Flight Nursing in Air Force Reserves

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Hi everyone, I am an ICU RN in a liver transplant unit at USC with 1.5 years of critical care experience and half a year on a neuro DOU floor. I reached out to an air force reserve recruiter asking about flight nursing opportunities and according to him there is a shortage of flight nurses in the Air Force.

I sent him my resume and I am waiting on him to let me know if the CNO at March Air Force Base in California would like to pick me up for commission.

Are there any current flight nurses in the air force reserves that can share their experiences? I'd like to know what to expect in terms of the timeline between contacting recruiter and commissioning. Also, how long is COT, flight school, survival training, and approximately how much time do you serve per month? Is it possible to keep a full time position at a hospital?

Any thoughts and experiencs would help =)

Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Okay, for the record, it's not the REAL SERE school. It's an abbreviated version. People with marginal fitness levels and no camping/outdoor experience get through it all the time. You should be fine.

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Specializes in ER.
5 hours ago, jfratian said:

Okay, for the record, it's not the REAL SERE school. It's an abbreviated version. People with marginal fitness levels and no camping/outdoor experience get through it all the time. You should be fine.

Its 19 days now, with 6 days in the field, and then the POW camp. Isn't that the full version?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

The SERE techs do 5.5 months...

https://www.fairchild.af.mil/About/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/238992/us-air-force-survival-school/

I think you'll be fine as long as you have a good attitude. It's not designed to fail people.

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

Flight School and AEIQ are Monday - Friday 0730 to 1600ish...when you start "flying" in the C17 & C130 that are at the school, it can be longer (get out at 1700

SERE is an amazing experience and the best training you will get but you embrace the suck...

COT is eventually going to 8 weeks but not sure when...

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Specializes in ER.
On 2/15/2019 at 4:13 PM, Vona86 said:

Flight School and AEIQ are Monday - Friday 0730 to 1600ish...when you start "flying" in the C17 & C130 that are at the school, it can be longer (get out at 1700

SERE is an amazing experience and the best training you will get but you embrace the suck...

COT is eventually going to 8 weeks but not sure when...

Great thanks so much for that info! Did you have to do SERE after they increased the length?

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

SERE is 3 weeks long. I think what they are talking about is ECAC which is a short SERE but Reservist will go to the 3-week course. I'm not sure if they even do ECAC anymore for reservists. We had a tech become a flight nurse and he originally did ECAC and had to go back to do SERE.

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Specializes in ER.
11 hours ago, Vona86 said:

SERE is 3 weeks long. I think what they are talking about is ECAC which is a short SERE but Reservist will go to the 3-week course. I'm not sure if they even do ECAC anymore for reservists. We had a tech become a flight nurse and he originally did ECAC and had to go back to do SERE.

What’s ECAC? I shouldn’t even worry yet. I have to make sure I make it past MEPS first ...

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Specializes in Cardiology Nurse Practitioner.

ECAC is a short version of SERE but you'll go to the three week course. True, and to be honest it took about a year from submitting my application to commissioning...others took longer...

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Specializes in NP / USAFR Flight Nurse.
On 2/18/2019 at 2:55 PM, Vona86 said:

ECAC is a short version of SERE but you'll go to the three week course. True, and to be honest it took about a year from submitting my application to commissioning...others took longer...

Ive been in the process over 2 years. Just finally had my waiver sent to the surgeon general and my recruiter said it will be about six more months before I swear in. Its a loooong process, isnt it?!

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Specializes in ER.
1 minute ago, Danish said:

Ive been in the process over 2 years. Just finally had my waiver sent to the surgeon general and my recruiter said it will be about six more months before I swear in. Its a loooong process, isnt it?!

Whatttt. Seriously? What was the waiver for if you don’t mind me asking? You can’t PM me if you’d rather do that.

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6 minutes ago, Danish said:

Ive been in the process over 2 years. Just finally had my waiver sent to the surgeon general and my recruiter said it will be about six more months before I swear in. Its a loooong process, isnt it?!

Yes, it can take quite a while, even when no waiver is involved. I submitted my paperwork 3 times (my recruiter kept changing) over the span of about a year and a half. I first talked to a recruiter in March of 2015, I finally commissioned in August of 2016, went to COT June of 2017, SERE/Water Survival December 2017, Flight School/FTU Jan-March 2018. So from the very start to the time I was a fully qualified flight nurse, was 3 years.

BUT... It was the best 3 years and I absolutely regret nothing about my choice to join! You'll meet such amazing people along the way and have experiences only a handful of people will ever have. It is a lot of hurry up and wait when you join, but it's absolutely worth it!

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Specializes in NP / USAFR Flight Nurse.
15 minutes ago, Rizzo02481 said:

Whatttt. Seriously? What was the waiver for if you don’t mind me asking? You can’t PM me if you’d rather do that.

I turned 40 during this process. The MEPS physical is different for those under 40. With that being said, I had to have fasted blood work and an EKG at MEPS which showed an arrhythmia. I had to return to MEPS 3 weeks later for a cardiology consult. They bussed me over to a cardiologist and I had another EKG and an echo which was perfect and the cardiologist cleared me stating that it was basically a bogus EKG. It was just another wrench in the process. I am being told that it is currently taking up to 4 weeks for the waivers to be approved by the surgeon general. Apparently my next step will be security clearance and swearing in. I have also been advised that COT is full for this year, so it will be next year before I go. You can begin drilling prior to going to officer training though, you just will not be paid at your rank because you are a cadet until officer training is complete. I emailed regarding pay / back pay for the difference and am waiting for a reply.

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