AF E-5 Crew Chief wife, prior E-4 in Army NG, & highly considering joining as AF nurse

[AGarvin]

Hey all :-)

I have recently graduated with an Associates and am continuing on for a minimum of a BSN (dreams of being a Masters prepared Mid-wife). Anyways, I have recently finished a contract with the Army National Guard as a E-4 (68-W combat medic) and feel as if I did not do what I set out to do in the military. I really want to join back as a nurse (after getting my BSN) in the AF as a nurse. My husband is an enlisted E-5 (F-15 crew chief) lifer in the AF and I have truly grown to love and apprecite all the AF has to offer. However, I want some input from some dual military with different AFSC's on how difficult or wonderful it has been? Ever stationed at different bases? Deployment rotations? Ect. Again this is something I really wish to do but understand as a wife, who wishes to have both a career and family, that this may not be the best option. I would really love some feed back from people who have experienced this situation or personally know people who have.

Thank you in advance

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

It's not extremely difficult to get a nurse and crew chief to the same base. The problem occurs when the nurse specializes (ER, ICU, OR, etc) and limits themselves to certain bases. Not every AF base has every nursing specialty. Just about all of them have nurse administration and clinic nursing. Far fewer of them have OB.

If you don't mind spending a lot of your career in clinics or inpatient med-surg, I don't think you'll have much problem staying together. Know that there is always a chance that you might be stationed apart, but then you would be eligible for separation pay.