Air Force Nursing

infinity9092 · Mar 22, 2005

I am prior Army with 9 1/2 years enlisted. In a few years I will be done with my BSN, thinking about joining AF nurse corp. I have heard that the Air Force doesn't like to move you every 3-4 years like the army does. How true is this? I live in San Antonio and own a home there. I really don't want to go anywhere else. What's the possiblilty of me doing 2 tours there at least? Wilford Hall...

The Air Force does like its health professionals to move every three to four years to make you more promotable and to give a breadth of experience they feel will make you a greater leader by having work in different environments. Your speciality as well as your career goals will have an impact on your moving. It is possible for you to stay in one spot for more than three years and when your talking about Wilford Hall I would say it will really depend on your speciality. Good luck on your decision..

Alicia18 · Mar 22, 2005

I am prior Army with 9 1/2 years enlisted. In a few years I will be done with my BSN, thinking about joining AF nurse corp. I have heard that the Air Force doesn't like to move you every 3-4 years like the army does. How true is this? I live in San Antonio and own a home there. I really don't want to go anywhere else. What's the possiblilty of me doing 2 tours there at least? Wilford Hall...

Hehe :chuckle , if only that were true. I'm an Air Force brat (my Dad was in for 20 years), and we didn't stay in one place for more than five years, and even then we were bouncing from house to house constantly. Some people are lucky (I know a family that has, amazingly enough, been stationed at the same base and in the same house for 20 years), but I think that they are the exceptions to the rule which prove the rule. It might be something you'd want to ask a recruiter.

Good luck in your new career move.

infinity9092 · Mar 23, 2005

I too am an Air Force brat whose father served 21 years, he retired in 1988. I also am in the Air Force and being in the Air Force myself is very different than what my dad went through especially nowaday. Your right depending on the job, the location, the need, some people find themselves in one spot longer than normal. My best friend has been at her assignment for 9 years and just recieved an assignment due to humanitarian reasons. She probably could have finished her 20 there. The average stateside assignment for Nurses is 3 - 4 years then you are "expected" to move. Like I said before to be promotable you need to move. When your talking about trying to stay at Wilford Hall it is more probable that you would be able to stay for a longer period of time at that assignment since it is the largest medical facility in the Air Force as compared to trying to stay longer at a smaller facility with no manning problems. If your at an assignment how many times you chose to change houses is up to you. Since she owns her home she will live there until she gets an assignment or choses to move into another home.

USAFRN 13 · Apr 17, 2005

as a nurse you will have to move about every 3-4 years. However they always need staff at Big Willie, so maybe you could stay there a skosh longer. You should be able to get your first tour there pretty easily, then maybe do a short tour and come back.

tulpen1234 · Mar 26, 2009

I recently saw an article about Wilford Hall going to a same day surgery unit by 2010. But I am wondering if Ft Sam/BAMC would become more multi service? If so staying in that area would be much easier to transfer to different facilities.

allnurses Guide · Mar 26, 2009

I recently saw an article about Wilford Hall going to a same day surgery unit by 2010. But I am wondering if Ft Sam/BAMC would become more multi service? If so staying in that area would be much easier to transfer to different facilities.

FYI: Wilford Hall and BAMC are combining under BRAC it will be a dual service hospital (AF & Army).