Becoming an R.N. in the Airforce?

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Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some information on becoming an R.N. in the Airforce? I heard the Airforce is the program to be for Nursing? I was just wondering about it going through the schooling to become an R.N. in the Airforce and them paying for it. Thank you.

Hello all, so glad there is something like this online for people in my situation! Thanks in advance for the comments. Here's my situation, if anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. Single mother (with lots of familial support), bachelor's in Spanish (bilingual), looking into nursing (found a BSN program for 36K, 1.5 yrs), and want to join the AF. Question is: Do school first? (lotsa loans) or Join AF and then get trained? no idea the steps to take first...thanks!

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

Get your BSN then come into the Air Force. As soon as you start your program, find a nursing recruiter to get paperwork started. It takes a good year to get through the primary processes and you can do it while you are in school.

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Miloisstinky- I know this is an old thread, but I ran across it and was wondering if you could give me some more insight into AF nursing. Im currently and ICU RN and am looking to join the Air Force. I really want to travel and be a flight nurse, and I figure the Air Force would allow me to do both those things. I'm kind of nervous though as I have no experience in the military and I don't want to feel like I'm signing my life away for three years. Any feedback would be appreciated!!

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

I was prior military. I thought I knew exactly what I was getting into. But years as a civilian had changed the way I approached things in many ways. I found myself very resentful for a bit when I came back in the Air Force as an ICU nurse. I felt like I had signed my life away. Why? Because I thought we would work just like I used to. But we work 4 12's one week, then 3 12's the next. Add in mandatory meetings at random times. I found myself at work everyday for different issues. I felt like I was living to work. Travel? Well, you really don't travel much in the Air Force. Not like you think, at least. I've been all over the place. But all you see are airports and the insides of bases. This year I've been in 7 different countries, and 3 different states. It all looks the same. We joke that we are only 3 hours from Lackland they just pretend we are far away.

That being said..... I am still 100% sure that this is what I am supposed to do. I love my work most days. I'm proud of what I do. The days that I have asked myself why I did this, I know the answer is that I want to be caring for our service men. I've been doing that. We also take care of a higher percentage of civilians and local nationals. the humanitarian mission of the military is really felt in the nurse corp.

Flight nurse is not what most civilians think it is.

Keep evaluating why you want to be in the Air Force and ensure your heart is all in it. It takes everything you've got.

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