Air Force Nursing Corps

Specialties Government

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Hello,

I'm Sergeant Josh Hopper and I work with the Air Force Nursing Corps for Ohio and Indiana. If any of you have ever had any questions feel free to post them. One question I get alot is about our MSN scholarships. We pay 100% of school for you to become an CRNA, Mid Wife, or most Practitioners. You continue to recieve your full time pay check while going to school. If you have more questions about this or any other Air Force Nurse Corps Questions feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Josh

Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Yes, it's very possible. Many nurses serving with me have done it, including the girl I supervise right now. The feedback I get from them is that it helped with general officership but it was a lot of work. You can do it even if you are non-scholarship. All AF ROTC nursing cadets get active duty to the best of my knowledge.

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0Hello. This is my first post ever to this forum, so I apologize in advance if I'm not in the loop as far as introductions and formats go. I'm hoping someone out there could give me some much needed information.

I have been a registered nurse for 16 years, as an ADN. I am currently working towards my BSN, which I should have by the end of this year. My ultimate goal is to go for Family Nurse Practitioner. What I would love to do is join the Air Force after I graduate with my BSN. Serving is something I've always wanted to do but I wanted to be commissioned, so I'm waiting for my BSN. Once I'm in, I want to work toward my NP. So, my questions are:

Is there a way to have my time as RN count from NCLEX to BSN? I've heard they could go either way. Some say the time as an ADN won't count and others say it will, once I get my BSN.

If the total time (17 years once I complete my BSN) is counted, what rank should I expect to start at?

If the total time doesn't count, what rank would that make me then?

Also, how would I persue my FNP once I'm commissioned?

I have also tried to contact a medical AF recruiter but the healthcare recruiting number from the USAF website doesn't work.

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated since I'm starting with no knowledge of the process. Thank you all in advance for your help.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

The contact a recruiter email link is tracked and you should get a response within a week or so. 17 years as a nurse makes me think you might be close to the age max. How old are you? I'm pretty sure the max age is either 42 or 47. A lot of medical conditions make you ineligible; hopefully you don't take meds. Do you work out regularly?

In the Air Force, your ADN/RN time counts. You would come in as an O-3 or Captain.

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I'm 39 and healthy

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Yeah, provided you can pass a PT test (google AF PT requirements), I would say you can apply as soon as you have the BSN.

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Is it possible to enlist as a 68C MOS (LVN) in the Army reserves, finish school and receive my BSN, then commission into the AF as an officer once my contract with the Army is up?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Why do you want to enlist in the Army but then later commission in the AF? The AF doesn't have a specific enlisted LPN/LVN specialty, but you are eligible to test for the NCLEX-PN in certain states once you complete your initial upgrade training in your first year at your first base. The AF medical technician role (4N) includes an LPN scope of practice.

It is possible to do what you want if you're okay waiting 4 years, but it would be far easier to do ROTC (2 year minimum) while you're in school instead.

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Why do you want to enlist in the Army but then later commission in the AF? The AF doesn't have a specific enlisted LPN/LVN specialty, but you are eligible to test for the NCLEX-PN in certain states once you complete your initial upgrade training in your first year at your first base. The AF medical technician role (4N) includes an LPN scope of practice.

It is possible to do what you want if you're okay waiting 4 years, but it would be far easier to do ROTC (2 year minimum) while you're in school instead.

Thanks for the response! That sounds like a good idea. How would I go about getting my RN/BSN from there, though? I was looking into LVN-RN programs and their applications all want you to take an LVN program and have a transcript from that school. Also, would I still be able to commission once I have my BSN, even though I've already been enlisted? I've heard mixed things about not being able to do that.

The reason I was looking into the Army's LPN program is because I'm starting to apply to nursing school and looking into all my options. I believe my GPA might be a little too low to get into any of the RN/BSN programs since they're so competitive, so I started looking into taking the LPN-RN/BSN route as a back-up plan. I'm looking into all my options so I'm prepared if I don't get into a 4-year BSN program. Any advice would be very appreciated. My ultimate goal is to become an AF RN.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

You're correct that you don't just commission as soon as you earn the BSN. I don't know if reservists are eligible for enlisted commissioning programs. You may have to separate (get out and have a break in service) from the Army after your first contract is done before you could commission.

I'm not very familiar with the process of taking a military obtained LPN license and using it for an RN bridge program. I've heard of people doing it, but I've never asked for specifics.

Rather than do all this LPN stuff, I would still try to apply to BSN programs and do non-scholarship ROTC if your grades aren't the best. I suspect you'll get in somewhere if your pre-reqs are all A's and B's.

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Hi

My name is Paula. I'm a critical care nurse with prior military service. I've been a nurse since June of 93. In ICU 19years and have my CCRN. I would like to talk to someone about re-enlisting. I'm currently in a RN to BSN Program and plan to transition into a FNP Program when I'm 3 classes away from the BSN. I'm attending University of Texas Arlington (UTA). I have an unrestricted license in Texas and Florida.

Can someone message me back?

Paula Daniel

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Hi

My name is Paula. I'm a critical care nurse with prior military service. I've been a nurse since June of 93. In ICU 19years and have my CCRN. I would like to talk to someone about re-enlisting. I'm currently in a RN to BSN Program and plan to transition into a FNP Program when I'm 3 classes away from the BSN. I'm attending University of Texas Arlington (UTA). I have an unrestricted license in Texas and Florida.

Can someone message me back?

Paula Daniel

If you want to be a nurse in the military, you will need a BSN first. You should contact a recruiter. Nurses don't enlist in the Air Force, they commission. There is also an age limit that may be a little different for you based on your prior service.

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Paula,

I'm not sure of your age, but that will come into play. A determining factor for active duty will be your ability to retire by age 60. So basically, if you had say 6 yrs prior active duty and your age is currently 46, you could retire with 20 yrs by age 60. Another challenge for age is getting a waiver for being beyond 40yo.

The reserves and guard are more flexible when it comes to age, especially in the health care career fields.

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