Active duty AF at 47 years old

[renu47]

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.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Thanks again. Once I swear and sign, I realize my needs and wants do not matter. That is why I will not sign unless a contract with the ADMIRAL signature is on the contract which states major and the specefic base that I want to work at for my first tour. I realize once I get in the base could change in a matter of days to months. But speaking to other medical providers that should not occur in less than a year.

Assuming that you are aiming for AF no admiral is going to sign your contract....that would be the Navy or USPHS. As I have stated in a previous post I will be suprised if you get Major coming into the AF as a nurse. I haven't known one AF nurse to come in as a Major yet. I personally wouldn't want to come in as

Base preference usually isn't that big of deal for experienced nurses as long as they utilize your speciality on that base. Also, in general you stay on CONUS bases for 4.5yrs in the AF.

[renu47]

The end of your sentence was missing regarding not wanting to come in as... did you mean to say as Major. If so why is that, is it too demanding?

[athena55, BSN, RN]

Hello Renu47:

Obviously I am not wtb, but how I would finish that sentence regarding coming in as a MAJ is that, at least in the Army, a MAJ is Head Nurse material, OIC of a unit. Plus you would be expected to know the Army Culture, as it were. Army customs. Plus, at least in regards to the Army side of the house, the higher rank you achieve, the farther you are from the bedside. A lot more administrative "fluff and stuff".

If one were to come in Commissioned as a CPT, say, it would be because you have "x" number of active working years as an RN under your belt and you can assume a wee bit more responsibility, say as an XO.

As was said before, very rarely would one be Commissioned in as a MAJ in the ANC....

[NursePamela]

I must add coming in as a Captain / O-3 is still quite an honor, let alone just purely being on active duty serving our country is an honor in itself.

I would not "hold out" for Major if being on active duty is what you want.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

The end of your sentence was missing regarding not wanting to come in as... did you mean to say as Major. If so why is that, is it too demanding?

Well one of the reasons I wouldn't want to come into the military is a Major is you would be expected to know everything that someone that has been in the military for 10-12+ yrs, but you will also have earned the animosity of a lot of nurse corps officers. Major is not an automatic rank in the military and like all officer slots there are congressionally mandated numbers that are alloted to each corps and some AF nurse corps Captains have been waiting up to 14yrs+ to make Major. Making Major in the AF has been a major bottleneck for several years with delayed boards, long waits for pin on times (up to two years) etc.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

you will need to check on the retirment. I do not know if you will be able to stay on active long enough to retire unless you have prior service.

[NursePamela]

Don't quote me but I THINK. In order to get the "20 year" retirement. You have to be eligible to retire at 62???? So therefore the age is 42 with adjustments made for prior service.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

I know that they have waivered this at times, but 5 years would be pushing it. It would all depends on the need at the time.