As of right now, there is NO NTP board next year for new nurses. All scheduled boards for NTP have been cancelled. In addition, nurses now must have at least ONE YEAR of experience to be a Fully Qualified Applicant, previously it was 6 months. The next Fully Qualified Nurse Applicant Board is tentatively scheduled for the July-August 2011 time frame. So as of right now, the quickest way to become a member of the USAF is to be registered/accepted into a Master's program in one of the three following categories: Family Nurse Practioner, Mental Health, and Nurse Anethetist. Applicants would have to be approved for the HPLS scholarship and commission into the Air Force as an officer, then they would be put into the inactive reserve (serve 46 days active duty per year) while they complete their Master's Degree (allow 2 years to complete). Once completed they would be obligated to serve a 36 month contract.
As mentioned elsewhere, the Air Force, along with other branches of the military, are not hurting for Nurses currently.
It is a little frustrating to me, but I had already planned to work a year a nurse before leaving for the Air Force, so I still have a chance at the Fully Qualified board next year.
