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If everyone Air Force could please state which choice of base you got. For example, your first choice, second or third. I am really considering coming back into the Air Force active once i finish with my BSN. When i went active duty enlisted almost noone got their first choice or any of them for that matter. I just want to get an idea of what my chances are. I am not so concerned on the exact base i choose first, but just something from my top five would be nice. I REALLY REALLY appreciate you guys taking the time to answer the question. Once again thanks tons!!!!

Keep in mind that the AF's version of 100% isn't the same as the civilian's version of 100% - I say this because I've never seen a base that was 100% manned on the line side of the house (I'm a prior service AF SF troop)...they'll bend the law as far as Congress will let them and use the budget as an excuse.

Also - 100% means they have 100% of slots filled, not that there are 100% of the bodies there. The number includes those deployed, because they don't lose the physical body, so to speak, and they still hold that slot in the manning count. So in reality they could have 80% of personnel present at any one time - but still be 100% manned because they have bodies deployed.

Ask my friend who's a line side superintendent overseas (at a high deployment base in USAFE) about the 100% manning theory. They do it stateside as well - I have another friend who's an NCOIC at a stateside base who's having the same problems - but of course her fill-in is the one dealing with the headache because SHE'S the one deployed!

I bring this up because it annoys me that they can get away with it - war or not. Every branch does it and it sucks for everyone.

Back to the thread. :)

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Keep in mind that the AF's version of 100% isn't the same as the civilian's version of 100% - I say this because I've never seen a base that was 100% manned on the line side of the house (I'm a prior service AF SF troop)...they'll bend the law as far as Congress will let them and use the budget as an excuse.

Also - 100% means they have 100% of slots filled, not that there are 100% of the bodies there. The number includes those deployed, because they don't lose the physical body, so to speak, and they still hold that slot in the manning count. So in reality they could have 80% of personnel present at any one time - but still be 100% manned because they have bodies deployed.

Ask my friend who's a line side superintendent overseas (at a high deployment base in USAFE) about the 100% manning theory. They do it stateside as well - I have another friend who's an NCOIC at a stateside base who's having the same problems - but of course her fill-in is the one dealing with the headache because SHE'S the one deployed!

I bring this up because it annoys me that they can get away with it - war or not. Every branch does it and it sucks for everyone.

Back to the thread. :)

lol...Well if you are going to be technical about it. My anesthesia department is about 30-40% manned right now because of deployments, one long term medical condition of one of our anesthesia providers, people leaving/coming in etc.

In general the AF mans their medical departments a lot better than the civilian hospitals.

CE and SF always get the brunt of taskings. I remember those guy/gals getting worked like 16hrs a day 7d wk after hurricaine Katrina. I felt sorry for them. On the other hand the medical was sitting on its butt more or less, and the chief nurse refused to let us volunteer out in the community....go figure.

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lol...Well if you are going to be technical about it. My anesthesia department is about 30-40% manned right now because of deployments, one long term medical condition of one of our anesthesia providers, people leaving/coming in etc.

In general the AF mans their medical departments a lot better than the civilian hospitals.

CE and SF always get the brunt of taskings. I remember those guy/gals getting worked like 16hrs a day 7d wk after hurricaine Katrina. I felt sorry for them. On the other hand the medical was sitting on its butt more or less, and the chief nurse refused to let us volunteer out in the community....go figure.

Way to support the locals.....LOL.....

Not trying to be pedantic. :)

And you're right about the hospital manning - I've never SEEN so many RNs in one spot...and you gotta love all the techs and CNAs running around....

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

Attempted reverse-psych stuff made me lol again...I am a "new grad" and I got my first choice. New grad status definitely affects where you are put to some degree but who knows how (besides the overseas bit). I would love to find whoever decided to send me to May COT and ask them why they did it. (Originally I was told Jan COT):

1. Lackland, TX

2. Peterson, CO

3. Wright Patterson, OH

4. Nellis, NV

5. Eglin, FL

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fantastic, you're going in may too! see you there. let me tell you how happy i was when i got that call...*dripping with sarcasm. i have seriously never been to angry in my life.

my recruiter told me that if i put lackland anywhere on my list i'd likely get it because it's such a big hospital. yay for you getting your first choice! i got my fourth which i'm pretty sure worked out perfectly, actually. when would i ever live in mississippi otherwise?! i'm so excited but just want to go already! i even found a shrimping boat that will let me take my dog out on it- absolutely amazing.

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

Yeah Adam!!! I know it's tough to wait. Glad you finally have your answer.

I'm still waiting. And I was one that had been told January like you all. It'll all work out eventually. :)

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I live in San Antonio and grew up across the street from Lackland AFB. I talked to the CNO of Lackland for my interview and she said they were making their hospital bigger. So I would expect there to be tons of open slots for Lackland for whoever would like it as their duty station.

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That's interesting news! So when are they supposed to be taking this into action?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Wilford Hall as a hospital is slated to close as a hospital and merge with BAMC by 2014, so I don't see them doing a lot of expansions. I haven' t heard that has changed. BAMC campus/Ft Sam is due to get some major expansions though.

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Just trying to figure out which base in the south east region will be likely for a new grad to get.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.
fantastic, you're going in may too! see you there. let me tell you how happy i was when i got that call...*dripping with sarcasm. i have seriously never been to angry in my life.

my recruiter told me that if i put lackland anywhere on my list i'd likely get it because it's such a big hospital. yay for you getting your first choice! i got my fourth which i'm pretty sure worked out perfectly, actually. when would i ever live in mississippi otherwise?! i'm so excited but just want to go already! i even found a shrimping boat that will let me take my dog out on it- absolutely amazing.

Yes I was pretty angry when I found out because a large part for me is the loan repayment, and if I had been in the Jan COT, I would seemingly have a higher chance of having the loans repaid! The loan repayment seems like a scam because they obviously use it to entice people into serving, and then you find out after you are in if you get it or not. I know your commitment time is less but that doesn't matter to me, as I will most likely need to be working somewhere anyway.

Yeah Adam!!! I know it's tough to wait. Glad you finally have your answer.

I'm still waiting. And I was one that had been told January like you all. It'll all work out eventually. :)

After I found out some people didn't even have their orders yet and went to the same board as I did, I was stunned. I can't imagine having to wait still... All I can say is keep yourself productive/busy as it will take the edge off and you'll forget about waiting. I found work in a nursing home right down the street from my house, and I was tempted to just give up joining altogether because it really worked out nicely. Too late now though, I will just have to wait and see if it was worth it.

When I finally have to start getting ready to move out I'll have forgotten all about even having been accepted and having to wait in the first place. I hope you hear sooner than later!

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There is some amazing construction going on across town at BAMC, which is an absolutely beautiful facility. When Wilford Hall is finally razed, they are going to move all of the clinic stuff over here (the architectural drawings of the finished product are truly gorgeous) and there will also be an eye hospital here for the DOD.

Rumor has it that a few of the units here are moving to BAMC as soon as April, but I've also heard from our flight commander that they're already hitting construction problems over at BAMC (shock shock, right?). So my guess is that the complete merger - law or not - is still a ways away.

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