If you couldn't get in...

Kiwi, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2005

Gen Taylor (AF Surgeon General) said that if you are not supporting the flying or fighting mission, plan on being outsourced to civilians.

Dave, I'd first like to say that your education (CNS, ARNP, and future CRNA) is amazing.

I was wondering about the comment you made above in quotations. There are people that don't stand with the military's agenda right now, and there are also people who don't condone war due to religious practices, etc. Would such people be the type that the General is speaking of, or???

BigDave · Feb 8, 2005

as for the "my job to find me a job"--after grad school i was supposed to be placed in a "aad-coded" (advanced academic degree) job for 5 years or two assignments (to justify taxpayer expense to send me to school...$200k). i kind of got shafted on the assignment, then told that i am the reason for it not happening???? kind of stupid.

we have one nurse that became a jehovah's witness and is trying to get out on religious grounds. she has been working on it since july 2004.

this whole war in iraq thing has had a major impact on the military (mostly in the army). we have two nurses that left the army last year to come into the af. army nursing is a hard life with the deployments. our hospital commander volunteered to take over balad air base (camp anaconda to the army) to give the army some relief. here is a web article/video:

http://woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=c22dcd39-53cb-4b50-a61e-af2598f51d2e

we are doing 4-month rotations every two years or so (at least promised).

in answer to your question, i personally support our troops 100%. i would be there right now if i was not getting out. the wife of someone that just got back was in my house not 30 minutes ago. but i think we have been fed a bunch of bull to get us to where we are over there. when i was in the airplane business (awacs/tankers) i spent 5 trips in the 1980's helping saddam gas and murder the iranians...we're not lilly white in this process. i guess that makes me a non-supporter of the war. sorry if i hurt anyone's feelings by that remark, just giving my opinion.

don't get me wrong, the military has been very good to me, and i appreciate it. i am also an army brat (dad=23 years). the military is about all i've known. but i'm ready to move on...make my own decisions.

good luck to all you considering the military. it is actually good money for nursing. the pay beats most rn scales (except maybe agency). with my enlisted boost, i make around $80k/year. if you can get an overseas assignment (germany/italy/england) life can be really good (i love europe!).

getting deployed, although a bummer, can be positive. helping injured gis can be very sad, yet extremely rewarding. taking care of iraqis that spit at you or throw urinals at you may be a different animal.

sorry i rambled...

matts_pats2 · Feb 11, 2005

...right. :stone