Air Force Nursing Bonus, Student Loan Repayment

[missmiss]

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.

Thanks.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Carolinapooh: Can you please ask someone at Wilford Hall how many applications have been submitted already for the Jan 26th boards. My recruiter in San Antonio told me that there are only 24 slots left for the board. I am thinking that there are a lot more than 24 applications for those spots! Was your recruiter's name Sgt. Frederickson? I still have to interview, but I will wait (if its possible) for the next board if there are enough applications for this board....

Thanks - Sachin

I'm from NC so that wasn't my recruiter. I would try to find out for you if I could, but all of that is handled by AFPC at Randolph and the RN/officer accession folks over at Maxwell AFB, AL. I don't know that they'd tell me. :)

Once your package is complete, let your recruiter submit it. The boards will shift apps as they need to.

[kato10]

I'm currently Active Duty enlisted Air Force. I've got 3 years left on my enlistment, and then I'm going for Nursing school and will return to the Air Force. I have two routes to choose:

NECP - Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program, basically lets me out of my job a little early to go to school, all school paid for, I retain my E-5 pay and benefits and remain on active duty, but my only job will be to go to school and the AFROTC stuff. Upon completion of school, I return to active duty as an O-1.

Separate - I get out of the AF at my normal time, and go to school on my own, using my GI Bill, and then finish my BSN and apply to become an Air Force Nurse.

I've heard that with active duty service sometimes we can be commissioned as an O-3 instead of having to start as an 0-1. I'm an E-5 now and when I separate I'll have 10 years active service. Has anyone heard of this before?

I'm a little slow in a response to you, but here is my personal experience with getting out. I was AD and got out to go to nursing school. I used the GI Bill which was great. However, it is tough getting back in now. I do have old knee injuries to deal with causing delays. I would recommend staying affiliated with the military as it can be tougher than you think to get back in and you never know what the future will hold....don't give up your ties.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I've heard that with active duty service sometimes we can be commissioned as an O-3 instead of having to start as an 0-1. I'm an E-5 now and when I separate I'll have 10 years active service. Has anyone heard of this before?

Not true. Advanced officer rank in the AF RN corps is based on nursing experience or your degree, not military experience. With a BSN you will start as an O1E with ten years active service. The pay's a little more, but when you hit captain you take a huge jump, and then at major you REALLY take a jump.

Even the master sergeants who go to regular OTS start off as second lieutenants. Advanced rank is solely based on job experience or degree requirements for that rank (if you go in with a Masters you go in as a first Lt, for example), but it's not based on military time.

I know - I have eight years and am looking forward to next December (I have one year TIG as a 2d Lt), when I make 1st Lt and will make more than a friend of mine who went in as a Captain with zero years prior service. And O4 is looking SWEET.

[midinphx, BSN]

I have a BSN, an MBA in healthcare management, my CCRN, 14 years nursing experience, and 3 years prior service. I'll be an O-3 with like 5 years prior (they count inactive reserve at half time).

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I have a BSN, an MBA in healthcare management, my CCRN, 14 years nursing experience, and 3 years prior service. I'll be an O-3 with like 5 years prior (they count inactive reserve at half time).

Actually, the recruiters have this waaaaayyy wrong - and I don't know why. You'll go in with your three years prior service, but with six years for pay purposes only. Only the three years counts for retirement.

I don't know why they still give them that multiplier thing.

The reason I know this is completely correct is because I pulled my own personnel record in MilPDS and called Randolph AFB to find out what all those weird dates were. I was told my date of rank is 14 December 2008, my date of pay is 01 August 2001, and my TIS is four years. So that means I currently have just over one year TIG, my pay is calculated from August 2001 (keep in mind I got out in 2000!) - giving me > 8 years TIS for pay ONLY. ALL of your inactive time counts for pay purposes.

My eligibility date for 20 year retirement is 17 October 2025 - sixteen additional years active duty.

So getting > six years TIS for pay (by the time you get to your duty station) rocks, really.

Again, this came straight from the horse's mouth, as it were - right from the Air Force Personnel Center.

[midinphx, BSN]

yeah, that sounds like how it was explained to me. I get 3 years toward retirement for my prior active. I get 2.5 years to my pay for my inactive. so it only helps with pay (like I'm complaining! lol). I'll be O-3 with 5.5 years in TIS.

I think we are both saying the same thing? Military tongue twisters!

[midinphx, BSN]

I reread your post, Pooh. All my inactive so I will be 8 years TIS?! Cool!

I'm still waiting for any word at all about acceptance. I don't think it'll be a problem, as long as I remain patient. Eventually, they will get to me!

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I reread your post, Pooh. All my inactive so I will be 8 years TIS?! Cool!

I'm still waiting for any word at all about acceptance. I don't think it'll be a problem, as long as I remain patient. Eventually, they will get to me!

Six. If you were three years active duty, you'll get six years for your inactlve.

The waiting is definitely the worst part. You're like me - just pay me. Anything after that is just gravy, really!

(So the pay's looking better now, I take it?) :0)

[midinphx, BSN]

lol Pooh! Yes, the pay is looking less scary. I calculated what the BAH is in this area (Luke AFB) into the total to give me a better market analysis. It looks like I'm only about $10,000 pay cut. That I can manage. I won't be able to sell my house. I will try to rent it out, but the market is so horrid here right now that I won't be able to rent at what my mortgage is, so I'm basically going to be paying for 2 homes. If I only had 1, I'd be doing great. I know this will all work out in the end. I'm just a realist and a planner (with an optomist trying to get out!).

I hope to hear something before the end of January. I'm trying not to think about it until then. I'm working extra shifts and I'll havde the money for uniforms by the time I get in at least so it won't be on a credit card!

[kato10]

You never know about the housing market. We put our's up the beginning of Oct and had a contract the middle of December. We did take a loss overall, but I am glad to get rid of it.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

We're getting five hundred a month more than our mortgage. Call a property management firm - you might be surprised. There are plenty of people willing to pay for a house who can't get a mortgage, but can afford the rent.

[midinphx, BSN]

Very sound advice. I appreciate it. Our housing market kicked the bucket, dropped really badly. Houses on my street had people bail out and default and dropped the neighbor to all time low. I bought at a good time,and I could sell if I went $40,000 less than I owe. The other house that got bought so low are being rented out, for less an my mortgage. I've already done the market analysis. But some rent will be better than none. So I'll go that route.

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.