Air Force?? Navy??

Rottie1 · Nov 18, 2002

Tanya,

Not sure if there are any cons, or catches - if you are interested in the military you must know all about the possibilities out there. That could be - adventures in traveling meeting different people and places, and especially now it could mean - war.

As far as which to choose, Air Force or Navy. You should also visit your Navy recruiter. The chance that you will be stationed on a ship is there, being on a ship will be challenging since you would be limited in where you can go - no real liberty until you hit land. But now days the technology they have aboard ships is very good. They even hold college classes on a ship, so you still will have a lot of oportunities. In the Air Force you can also get into flight nursing I am not sure if that is an option in the Navy. Of course the Navy uniforms are sharper looking.

(I can say that since I was in the navy as a mechanic now I am in the Air Force Reserves as a Nurse)

Speak with both recruiters to hear all your options. Army has nurses too - see who will offer you the best. And be sure it is all in writing. If it isn't in writing it may not be completely true.

JenKatt · Nov 18, 2002

Navy uniforms are sharper looking?!?!?!?!?! Surely you jest! Nobody looks good in the whites unless you're a model!

Nothing tops Air Force blues!

N2bate · Dec 20, 2002

If you MUST go the military route, then there is no other choice but the Air Force......Personally, I believe military medicine is broken but I know there are those out there who seek certain forms of excitement and the military option may qunch that thirst. BTW, I just seperated from the Air Force this month as an RN---I am proud to say that I served, but trust me when I say I wouldn't do it again---ever!

renerian, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2002

I am emailing several navy men for the holiday season so they don't feel so alone. I would just talk to as many of the possible recruiters so you make a wise choice. I thought I recalled if you had a bachelors degree you entered as an officer. Am I wrong?

renerian

cindyln · Dec 20, 2002

I work at an army hospital and am the wife of a 20 yr army guy and I can tell you that the airforce has the better equipped hospitals.I don't know why but when the budgets are divided they get the most.

MIKEY LIKES · Dec 20, 2002

Tanya, Youre young 21 if a read the bio right. Go into the military, it's worth it. You have to look at the long term, not the short term. Yes, it's very hard and demanding and sometimes you feel like you have given up your life. But, the travel, money (in some cases) and the sense of pride you will have overcomes the above. I spent 6 years in the Navy as an aircrewman and I can say go into the Airforce...Ha Ha. No...really do it Air Force all the way. They have better uniforms, baetter duty stations, and better atmosphere all around. If you would like some more info PM me. I also did some recruiting. I, like some recruiters won't lie to get you in. I have no quota to meet. Mike

Navystang · Dec 31, 2002

Tanya,

I'm active duty Navy...18 yrs..RN for last 4. I agree with the other post that you need to do all the research you can about the different options from the different branches. You also need to think about what type of Nursing you'd like to do and where (geographically) you'd like the opportunity to go. There are some Nursing billets that will keep you from being onboard almost all shipboard platforms. There is always the potential to serve your country in battle (that is why there is a Department of Defense). I pray that we will never have to patch up our country's young men and women, but ....

There is a different approach to many things between the Airforce and the Navy. If your interested PM me and I'll give you as much information as you'd like.

With your BSN you can be commissioned as an officer in any of the branches. And any thing that you're told by any recruiter, ask them to put it in writing, otherwise the words are not even worth the air that was used to form them.

Best wishes for your future.

Fisher78249 · Jan 6, 2003

Hello Tanya, I am an active duty Air Force Officer. I am a First Lieutenant. I am stationed in TX. The pay really sucks in the military. I was a civilian nurse for 2 years before coming into the military, in which I was making about $60,000/yr. When I came in it dropped me down to $30,000. The work is a lot easier, our staffing is excellent. There is a medical technician assigned to each nurse and they are EMT certified, so they do all your nursing tasks, eg. foleys, NGT's, dressing changes, vitals, monitoring, IV's, etc. All I have to do when I come on is do my assessments, charting, chart checks, and meds, then I am usually done. The civilian nurses love it here. The Air Force do a better job of taking care of their people as opposed to the Army and other branches. A friend of mine who is a LT in the Army was staying in the army billeting(Hotel on base) and the paint was coming off the wall, the bathroom needed repairs, and the kitchen was non-existent. The standards of the Army is so low, that the Air Force will actually pay us extra money when we have to go to Army bases and reside in their billeting because their living conditions are not up to Air Force standards. I can honestly say that I am treated very well in the Air Force. I enjoy the respect and camraderie that is given to me as an Air Force officer and nurse. The military needs to give nurses a bonus like the docs. I get so frustrated when you have a guy who has a 4 year degree in cooking who is the same rank as me, and my schooling was twice as hard, but by us being the same rank, we get the same pay. If the military would boost the pay scale up to reach comparable levels with our civilian conterparts, nurses will be more likely to want to stay in the military. I joined the military hoping to travel and then when I get in, I find out that nurses only move around every 3 years. That was a great disappointment to me. I just got orders, so I will be relocating to Maryland in May. I have gotten accepted into the Air Force Perioperative program. I have been in the military for 2 years now and have been a nurse for 4 1/2 years. I am currently a surgical-nurse on a post-op surgical ward. I am now tired of doing med-surg nursing and want to specialize into the OR. You only get 1 patient at a time which is pretty cool. I am planning to attend grad school in Spring 2004 hopefully at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. When I relocate, I only owe the military 2 more years. After that I contemplating about becoming a traveling nurse. That way I can enjoy the same military benefits and I get to move around as early as every 3 months if I choose, and I get top dollar for being an OR nurse. The apartments that traveling companies place you in are like top dollar. The ones I have seen look like VIP suites in a 5-star hotel. And the benefits far surpass the miltary. You get travel and licensure reimbursement. You usually get s sign on bonus of $1-2,000.00 and you sometimes can get a completion bonus as well. When working holidays and overtime, you get double time pay. They pay all your utilities except cable and telephone. Now you can't beat that. Sometimes I wonder why I am still in the military. The future sure looks brighter down the road. I wouldn't discourage you from the military. I am 29 years old and single so I can pretty much move around without anyone holding me down. Look at your options. If you're willing to take a pay cut and not make that much money until you are a Major in the military, which takes about 11 years to get to, in order to be comparable to what you would get as an agency or traveling nurse, then look into the military. The uniforms are cool, the meetings are cool to go to , but I am all about the money for the most part. I love my job, but I feel that I should be compenstated accordingly.

Tony

macanes, BSN, MSN, DNP, CRNA · Feb 20, 2006

Navy uniforms are sharper looking?!?!?!?!?! Surely you jest! Nobody looks good in the whites unless you're a model!
Nothing tops Air Force blues!

Hey, fur sure!

And, you know, those Air Force guys NEVER deploy without cable/satellite TV, area rugs for their apartments, and a personal chef for each billet. I say GO AIR FORCE!

:chuckle

John Zitzelberger

formerly captain, US Army Nurse Corps

cynt77 · Feb 21, 2006

Hey Fisher 78249 where were you working before you came into the military making 60,000? Or shall I say what state? That seems like a lot for just starting out, I am not doubting you I am just trying to make a decision about if I am going to stay in or get out.

Thanks

macanes, BSN, MSN, DNP, CRNA · Feb 21, 2006

Hey Fisher 78249 where were you working before you came into the military making 60,000? Or shall I say what state? That seems like a lot for just starting out, I am not doubting you I am just trying to make a decision about if I am going to stay in or get out.
Thanks

He/she sure wasn't working in Georgia, unless as a travel nurse, etc. Maybe some GS or VA positions edge up that high after a few years.

I started in 1995 in Columbus, GA, at $12.25/hour. I was up to about $18.50 when I joined the Army. I took a small (~$200/month) pay cut as a 2LT, soon corrected by an early promotion to 1LT, thanks to constructive credit for my civilian time.

By the time you reach senior captain (O-3) or field grade (major, O-4, or LTC, O-5) you will NEVER see that kind of cash in the civilian sector, UNLESS you go the way of the suit. Get an MBA and become a management type, etc. But, then, you're not really a nurse anymore, are you?

:chuckle