Active duty AF at 47 years old

caliotter3 · Apr 10, 2009

An O-4 with less than two years service would get 4026.90 monthly. This can be verified by looking at: http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/militarypaytables.html. You can provide input as to your duty station preferences, but I do not know what your chances of getting your first pick would be. The standard military response to questions of this nature is "The needs of the military come first." Good luck.

allnurses Guide · Apr 10, 2009

This is my second post. I have been working with a recruiter since Dec. It is somewhat frightening because he has been very inconsistent with the paperwork. On several occasions he has forgotten to give me certain paperwork. I have been nursing for over 20 years, I'm 47 years old. I was told that I can pick my first duty station I may possibly get a rank waiver for major. Does anyone know if this is true. Also my present salary is 79,000. Could someone tell me what my take home pay would acutally be If I do get the waiver for major with no prior active duty experience.

I have only known one nurse that had enough experience to come in as an O-4. The AF wouldn't let her come in as an O-4 she had to come in as O-3 and then sit for the next promotion board. There would probably be a bunch of AF nurses if you came in as Major w/o having any military experience. Major takes AF nurses between 10-14yrs of AD time most of the time to make.

As far as salary you will have your base pay which is the only taxable portion, then BAS (about 250 or so), and BAH/housing allowance (that is dependent on where you will live and if you have dependents). Also, don't forget that if you are paying for insurance now you won't be paying that, and if you live in high cost area the commissary can save you a lot of money on food costs.

NursePamela · Apr 10, 2009

Also do not forget you do not get taxed on your housing allowance nor your food - BAH and BAS. It does add up. It really is hard to figure out how much you will actually take home. Plus you have to count in your 30 days of leave as income. If I had to guess an O-3 makes over 80,000.

NursePamela · Apr 10, 2009

and you get off for government holidays!

athena55, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2009

Raising my hand....THIS 0-3 sure as heck doesn't make anywhere close to $80,000.....

And I sure as heck don't get off all the Federal Holidays. It may so happen that my regular DO is scheduled and falls on an official Federal Holiday, nor do I get off all the training holidays as well.

Hey, if that is how the "Flyboys" handle things, maybe I should go "Green to Blue"??? Just kidding!

When I left my civilian, Federal job and went AD I went from a yearly salary of $100,000 to $45,000.....But then again, I didn't "do it" for the $$$

allnurses Guide · Apr 11, 2009

and you get off for government holidays!

If you work in a clinic....otherwise you don't necessarily get off on the holidays.

allnurses Guide · Apr 11, 2009

Here is my pay break down after 7yrs in the AF.

O-3 over 6 yrs base pay: 4950 per month (taxable)

BAH D.C. w/ dependents: 2362 per month (non taxable)

BAS: 324 per month (non taxable)

Annual Salary:

Base pay: 59,400 (taxable and then I avoid quite a bit of taxes by participating in TSP @ 20% of my base pay)

BAH w/ dep: 28,344 (non taxable, but again for my area this barely covers rent)

BAS: 3,888 (non taxable)

annual salary: 91,632

Also, you can expect a 2.5 to 3.5% pay raise every year (this is approved by congress every year so raises aren't a sure thing.)

Then you will get raises every 2yrs and a one time raise on your 3rd year.

Also, depending on your speciality in nursing you could be eligible for a bonus.

In general salary tends to be slightly lower for new nurses than our civilian counterparts during your 1st 4yrs on AD, but after that it tends to be very competitive with civilian nurses.

Money isn't everything, but I am not starving either....

NursePamela · Apr 11, 2009

So for Athena55 and anyone else. This is the way I Figure it. I am taking an "average" of 40 hours per week. We all know the hours vary so let's say average. So,, If you make

$40.oo an hour x 40 hr week = 1600 a week x 50 weeks (note 50 not 52) = $80,000 now let's take out taxes of .28% 80,000 - 22,400 = $57,600 ( that's take home) Now convert that to the military pay schedule of twice a month ( 1st and 15th) $57,600 / 24 = $2400. So I ask you is your TAKE HOME pay somewhere around $2400 a pay check than if so, your salary is approx. $80,000 a year. I know it has to be close. Not only am I prior service but my husband is active duty.

Obviously one does not go into the military for the money but money does pay the bills.

allnurses Guide · Apr 11, 2009

Here is a nice overview:

http://www.rotc.duq.edu/pdf/rotc-nursing-army-v-civilian.pdf

This is specifically promoting the Army, but the benefits are the same for all uniformed branches including USPHS.

olderthandirt2 · Apr 11, 2009

So for Athena55 and anyone else. This is the way I Figure it. I am taking an "average" of 40 hours per week. We all know the hours vary so let's say average. So,, If you make
$40.oo an hour x 40 hr week = 1600 a week x 50 weeks (note 50 not 52) = $80,000 now let's take out taxes of .28% 80,000 - 22,400 = $57,600 ( that's take home) Now convert that to the military pay schedule of twice a month ( 1st and 15th) $57,600 / 24 = $2400. So I ask you is your TAKE HOME pay somewhere around $2400 a pay check than if so, your salary is approx. $80,000 a year. I know it has to be close. Not only am I prior service but my husband is active duty.
Obviously one does not go into the military for the money but money does pay the bills.

Aren't the BASIC PAY scales for once a month payments? http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/militarypaytables.html.

That is how I have been figuring it. And it is taxed. So for me, coming in Active Duty as on O2, my pay is DEFINITELY less than my civilian pay. Even with BAH, BAS and free healthcare.......now in a few years (4), it will equal out.

c.

athena55, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2009

$2,400 a paycheck take home pay? Nope.

$80,000/year AD. Not by a long shot