Exploring Military LPN Job Opportunities

I’ve been considering a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) but within the military. What kind of opportunities and career paths are available for LPNs in the armed forces?

In the military, LPNs can hold a number of different healthcare roles. They serve an important function by providing essential medical care to military personnel, their dependents, and, in some cases, military veterans.

In the U.S. Army, for instance, LPNs (considered enlisted personnel) can serve as health care specialists or medication administration specialists. These roles involve administering nursing care including medication administration, documenting patient information, and assisting in the emergency medical treatment to combatants and non-combatants during military operations.

The Navy offers roles to LPNs as hospital corpsmen, which includes responsibilities such as providing patient care for non-emergency as well as emergency patients, assisting physicians and nurses, and delivering preventive health care.

Similarly, in the Air Force, LPNs can become aerospace medical service airmen, where they aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and injuries and assist with arranging patient care outside the military health system when required.

The U.S. Coast Guard does not employ LPNs, but medics and corpsmen trained by the other branches often lend their services to the Coast Guard on a rotational basis, or they can serve via the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

Considering a career as an LPN within the military is a great way to serve the nation while also gaining experience and skills in a high-demand healthcare profession. The military not only provides job security and a clear career advancement path, but it also offers comprehensive health and benefits packages, diverse work environments, and professional development opportunities.

Moreover, pursuing your LPN training in the military might qualify you for educational benefits that can help pay for nursing school. The military also offers loan repayment programs that can help you pay off your nursing student loans in exchange for a service commitment.

Do make sure to confirm details with a recruiter or career adviser, as these roles can differ slightly between branches and over time. It’s also worth noting that specific job availability can depend on the needs of each military branch at any given time, so it's beneficial to stay flexible and open to a variety of opportunities that may present themselves.