Many questions

Specialties Government

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Specializes in Med/Surg, PCU, Geriatrics, Family Practi.

Hi all! Soon to be an Air Force Nurse! This has been a long and twisted road. I have many questions and they should take several posts. First though, I have a good recruiter, however, he has changed from recruiting enlisted (the broad spectrum) to recruiting Officer, Nurses. I feel like he might not know everything.

A little background: Married, no kids, three dogs, 47, good shape and fitness, Prior service (5 years), Army, ambulance driver, then medic (awarded Combat Field Medical Badge), Desert Shield/Desert Storm vet, then LPN. The Army wouldn't let me go to school to become an RN, so I got out, went to Community College got my RN, and now I'm a Senior at the University of Delaware. Cum GPA 3.98, school full time on-line RN-BSN program, enrolled in 3 classes (10 hrs) Winter term, enrolled 3 classes (10 hrs) and two week practicum, then one more class in Jun/Jul and I graduate with BSN in Jul, commission in August and go to COT in late August. I work full time as an RN on the Medical-Surgical floor of our local small hospital.:yeah:

Questions:

1.) Signing bonus? Amount? Committment? Best combonation, i.e. $20K for three years, or $30K for six years?

2.) Tuition Reimbursement? How much total/per year? Can we get both the reimbursement and bonus? Committment?

3.) Initial Rank/TIS/TIG according to experience? Prior service, 4 years as LPN, 1 year as RN.

4.) 1st duty station? I will be accessed as a "qualified" clinical nurse so I wont have to go to Orientation course. I will go to COT and then to my 1st duty station. I want to go to Germany, Italy, Guam in that order. I don't know what to ask for for 1st choice of stateside assignments. I speak, read, and write German fluently and I speak conversational Italian. I grew up on Guam with my Father (Retired Air Force MSgt.)

5.) My Mother is my dependant (65, not working).

6.) MEPS: I can do everything but I would like to hear experiences. My knees are my oldest part of my body. Can anybody share about the knee trials (Go down, duck walk, get up, etc.)

7.) Weight at MEPS? I am at 180, limit is 175 for my heighth. I am losing it. How tightly does MEPS cleave to the regulation? Add an inch, subtract a pound or two, give a girl a chance??

Enough for now, you all say. I am going to make it all the way but these are nagging at me. Some I have asked my recruiter, some I don't want to ask him, and the answers to some set me up to ask more specific and intelligent questions that he has to answer. i.e. the money equations and the Mother is my Dependant question.

Thanks, Ladyviola :nurse:

Specializes in Neuro, Surgical, Trauma and ICU..

Welcome ladyviola,

Congratulations on all your accomplishments sounds like your a great nurse and you have alot of medical experience. I am going through the process for the navy. However, I started off not knowing which branch I wanted so I have spent time talking with all the branch medical recruiters. I don't know all the answers to your questions but from my experience and some of the others I have seen on the board.

1. you may want to ask your recruiter very specific questions about your bonus, will they be available in august. The reason I say this is because alot of us on this board was interested in airforce but they only get a few bonus positions available each year and the new year starts in October. I know for a few of us they didn't have bonus money available. I'm not sure about combination, committment, etc

6. I just went to MEPS on Saturday I would just warm up on a few things duck walk, etc on a cold floor to get your bones warmed up.

7. I was over my weight at MEPS but they was able to do the tape test. I would go ahead and try to loose the weight before I go. Only thing is that they are exact.

Well good luck and hopefully somone that is currently in USAF can answer some of your other questions.

Specializes in L&D, mother/baby, antepartum.

Hello! I'm a new AF nurse so I've recently been through the process. I can answer a few of your questions with some certainty and others with knowledge I've gained through others.

1.) Signing bonus? Amount? Committment? Best combonation, i.e. $20K for three years, or $30K for six years?

I commissioned last year and took $30K for which I have a 3 year commitment. Be sure you get your packet before the board asap if you want a bonus because the money runs out quickly after the beginning of the fiscal year.

2.) Tuition Reimbursement? How much total/per year? Can we get both the reimbursement and bonus? Committment?

I also took $38K (the maximum at the time) of loan repayment money. I have a three year commitment for this too. In total, my commitment is 6 years because I took both. The bonus and loan repayment were disbursed as one payment shortly after I reported to my base. BOTH ARE TAXED 28% before they are disbursed so take this into account when you make your decision.

3.) Initial Rank/TIS/TIG according to experience? Prior service, 4 years as LPN, 1 year as RN.

I'm almost certain that they will not give you credit for any experience you gained PRIOR to obtaining your BSN. This means that even though you have some great experience, they will not give you TIS. As you already know you'll get to skip NTP so that's nice.

4.) 1st duty station? I will be accessed as a "qualified" clinical nurse so I wont have to go to Orientation course. I will go to COT and then to my 1st duty station. I want to go to Germany, Italy, Guam in that order. I don't know what to ask for for 1st choice of stateside assignments. I speak, read, and write German fluently and I speak conversational Italian. I grew up on Guam with my Father (Retired Air Force MSgt.)

Not sure about this one. My recruiter told me that it's not very often that newly commissioned officers go overseas. I did have an experienced ER RN in my COT class that was going to Germany so it certainly isn't impossible. I say go for it...the worst that will happen is they say no.

5.) My Mother is my dependant (65, not working).

There is an AFI that addresses this issue. It's AFI36-3026. Go here to search for it: http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/ Once you locate the document I would encourage you to do a word search within the document to narrow your search. The document is long but very comprehensive. It took me forever to go through it. I also called and spoke to someone from DEERS to make sure that what I gathered from the document was true.

I was in a somewhat similar situation where I have I step-son who does not live with me but I wanted to know if I could add him to my Tricare insurance. Turns out that I could. Don't quote me on this, but I think if you provide over 50% support for your mother she can be considered your dependent. The best thing you can do it research it through the AFI.

Specializes in NTICU, Transplant Services.

"3.) Initial Rank/TIS/TIG according to experience? Prior service, 4 years as LPN, 1 year as RN.

I'm almost certain that they will not give you credit for any experience you gained PRIOR to obtaining your BSN. This means that even though you have some great experience, they will not give you TIS. As you already know you'll get to skip NTP so that's nice."

I have talked to several recruiters throughout the past 6 months and they have all told me that prior experience does count. You would receive 1/2 year experience for every one year worked. So I will be going in with 3 years civilian experience so I will get 1.5 years AF experience and hopefully within 6 months move up rank.

Just thought this might help.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
"3.) Initial Rank/TIS/TIG according to experience? Prior service, 4 years as LPN, 1 year as RN.

I'm almost certain that they will not give you credit for any experience you gained PRIOR to obtaining your BSN. This means that even though you have some great experience, they will not give you TIS. As you already know you'll get to skip NTP so that's nice."

I have talked to several recruiters throughout the past 6 months and they have all told me that prior experience does count. You would receive 1/2 year experience for every one year worked. So I will be going in with 3 years civilian experience so I will get 1.5 years AF experience and hopefully within 6 months move up rank.

Just thought this might help.

Unless the regs have changed you are right. The only thing I would add is that is after 6yrs time as an RN you get 1 for 1 credit.

Also, as long as you served 4yrs and 1day on AD as an enlisted member you will be entitled to prior enlisted pay (E pay).

you sir, are correct ;)

RN experience is not substituted for non-RN experience.

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