Help!-Becoming An Air Force Nurce

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Please help I don't know anything about this topic but I am becoming increasingly interesting in joining the Air Force. I'm 20 y.o. and don't have any schooling for nursing, I do have a valid NYS EMT-B.

My main question here is there any way I could join the air force for nursing and get schooling while I'm there?

I'm not sure if that makes much sense but if it helps- the way I look at it, I've been feeling like my life is pointless working as a cashier, and I want to do more! I want to just go away ASAP and learn everything from them and not have to spend 2-4 more years here for schooling.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

You may want to check out the Government/Military Nursing forum- you may be able to find some answers there. Additionally, you can always talk to a recruiter or look on the internet for reputable sources of information.

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There is no way to do that. The military is full and there are no existing programs to get a BSN while enlisted and have them pay for it. How would you do clinicals and school when you have a full time job in the AF? The Army used to have a program for enlisted soldiers to get their BSN but that was cut a while ago.

I was a military recruiter and your chance of getting into the AF or Army even a brand new RN is very low. With NO BSN/RN it is 0.

Your only chance is to do AFROTC and attempt to get a scholarship. It is very very competitive. Scholarship winners usually have top GPA, SAT and sports/leadership accolades out of high school or were already enlisted for 4+ years.

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Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

You could join the Army and become a 68W (medic) and then go to the Armys LPN prgram as an enlisted soldier. You wouldn't be an RN, but you would be a LPN. May as well talk with them and see what they say.

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You could join the Army and become a 68W (medic) and then go to the Armys LPN prgram as an enlisted soldier. You wouldn't be an RN, but you would be a LPN. May as well talk with them and see what they say.

No guarantee that could happen, I have seen many 68W get their follow on 68C/LPN training postponed indefinitely. That's even if they have slots open.

Also, I guarantee the OP is looking to be an RN

OP if you want to be an RN, the military is not going to streamline it for you.

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I agree with Dranger here, there isn't a way to have the AF pay for schooling while you are commissioned/enlisted. It just doesn't happen right now. The AF takes brand new nurses once per year, and we all have to have our BSN and license before starting training. As mentioned, there are scholarships you can apply for but they really are competitive. Right now the AF and all branches have plenty of nurses. Yes, they'll always need to bring on more nurses but right now it's only to cover the nurses leaving the service or being cut. Your best bet is either apply for the scholarship and finish school, enlist as a medic without expecting to get to nursing for years, or go to school and then try to join with no guarantee you will. I don't mean to be negative, I'm just not going to give you false hope that it will be easy. I will say that if you do the school yourself, then make it into the Air Force they have a loan repayment deal you can take (at least they have it right now). So if you find your heart is being called, stick to it and make it happen. But please don't choose this simply to pay for school if your heart and mind aren't set up to serve. This isn't a fast sprint, this is a marathon followed by dedication and commitment. Good luck!

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