USAF nurse

Specialties Government

Published

I am a new nurse who just graduated in august with my BSN and got my license just seven days ago and need advice like no other. I currently work for the department of veterans' affairs doing medical surgical floors. I was a student nurse tech in the surgical intensive care unit for a year and did my clinical at a local trauma hospital with my preceptorship in their ICU. I am not nervous about my skills or my knowledge base. I am nervous about not knowing what to do about my future!

I am greatly considering the Air Force for my career path. I would go in as a 2nd lt making the same as I currently make on day shift at my hospital. I think it would be a wonderful future and gain experience if I get a good base of course. The people I work with at the VA hospital think I am making a wonderful decision. My friends who work in the private sector believe I am making a massive mistake because I could make so much more money in the private field.

I would love to hear feedback on those who are currently in the armed forces, former armed forces, those who know other nurses who were once in the armed forces, those who are nurses, and those who just want to leave feedback.

Thank you very much!

DONT DO IT!

Trust me! Its not the way to go, unless you really absolutely need to retire in 20 yrs. Stay civilian & live your own life. I would not recommend joining to anyone, but only as a last resort!

Why do you say this. I would like to hear examples please.

When a deployment comes your way, it is mandatory that you receive the Anthrax vaccine. This vaccine doesnt protect you from an anthrax contact but gives you just a little more time to live once you're infected! Its not FDA approved! If you try and decline this order, then you will receive a Dishonorable Discharge ( a real career destroyer). This is one of the many things that fall into being "military property", which you will become if you join. Ask yourself is it really necessary (although its nice) to retire in 20 yrs? If its that important, then go ahead & join.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
When a deployment comes your way, it is mandatory that you receive the Anthrax vaccine. This vaccine doesnt protect you from an anthrax contact but gives you just a little more time to live once you're infected! Its not FDA approved! If you try and decline this order, then you will receive a Dishonorable Discharge ( a real career destroyer). This is one of the many things that fall into being "military property", which you will become if you join. Ask yourself is it really necessary (although its nice) to retire in 20 yrs? If its that important, then go ahead & join.

Let's address this anthrax vaccine issue:

1. Yes; it is licensed by the FDA. http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/anthrax.htm

2. Yes; it does protect you against anthrax the same way other vaccines do. http://www.anthrax.osd.mil/vaccine/protect2.asp

The anthrax vaccine is not perfect, but there is still no large scientific study that shows it is unsafe when compared to other vaccines. The only study that I know of that shows that it is unsafe is based on the Russian form of the vaccine which is a different formulation.

There is a lot more to it than just refusing the order and being dishonarbly discharged...

Free speech is nice thing to have....I wonder who protects that right for you?.....

Could it be all those U.S. Military people?

Well I am off to nurse anesthesia school. Where the U.S. military actually pays me to go to school (around 7,000 a month), but that is just one of the many downsides to being U.S. property;)

I see you are a fan of the military. Thats good I suppose since everyone has their own view. The military isnt what it used to be. The USAF is a business! Hardly anyone would stay in & put up with the stupidness if there wasnt an early retirement. I wouldnt recommend anyone to join such an unorganized organization! Your last resort should be to join! Im sure you are an officer (7k/month). Things are alot different on the enlisted side.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
I see you are a fan of the military. Thats good I suppose since everyone has their own view. The military isnt what it used to be. The USAF is a business! Hardly anyone would stay in & put up with the stupidness if there wasnt an early retirement. I wouldnt recommend anyone to join such an unorganized organization! Your last resort should be to join! Im sure you are an officer (7k/month). Things are alot different on the enlisted side.

Yes, I am an officer (a Captain to be exact). There is only one way to be in the AF nurse corps and that is as an officer. I am the 1st officer in my family. Two of my cousins retired from the AF in 2003. They both really liked the AF overall, and one of them would have probably stayed for 30+ years if it wasn't for the death of his wife. The other cousin just got tired of all the bureaucracy, and retired as soon as he could.

I have met a lot of people that were tired/didn't like the military anymore, but it usually has to do with their job, and where they are stationed. You obviously have had some negative experiences. Why don't you share your personal experiences, instead of making generalized statements. I have had my share of negative experiences with the AF, and probably if I had to do it all over again I would have went with USPHS instead.

Retirement isn't the only reason to join the military. I specifically joined in order to get away from the "stupidness" of civilian nursing, and to more importantly to go to CRNA school.

No need for me to pour out my problems with the AF. With you as an officer- I really dont think you would understand.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
No need for me to pour out my problems with the AF. With you as an officer- I really dont think you would understand.

You are trying to make a point through generalizations to potential officers on this forum. It is often easier to make your point through direct personal examples, if you don't want to share them that is fine.

Since, I sense some overall resentment towards commissioned officers...I am assuming you were on the line side of the AF. Almost 50% of the officers in the military are prior enlisted. Having worked at Sheppard with students there isn't too many stories/problems with the military I haven't heard.

After you get your nursing degree and work on the civilian side for awhile you might decide to look at the military/USPHS again.

Good Luck to you in school...

LOL i was just being subjective! Simply voicing my opinion. My point was to NOT JOIN & I told that person to live there own life. The AF is handing out 1 year tours to the dessert & other OCONUS bases. Also, deployments will be 6 months soon with less AEF buckets (increased rate of deployments). The govt is in CONTROL when they give people these assignments. I would hate to have a family & be forced to leave them for a year, not to mention the place I am going to could be Iraq!!! Back in 2003, I was stationed at Hurby & was forced to get those damn Anthrax shots! I wasnt deploying, but I was faced with either getting the 6 shots or declining it along with a dishonorable. Military memebers are FORCED, ill say it again, FORCED to comply with unreasonable tasks!

Congrats on graduating!!!!

A note about the Air Force, they are down sizing at the moment(at least that's what my brother who's in there now says). The more mistakes you make the more likely they are to kick you out(no matter where you fall on the enlisted/officer side of things). The reason for the downsizing is that the Air Force has to buy new planes to replace the b-52s. The budget just doesn't have enough in it for the amount of people they have and to buy new planes. I wouldn't necessarily discourage you from joining, just be very careful!!!

About the Tricare thing, sometimes it depends on who you see doctorwise and who his medical billing company is(i used to work for a medical billing company). We usually had no problem getting Tricare to pay for anything(that's not always the case as others have mentioned before me).

Pay wise, you have nothing to worry about. A friend of my family's is retired military working as a civilain on base, and he has had no financial difficulties at all!!!!! He and his wife(both working though) were able to send their daughter to a very prestigious school for college-just to give you a hint at how they were financially.

I wish you the best of luck!!!!!!!:smiley_aa

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Congrats on graduating!!!!

A note about the Air Force, they are down sizing at the moment(at least that's what my brother who's in there now says). The more mistakes you make the more likely they are to kick you out(no matter where you fall on the enlisted/officer side of things). The reason for the downsizing is that the Air Force has to buy new planes to replace the b-52s. The budget just doesn't have enough in it for the amount of people they have and to buy new planes. I wouldn't necessarily discourage you from joining, just be very careful!!!

About the Tricare thing, sometimes it depends on who you see doctorwise and who his medical billing company is(i used to work for a medical billing company). We usually had no problem getting Tricare to pay for anything(that's not always the case as others have mentioned before me).

Pay wise, you have nothing to worry about. A friend of my family's is retired military working as a civilain on base, and he has had no financial difficulties at all!!!!! He and his wife(both working though) were able to send their daughter to a very prestigious school for college-just to give you a hint at how they were financially.

I wish you the best of luck!!!!!!!:smiley_aa

AF medical officer/nurses etc are exempt from the downsizing. The AF still has a short supply of medical personnel.

There is definatively job security right know being a nurse in the military, but that can change it hasn't been that many years ago the Army downsized their nurse corps. Now the Army is paying for that mistake....!

af medical officer/nurses etc are exempt from the downsizing. the af still has a short supply of medical personnel.

there is definatively job security right know being a nurse in the military, but that can change it hasn't been that many years ago the army downsized their nurse corps. now the army is paying for that mistake....!

thanks for the heads up!! my brother(b-52 mechanic) also said that trying to meet enlistment needs and downsize the amount of money being spent by the air force is difficult to juggle. you're right though, the medical personnel is probably safe for a while.

I was a crewchief on the MH53 Helicopter & they are phasing them out as we speak. The AF is replacing them with CV-22 Tilt Rotors (half helicopter, half plane-GOOGLE IT!). Most importantly, the CV's cost 80 million per plane! The AF is changing & dont take the 20 year retirement for granted! We all know why everyone stays in, for the retirement of course!

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