Emails with the Army

These last few weeks have been strange ones. Due to my unsatisfactory grades this semester, which took my GPA from a 3.8 to a 3.7, which is barely competitive in the US, I started looking at international veterinary colleges. They seem to have an emphasis more on why a person wants to become a vet, instead of their grades. The average GPA for the universities I was looking at (i.e. Murdoch in Perth, Australia and St. George in Grenada) were down around 2.8-3.2 which seems much more reasonable. They put more emphasis on practical work, such as work and volunteer hours. 

I sent in a query to the Army recruiting website for the HPSP program. The next day, I spoke to an Army recruiter on the phone, he was from Tennessee and since I was not home and not expecting his call back, I did not get his name. Anyway, he confirmed that I would be able to attend vet school in Australia as long as the school was AVMA accredited. This got us very excited, especially Lew who seemed to really like the idea of visiting us out there if we went! We looked into getting visas and what it would take to ship Gunther and Cub with us. That’s when I got the email, I am assuming from the original query. It was a shocking disappointment in many senses. 

I was worried when I read her first email; I misunderstood and thought the stipend only lasted the first ten months of school. I found her second email to be much more reassuring; in fact, the stipend is provided for 10 ½ months out of the year (the other 45 days are Army training and I would receive officer pay). She also made it very clear that I would not be able to attend vet school anywhere but in the US or Puerto Rico. I attempted to do some research on the school in Puerto Rico that has an ROTC program, but there is no website that I could find so far. I guess it is not that bad, while it would be amazing to go to school overseas, there is nothing stopping me from doing some training abroad. 

As far as my GPA goes, I will just have to work even more on my grades from now on. 

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SECOND EMAIL:

“Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Caveats: NONE

Kim,

Thank you for your prompt response. You were not being misled or

misinformed. Information changes each fiscal year, so as of this fiscal

year (2013), the HPSP scholarship for Veterinary Corps provides a two or

a three years scholarship. You must be a freshman in an AVMA accredited

DVM or VMD program in the US or Puerto Rico to be able to qualify for

the HPSP.

The Stipend is paid for 10 and a half months out of the year, the 45

days left out of that year will be paid as a Second Lieutenant pay. The

Military Service Obligation for HPSP is a year for each year received

the scholarship with a minimum of three years.

An Australian school will not be qualified for the HPSP scholarship even

if it is AVMA accredited; the school has to be on the US soil or Puerto

Rico to be able to receive the scholarship.

If you want to attend an Australian University, you can apply once you

graduate for a direct officer commission as a veterinarian provided you

have met the below professional, licensure, certificates minimum

requirements;

*       Be a U.S. citizen for Regular Army or a permanent resident for

Army Reserve.

*       Direct commissions are available in the Regular Army and Army

Reserve for working veterinarians who are licensed to practice

veterinary medicine    and are graduates of an AVMA accredited

veterinary school in the United States, District of Columbia, Puerto

Rico, or Canada.

*       Foreign graduates may apply if they have a permanent certificate

from the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)

and hold       a current, unrestricted state license to practice

veterinary medicine.

*       Veterinary students may apply for Active Duty during their last

year of veterinary school.

*       HPSP applicants may apply at any point during veterinary school.

*       Must be less than 42 years of age upon initial appointment for

Active Duty, unless prior service. Reserve applicants must also be less

than age 42    upon initial appointment, but waivers are possible for

older applicants.

*       ROTC cadets who apply for educational delay to attend veterinary

school are eligible to be selected to serve in the Veterinary Corps.

I hope that helped answer your questions. Let me know if you have any

other questions or concerns.

Reiam Alhindy

AMEDD Lead Refinement Specialist

U.S. Army Recruiting Command- Virtual Recruiting Center     

Amedd@usarec.army.mil”

FIRST EMAIL:

“Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Caveats: FOUO

Kim,

Thank you for your interest in the United States Army Medical Department

(AMEDD)!

Active Duty Veterinary Corps Programs Health Professions Scholarship

Program (HPSP):

Provides a two, or three year scholarship for students enrolled in an

AVMA accredited DVM or VMD program in the US or Puerto Rico. Applicants

must be a U.S. citizen. HPSP provides full tuition, monthly stipend of

$2122 for 10 and one half months and reimbursement of certain academic

fees. Provides Second Lieutenant pay for 45 days during non-active or

active duty training (ADT). Appointed and commissioned as a Second

Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps while participating in the HPSP

program. Soldier is commissioned as a Veterinary Corps Captain upon

completion of training. Active duty obligation is year for year for each

year receiving the scholarship with a minimum obligation of three years.

Accredited school programs outside the US or its territories do not

qualify for HPSP.

Once you are accepted into an AVMA accredited DVM or VMD program in the

US or Puerto Rico you can then contact us again to further assist you.

Best wishes!

Mrs. Reiam Alhindy

Lead Refinement Specialist

U.S. Army Recruiting Command- Cyber Division     

Amedd@usarec.army.mil”