Air Force Nursing...NTP for exp nurses? Does family go?

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2009

Start your paperwork NOW. It's a heck of an application and you have a lot of work to do.

NTP is for nurses with less than one year experience, and it is a TDY (temporary duty assignment) for the member. Unless you end up being permanently stationed at the base where you're going to do your NTP - and that's more common than you'd think - your family is not moved there with you. (Example - you could do NTP at Lackland and then end up stationed at Lackland, or have NTP at Travis and be stationed at Travis.)

The AF would rather move you ONCE, though, because it's cheaper, so my guess - and this is ONLY a guess, mind you, since I didn't go to NTP - my guess is that since you have dependents, they'd put you in NTP at your first duty station - i.e., you get NTP at Travis and you're stationed at Travis. As I said, I'm just speculating.

nursemel09 · Dec 31, 2009

They try to have NTP and your first base the same. I also tried to request bases that included NTP to increase the chance of NTP and first station being the same. However, it depends on where the NTP slots are available at the time of COT graduation. For example, I do have a spouse but my NTP is at Travis and first station at Nellis. This is because Nellis did not have any NTP slots at the time I would be going.

AFOBRN · Feb 22, 2010

I was opposite Nursemel09. I did my NTP at Nellis and my permanent duty is at Travis. Know that you will most likely be first stationed at a large teaching hospital if you have no prior nursing experience. NTP is actually for nurses with less than 6 months clinical experience. You can chose to go if you are on the borderline like just barely 6 months experience. Also it depends on the kind of nursing experience you have. I worked 6 months in a nursing home...not the same as an acute care hospital! Family can be with you at NTP but...it will be on your own dime not the air force's. They will not move your family...however you are given freedom to come and go in most cases. My family lived 2 hours from Nellis and I went home on my days off. It was much easier than I expected it to be. But like I said if you have more than 6 months experience you won't go to NTP. It is a long and drwn out process for applying. Mine was extremely long but I had a baby halfway through my process and the Air Force requires you to be 6 months postpartum before applying officially. From the time I filled out my paperwork and leaving for COT was 6 months. I went to COT March 2009 and I have been at Travis since July. Now TDY to Lackland for 6 weeks.

nursemel09 · Feb 23, 2010

I do not know if they have changed it but NTP is for nurses with less then one of year of experience. I have been nursing (acute care cardiac-tele)since June so I was given the choice of going in March with NTP or waiting and going as fully qualified in June. Three extra months of a residency...no brainer for me.