flight nursing in the air force?

Hello,
I don't know too much but I'm looking to join when I get my RN and here's the info I have found out (reserves):
1-currently have to have a BSN
2- go through OTS (officer training school) 2 or 4 week program...I was told to do the 2 week because it was only reservists but if you want to go active duty then it would be the 4 week program. Maxwell AFB, AL
3-reserves does 80% of the mission of aeromedical evacuation, active duty as far as I have found out will fly their first year and then get put in a hospital
4- water survival 2 days-Fairchild AFB, WA
5-combat survival 19 days-Fairchild AFB,WA
6-flight school-31 days Brooks City Base, TX
7-basic qualification - whichever squadron youre in
8-phase 1 training (tech school)-69 days Sheppard AFB,TX
9-Phase 2 training-30 days-varies where
10-phase 3 training- 90 days-varies where
11- basic qualification -180 days- your squadron
12-annual tour-15 days
13-UTA weekends- 24 days a year
14- currency flights- every 90 days (your flight hours become like another UTA weekend, so you do more that traditional reservists)
15- altitude chamber-every 5 years
16-flight exam- yearly
17-ACLS/CPR-every 2 years
18-CEU's (cont. edu. credits)- 60/3 years
19- AEF deployments (iraq/afghanistan/germany) 180 days (if activated)
20-AECOT- every 5 years-Sheppard AFB.TX
21-check rides-every 18 months
and of course continued training, presidential recall, and any other training that may come

this is what i have from talking to different people, including flight nurses in the reserve. i would suggest going to a recruiter that is specifically for medical fields. it can be a bit discouraging becuase if you don't already have your BSN they always seem reluctant to speak to you. Also, if there is an aero medical squadron (AES)in a base near you and you have access, I'd call or go in and talk to people. that's how I've gotten my info...otherwise, I'd be at the mercy of the recruiter who refuses to really give me info because I don't have my BSN yet. I'd also go ahead and get my paramedic license. That takes about a year and will get you the CPR/ACLS/ITLs or PHTLS/ PALS or PEPP. That's all I could think of right now. Hope it helps. Good luck

Great detail.
Good luck on your path!

Just a minor clarification---numbers 8-11 actually do not apply to flight nurses. Those items are for enlisted med tech training. Seems like someone combined both paths and timelines when explaining. Everything else looks pretty much right on.



Best,

Mab

thanks for clarifying that. i appreciate it. any info that i can get is great! how long then is tech school? any input you can give is very much appreciated!

Enjoyed the thread on likely the most exciting nursing I've even done: in the air. Don't forger, reserves are not the only place to be a flight nurse, ck. out the Air National Guard (unless they've closed that down, too). I was a young RN with a couple years experience in varied fields of nursing when I joined the ANG, and trained literally, around the world. I flew active duty mostly out of Clark AFB, Phillipines(which is no longer even there) bringing back guys from Nam, lots with mud still on their boots.

I worked full time, co-ordinated my holidays, vacation days, off days, and military days so that I got as many off at the same time as possible to go active duty. I had to work weeks and weeks with no days off, but it was truly worth itl!

The times I couldn't go active, I did training flights with my group to places all over the world. I did 1 Guard weekend a month, plus extra nights to keep my flying status by going on essentially "touch and goes"(take off, land, take off-land, etc), just to get my flying time in and keep my pay scale steady, when I wasn't doing a lot of active duty.

Yep, it takes some time and dedication, but the rewards are too many to count. My most satisfying nursing experience in a long career. It's one of those things that you have to just take a leap of faith and go for it. I did, against all advice from those who had no reason to know, and I will say, it was one of the best professional and personal decisions I made. I was very proud to wear the AF uniform and prouder, even, with my wings on it.

Hi all! I'm just jumping in with a question regarding FLight Nursing in Air Force Reserve! I had a position and went through the class III physical in June, Today I was told that my refractory error is outside the limits of a waiver! I am completely healthy and have 20/20 corrected vision with my glasses. My refractory error is 7.25 in my left eye and my right eye is 8.25. My information still has to go to the Surgeon General they say for the official denial, any chance that they will allow the waiver, my eyes are otherwise healthy and I am not color blind. My health history is benign and I have been an RN for 16 yrs. They say I can still receive a Comission as a Clinical nurse.
Any help would be aprreciated!
Thanks
DL

Flight waivers are hard to come by when it comes to eyesight. If flying is the only reason you're looking to join, then I wouldn't do it. They would likely require a waiver every time you had a flight physical, and if you were to fail a flight physical and still have time on your contract, you'd be grounded anyway.
If you just like the idea of serving, then I'd sign up anyway and try to work it out while serving. I know that you can get PRK done by the Air Force while in, so that could actually get you flight ready.

My waiver was approved on 10/09/2009! It was approved for 3 years, during that time I plan on getting approval for PRK. I do just want to serve my country and was more than willing to do a clinical spot, however SG sent back an approved waiver! Now my next question is how quickly can a Commission come through? My recruiter had to send my rank calculation in three times for it to finally not get kicked back, once my rank is confirmed then I believe my file gets checked by her boss and then forwarded to the East Coast to the head of Nursing for Commission approval, so my question is: how fast or slow is the turn around? I would love to swear in on Nov. 3rd, is that a possibility or am I expecting too much? I'm just anxious to start a new chapter n my life, I specifically went back to school to get my BSN to be able to serve my country, so now that I finished, I'd like to get started!
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks

I think that would be rather quick, but who knows. It's been a long and painful experience for many people, long and not painful for others...but the theme seems to be a long process either way.

I didn't know they would commission you at all without a BSN...unless of course you have a BS in something else.

Actually, I have my BSN now, I finished up in Aug of this year! That was a whole other painful experience. I had to switch Universities when I was 3 classes from graduating with my BSN due to the fact that their ADN program was accredited but their BSN was not yet and I needed to graduate from an NLN or CCNE accredited program to be able to go into the Air Force! I've wanted to do this since I was 19 yrs. old nothing like waiting 21 yrs to fulfill a dream! I'm sure it will be well worth the wait!

Thanks