talk to a recruiter who knows you want come in as an officer and a veterinarian.

The timeline is next to impossible to say definitively. It really all depends on the timing of getting you trained up as an Army Officer, and when the classes or more likely seats in said classes are available.

Competetive? Yep. There are a very limited amount of veterinarians that we can bring in each year. That said, letters of recommendation, transcripts, experience, research and such you provide goes a long way. Think of it as applying to vet school and you made it there. Right? The one sure way to not get in is to not apply.

FYGVE: You may be a slight disadvantage because the seats are programed for the known entity (HPSP). Best advice here is to make your wish to attend know from the very start to whoever will listen. The general feeling is that the Vet Corps would rather have you do it than not. There is an entire domino effect with moving Army Officers around and some rules about how much time you have to spend in one place before you can be moved to another.

Alternatives:
Ph.D.,
MPH, with different programs or internships available in combination
Lab animal Residency (with or without Masters), Pathology Residency

One last website is http://vetopportunities.amedd.army.mil/index.html. But as I stated in the beginning, please visit Dr. Garber’s website and drop him a line he is really my go-to-guy for folks like you and he has no vested interest like a recruiter will. He’ll give it to you straight.


Feel free to PM me if you wish – just be aware, I’m not a recruiter and refuse to speak for them.
 
Bump.

I am a May 2015 graduate of Auburn University and I am considering joining the Army Veterinary Corps. I am in private practice currently and I am looking to do something more challenging and fulfilling (not a knock on GP at all). I was wondering if there was anyone out there currently active duty that I could contact to gather more information. I have been doing a lot of research on what the corps entails, but I would like to get some personal experiences from veterinarians that graduated first, then joined the corps. Here are a few of my questions just off the top of my head:

If I were to apply, what is the time-line from acceptance into the corp and beginning training?

What is the minimum requirement for time of service if I join?

Is the application competitive for veterinarians that have already graduated? Would it be more difficult for me to get into a First Year Graduate Veterinary Education Program since I did not do the HPSP scholarship while in vet school?

What alternatives are there to clinical residencies provided by the Army?

If there are any current active duty veterinarians out there willing to share their stories/advice/do's/don'ts please email me at [email protected]
Any information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, guys!

While it's not unheard of for a private practice vet to come on active duty, it is unusual. It's really a numbers game. If they fill the numbers with HPSP grads, they don't need others. An AMEDD recruiter would be the best person to answer the accessions questions. As far as training, you'll have to go through the Basic Officer Leadership Course, which is divided into several phases. I'm being vague here because they recently changed things. Based on RUMINT (RUMor INTelligence) there is a prep phase that teaches you some of the stuff one would learn in ROTC or OCS. There is the long phase (surely it has a real name, but I did the Signal Officer Basic Course, so I don't know) where you learn about being an officer, how to show up on time, some really, really, really basic soldiering stuff, etc. Finally, there is Vet Track, which is 5 weeks of some fun and a bunch of boredom. You'll get "Vet School in a Week" where you will go through surgical techniques and do a terminal surgery that starts around 6 AM and ends around 6PM. The next day, you'll do a necropsy. That's the fun week. The rest of the time is focused on the stuff you didn't get in vet school - everything you ever wanted to know about food inspections. If they offer you the caffeine fortified gum, take it. It'll come in handy.

Your minimum service obligation is 8 years. I'm not certain what the Active Duty Service Obligation is for a direct accession. If you do FYGVE, the first year doesn't count toward your ADSO, but it does for retirement and pay. Personally, I wouldn't want to do FYGVE, but I've also got a decade of active duty experience. If you aren't good with time management (i.e. able to be your own boss and complete tasks on time that were assigned months ago) FYGVE might be good for you. To me, it's like vet school year 5. If I wanted to do an internship in academia, I would have applied for one. We do journal club weekly, we have something like 10 presentations covering animal medicine, preventive medicine, and leadership. We also have 3 45 minute presentations to give in each of those areas. You'll also have to do a presentation in grand rounds with a pathology resident from the Joint Pathology Center with the audience being the rest of the FYGVE sites. Training days suck (at least for us).

I'm not sure what you are asking regarding alternatives to clinical residencies. There is the public health option, if that's what you mean. If you mean what varieties are available, the answer is, "it depends". Traditionally, surgery and internal medicine are the main specialties for a 64F. There is a lab animal medicine residency and a pathology residency available at US Army institutions. Sometimes, radiology is available for a 64F. A lot of it depends on what year it is. People claim you have to do Long Term Health Education (LTHET). I'm not completely convinced of this, at least to some extent. It depends on your career goals. I know a guy who made Lieutenant Colonel with no LTHET - he just took the Preventive Med boards instead. I'm so close to retirement that incurring a 6 year ADSO by going to LTHET is stupid, unless I get a residency that I want. We are eligible to take the PM boards after 5 years, and there is a program available to help you study for them.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. The pay isn't bad. You can look up the base pay, BAH, and BAS for an O-3 under 2 years online. You'll also get about $208/month in special pay. Sounds great, until you consider that guys who went to school for 3 weeks and jump out of an aircraft a minimum of 4 times a year get $150/month.
 
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