Air Force Nursing Corps

Specialties Government

Published

Hello,

I'm Sergeant Josh Hopper and I work with the Air Force Nursing Corps for Ohio and Indiana. If any of you have ever had any questions feel free to post them. One question I get alot is about our MSN scholarships. We pay 100% of school for you to become an CRNA, Mid Wife, or most Practitioners. You continue to recieve your full time pay check while going to school. If you have more questions about this or any other Air Force Nurse Corps Questions feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Josh

I am currently going through the application process in attempts to be an AF mental health nurse and would love to ask you some questions.

What is it like?

Where are you stationed

whats an average day

whats your favorite part.

Thank you so much,

JJ RN

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

All mental health nurses with the mental health identifier code in the AF do inpatient mental health. There are only 3 bases that do it: Anchorage, AK, San Antonio, TX, and Fairfield, CA. I don't know too much else about that job. Largely it's like civilian nursing, except that you will deploy potentially as often as 6 months out of every 24. Mental health nurses may deploy as med-surg nurses at times.

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Hello Sergeant Hopper,

1. Are FNPs in high demand in the air force?

2. Is there a sign on bonus as well as loan forgiveness for a 4 year contract?

3. Which bases would an FNP be working? Are FNPs based overseas?

4. Will FNPs serve a tour in Iraq, Afghanistan... etc? If so, typically how long?

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I have 10 years of ER nursing experience (BSN). Completed my MSN-FNP in May 2018. With 6 months of FNP experience, what would be my ranking as an AF commissioned officer?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

I'm not 100% sure if they still take MSNs or not as NPs in the AF. Assuming they do, your rank would be O-3. Captain. Assuming it was all full-time work, you get half your RN experience credited to you, plus 2 years for the MSN. In other words, you get credit for 7 years of time in grade; you need 4 years of time in grade credit for O-3.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Sergeant Hopper has probably retired by now; he hasn't posted in a while.

You can get in contact with an active healthcare recruiter from the AF website; just select the 'healthcare student or professional' option.

FNPs are located at just about every AF base. You could literally be stationed anywhere from Japan, to Korea, or to rural Texas or New Mexico. FNPs definitely deploy, as does anybody in the the AF nurse corps. You are vulnerable to deploy to places like countries in Africa or Afghanistan for 6 months long every 18-24 months. That means you could be gone as much as 33% of the time if your got hit every time.

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Does a past history of depression, treated with medication, with no hospitalizations with no history of threat to self or others still join the USAF?

If so, how long does one need to be without meds in order to be accepted into the military ?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

I believe it's a year of med-free time. However, it changes all the time based on how many people the AF needs. A healthcare recruiter would be a better source than me.

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Thank you!

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Specializes in Tele.

Evening Sgt Hopper,

Would you be able to explain how going from ANG to commissioned AD AF works? According to my points I have equivalent to 3 years service, so will I start off with O-1 w/3 years? I believe you need 4 years and 1 day of active duty for prior enlisted.

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Bigcat31 I'd recommend you contact your local HPSP Nursing recruiter. They would be your primary POC in the process. In addition, most HPSP Nursing recruiters are activated reservists and familiar with points. Explain to the chat online you are looking for your local HPSP Nursing recruiter POC https://www.airforce.com/find-a-recruiter

Best of luck in your transition,

Cecilia

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Specializes in Tele.

I've actually gotten all the way through the process and am signing my paperwork tomorrow to accept. I've asked quite a few times and have never received an answer, just that he would look into it. I was looking for help from anyone with experience in the matter so that I have something to come back with if he tries to say none of my time served matters

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