I am considering joining the air force as a nurse and I have been told that all slots are full for student loan repayment for this fiscal year (2009). But that the bonus is still available.
I know the new fiscal year starts October of this year. However, my recruiter says that he has heard that there will be no bonus or student loan repayment because of the economy and that they over-did the amt of nurses that they accepted last year. Does any of that sound accurate?
I am also told that I need to give a definitive yes or no on whether I want to join the Air Force before he will even enter my application into the system. He says if I go through the process of getting accepted and then turn it down, then I wasted 4 AFB's time and money.
I am uncomfortable with giving a yes to this before I even get the opportunity to find out about student loan repayment & bonuses for the next fiscal year and before I even find out if I am accepted.
He says if I want to wait to hear about that, it will be December before he knows anything about student loan repayment and then he can enter my app.
Does any of this sound accurate?? Just curious b/c I have no other sources.
Just wanted to say thanks for this great thread. I went to speak with an Air Force Recruiter that is about 2 hours away from where I live today and because of this forum, I felt I was able to ask things I wouldn't have thought of otherwise, and although the recruiter really can't start any paperwork with me yet because I'm 2 years away from graduating, I now also thanks to this forum know that things like having my medical records in my hands, my letters of recommendations and so on ready to go at the my year mark of May 2011, because the boards happen either August, September, or October and only happen once a year, and in response to someone else's post, the selection rate for nurses, according to my recruiter is about 99 percent..thanks again for all contributing to this thread:-)
I'd be careful about stating what you know according to your recruiter. That's one of the first things you will learn over your application journey; recruiters try really hard and most of them are decent honest people but...."my recruiter told me" is not something you want to say. The boards, unless something has changed in the last couple months, happen more than once a year. I did hear they were freezing boards temporarily for some reason, perhaps the huge influx of nurses. But...that was just something i read somewhere on here. The selection rate may be 99% for your recruiter but I tend to doubt the overall selection rate is 99% Don't use that number as a reason not to seek other opportunities and weigh other options. There are alot of hoops and hurdles to get through to get an officer position in the AF. The sense of accomplishment though is more than you can imagine, right up there with that RN license...and thats even before COT so I can only imagine what graduation from COT will feel like. Its a long journey, and best of luck to you.
Thanks Jay, I let myself get a little carried away and I know better than to take a recruiter at their word. Normally I do have a back up plans in case the main plan doesn't come to fruiton. I really want to go into the air force but will make sure to have a couple back up plans in case that doesn't happen.
Loan repayment is not just for BSN??? My current loans all stem from my MSN, they still qualify for repayment - right???
I was in the same boat and, yes, they will pay those too. The only thing they said they wouldn't pay was my private loans---money is for Federal loans only.
I'd be careful about stating what you know according to your recruiter. That's one of the first things you will learn over your application journey; recruiters try really hard and most of them are decent honest people but...."my recruiter told me" is not something you want to say. The boards, unless something has changed in the last couple months, happen more than once a year. I did hear they were freezing boards temporarily for some reason, perhaps the huge influx of nurses. But...that was just something i read somewhere on here. The selection rate may be 99% for your recruiter but I tend to doubt the overall selection rate is 99% Don't use that number as a reason not to seek other opportunities and weigh other options. There are alot of hoops and hurdles to get through to get an officer position in the AF. The sense of accomplishment though is more than you can imagine, right up there with that RN license...and thats even before COT so I can only imagine what graduation from COT will feel like. Its a long journey, and best of luck to you.
Just a note to all the nurses that applying to get into the Air Force - My recruiter in San Antonio, who gets his information from the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph, said that the boards for the Nurse Corps are being closed in May 2010. The May 2010 board is the last board for this fiscal year. They will resume boards next fiscal year. This is because the Air Force had a super good year with nurse applicants and because Colonel Moore (the Colonel that selects applicants at Randolph) is retiring this year and so they are waiting for another Colonel to fill her spot.
I'd watch this space, though, so to speak; all recruiters get all their information from AFPC (how some choose to disperse it is another matter) - although given the number of folks we've seen posting here stopping boards seems perfectly logical.
I'd watch this space, though, so to speak; all recruiters get all their information from AFPC (how some choose to disperse it is another matter) - although given the number of folks we've seen posting here stopping boards seems perfectly logical.
Hi Kimberly - Where do you get the flight cap from? Two months till comissioning...Can't wait to take the plunge into the USAF!
Definitely ok to get carried away! : ) Its a really exciting choice. But a lot of people on this site have quite a bit of insight and perspective. I like to borrow it from time to time Thanks guys.
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Thanks guys.
huggiebear1979
119 Posts
Just wanted to say thanks for this great thread. I went to speak with an Air Force Recruiter that is about 2 hours away from where I live today and because of this forum, I felt I was able to ask things I wouldn't have thought of otherwise, and although the recruiter really can't start any paperwork with me yet because I'm 2 years away from graduating, I now also thanks to this forum know that things like having my medical records in my hands, my letters of recommendations and so on ready to go at the my year mark of May 2011, because the boards happen either August, September, or October and only happen once a year, and in response to someone else's post, the selection rate for nurses, according to my recruiter is about 99 percent..thanks again for all contributing to this thread:-)