AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP)  

For FY24, you will work with an Army Medical (AMEDD) recruiter to submit your packet to the AECP Program Manager at USAREC. To locate an AMEDD recruiter, go to https://www.goarmy.com/amedd.html

Please see the FY24 MILPER Message 22-411.pdf and Guidelines FY24 Guidelines.pdf

The Fiscal Year 24 AECP USAREC HQ Health Services Directorate will convene a competitive selection board on 12-15 September 2023. Soldiers will receive official notification of selection following the board via a board release through the Medical Recruiting Brigade (MRB)/AMEDD Recruiter. If selected, the Soldier will start between January-September of 2024.

The deadline for packet submission for an is 1 August 2023.

The AECP Program Management Team at Recruiting Command HQs Health Service Directorate can be reached at:

USARMY Ft Knox USAREC Mailbox HSD Enlisted Commissioning Program at usarmy.knox.usarec.mbx.army-nurse-enlisted-commissioning-program@army.mil

AECP Information & Requirements

Thank you for your interest in becoming a nurse through the AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP).  AECP allows Regular Army, USAR and ARNG Soldiers to complete up to 24 months of nursing school while retaining their rank, grade, and military benefits (pay, medical, etc.). After completion a Soldier will commission as a Regular Army nurse officer. The Soldier will incur a four-year active-duty service obligation (ADSO).

The onus is on the Soldier to find a nationally accredited nursing school which meets our specific set of criteria (see below). The Soldier must receive either a conditional letter or unconditional letter of acceptance. If the letter is conditional, it must clearly state that all prerequires are completed. This tends to be the most difficult part. 

Soldier Eligibility

  • Must have completed Basic Leadership Course (BLC) by submission deadline date of 1 August 2023. (Non-waiverable).
  • Must be MOS qualified with a minimum four years’ time in service and no more than 12 years active federal service at the time of the board (may be waiverable on a case-by-case basis). CSBPO-AN is the approving authority. Mobilized and IRR Soldiers are not eligible to apply to AECP (Non-waiverable).
  • Must not be older than 31.5 years at the start of the nursing program (waiverable on a case-by-case basis
  • Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 as calculated from all college level transcripts (waiverable on case-by-case basis)
  • Must have a GT score of 110 or higher to apply. (Non-Waiverable).
  • Must be able to receive an approved commissioning physical.
  • Regular Army soldiers must contact their respective Career Manager, Human Resources Command (HRC) to request a conditional letter of release in the Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army (IPPS-A (Non-waiverable).
  • Applicants in the U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Army National Guard, or any other branch of service must follow similar approval guidance from their respective components and component-specific approval authority for conditional release.

 School Eligibility

It is highly recommended to apply to multiple nursing programs to allow for the greatest flexibility for attendance.

  • Not be greater than 24 months from nursing school start date to graduation date to obtain the nationally accredited BSN degree.
  • Offer no more than 1 online class per semester. (Waiverable on a case-by-case basis)
  • Be within a 100-mile radius of a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) that has a primary care clinic with the capacity for the Soldier and their dependents to enroll for care. Veteran Affairs (VA) clinics, USAR, and or ARNG units are not authorized.
  • The school must be accredited through the proposed graduation date or have a scheduled site visit for re-accreditation. The nursing school must have an active accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
  • The school must have a first time NCLEX pass rate of 90% or higher for the past three consecutive years, prior to the application deadline. If the pass rate drops below 90% before orders are requested, the Soldier must select another program that meets the AECP requirements. Example: 2020: 95%, 2021: 94%, 2022: 98%. Must have consecutive years; will not accept averages.
  • Must be in a CONUS location.
  • Must be taught in English only.

Tuition cap is $15,000 per year. Soldiers are not authorized the use of any GI Bill, Post 911, Pell Grants, Tuition Assistance, Scholarships, personal or educational loans, and or private funds to pay tuition in order to reduce the total amount to the $15,000 cap. The school must charge Soldiers the in-state tuition rate. The Soldier is authorized to use/receive CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief grant (used for students to defray the costs of the disruption caused by COVID-19).

How to get started

It is highly recommended to apply to multiple nursing programs to allow for the greatest flexibility for attendance.

  • The Soldier chooses the nursing school of their choice given the school meets AECP eligibility criteria.
  • The nursing school evaluates the Soldier’s transcripts and establishes what course prerequisites are required for an unconditional/conditional letter of acceptance.
  • Soldier completes all required prerequisites and receives letter of acceptance. (See MILPER and guidelines for letter of acceptance requirements)
  • Soldier works with an AMEDD recruiter to build and submit packet. (See checklist for all documents needed to submit packet)
  • Submit packet by 1 August 2023

Documents Required for Application for AECP

See MILPER and guidelines for additional information on required documents. See examples at https://recruiting.army.mil/acp/guidelines-forms/.

  • Unconditional/Conditional Letter of Acceptance
  • Letter of purpose and intent
  • Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
  • Prior Service Records: STP, NCOERS, 1059s Awards
  • Curriculum Vitae (Resume)
  • DA Form 705 Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT)
  • DA 5500/5501 (if needed)
  • DA Form 2125 Report to Training Agency

     

 Post Board

  • Soldiers will receive official notification of selection following the board via a board release through the Medical Recruiting Brigade (MRB)/AMEDD Recruiter. If selected, the Soldier will start between January-September of 2024.
  • Soldiers will work with an AMEDD recruiter to submit all post board documents. Program Manager will request orders once received.
  • Once selected for AECP, the Soldier will incur a six-year re-enlistment contract, starting from the first day of the nursing program start date.

Post Board Documents

See MILPER and guidelines for additional information on required documents. See examples at  https://recruiting.army.mil/acp/guidelines-forms/.

  • Post Board Documents
  • USAREC Form 601-37.60 Post Board Application Checklist
  • USAREC Form 601-37.59 AECP Contract
  • USAREC Form 601-37.61 Statement of Understanding
  • Long Term Health Education Training (LTHET) Form
  • Request for Assignment