Moving on.
For those interested, my second job was with the military. The info is applicable to those not participating in the health professionals scholarship program (not sure how it goes for them):
1. I found the job by knowing there were veterinarians in the Army and talking to those manning the booth at a convention. I didn't know at the time that there were still veterinarians in the USAF as Public Health Officers or in the USPHS. Even working with a dedicated Healthcare Recruiter, they usually know very little about the Veterinary Corps. If you want accurate information/advice, you are better off cold-calling a veterinarian already in the military branch you are interested in. It's easy for me to say, but seriously, don't be shy; I have yet to meet a colleague unwilling to talk to a prospective veterinarian/veterinary student who contacted them.
The recruiter will know enough to walk you through the application process correctly. At the time, it involved a cover letter/resume and autobiography submitted by a cycle deadline (there are several a year). The other part is MEPS. Fun fun. If you're selected you have a couple weeks to make your decision by.
If you have an option, pick any Officer Basic Course other than the summer session.
If you are comissioned into the Reserves first pester until you get your Reserve ID card; you are authorized services. Unless things have changed, you are also entitled to moving expenses to OBC.
2. Pay is a little different in the military because of what is taxable and what is not, what is included and what is not. When they list a blanket salary figure it is including pay, food, housing + expenses, professional pay. There is some variation dependent on where you are/how you're housed. Because there are cost of living increases in pay every year, what I made years ago when I first started isn't relevant.
Standard government bennies - 100% medical/dental, 30 days vacation, sick call as needed, one national CE event and several shorter training/CE things a year, paid
VIN account, life insurance, etceteras. No emergency call except for government owned animals (this will change depending on where you're at).
3. I took my own sweet time deciding to join - from the time I first walked into the recruiters office until I took my oath was approximately 13 months.
4. If you stay longer than initial active duty service obligation, unless you state otherwise, it is expected you will apply for and complete a MPH, PhD or residency.
5. In my "free time" I managed two clinics - one limited service and one full. I had a civilian veterinarian running clinics at the limited service site while I ran the full-service site. My "boss" (Branch) was about an hour away. Combined caseload for the two clinics was a light ~3,000 outpatient visits a year.
If anyone has specific questions, always happy to answer. Especially since I noticed there is no "Military Veterinary Medicine" forum here.