After reading the thread about the gas chamber, I think I understand why the military does not allow people with asthma to join. Seems like if you have asthma, going into the gas chamber could be life threatening.
I've asked about this before, because I do have asthma, but is there no waiver? I've been told conflicting things by people at work.
I'm not trying to dodge the requirements. I'd like to serve in the military, as a nurse. I know that if I had to go into the gas chamber, it would be a very, very bad day. Maybe I just have to face the facts that I've got bad lungs.
I'm not familiar with NGO. Could you provide more information?
Non Government Organization....such as Doctors Without Borders etc. I am not sure working as an NGO gives you a very good understanding of military life. It probably would give you a good idea of working on humantarian military missions, but that is a very small part of what we do.
Non Government Organization....such as Doctors Without Borders etc. I am not sure working as an NGO gives you a very good understanding of military life. It probably would give you a good idea of working on humantarian military missions, but that is a very small part of what we do.
Hi,
I am not sure I presented my example clearly. I volunteered for an NGO, who was joining a military humanitarian mission---"the pacific partnership". We were "guest worker" on their deployment.
So, yes---you do get a clear idea of military nursing at its finest..... surgical/icu/post-op/transport care afloat and clinic work ashore. I mustered just like everyone else. On the Mercy, there was a mixed-military crew of 750, and maybe 15 civilians....
Yes, deployment for humanitarian missions is a small part of what you do, but it is still a glimpse into military customs, expectations and nursing care....
I am not sure I presented my example clearly. I volunteered for an NGO, who was joining a military humanitarian mission---"the pacific partnership". We were "guest worker" on their deployment.
So, yes---you do get a clear idea of military nursing at its finest..... surgical/icu/post-op/transport care afloat and clinic work ashore. I mustered just like everyone else. On the Mercy, there was a mixed-military crew of 750, and maybe 15 civilians....
Yes, deployment for humanitarian missions is a small part of what you do, but it is still a glimpse into military customs, expectations and nursing care....
cb
I am not trying to argue, but to point out that a person gets a very limited view of day to day military life by being an NGO on a Humantarian mission. The majority of deployments in the military especially in the AF and Army will not be on humantarian missions. Most new nurses in the AF are very disappointed at 1st with military life, because our lives rarely involve going out on humantarian missions/training etc (6yrs now and I haven't done one humantarian mission and have done one 9day TDY for deployment training) our lives are very normal for the most part, but we have deal with day to day military bureacracy that for the most part is going to absent on humantarian missions/deployments. By the way we rarely muster as nures/doc/med techs etc. I have probably gone over a year without having to muster. There are no JC requirements for the most part while deployed, rules change, uniform requirements are simplified, paperwork is simplified, we don't have to worry about MEPRS/MILPO/6-part folders/Readiness office/boring monthly readiness training taught by a tech or nurse that hasn't done any of things they are teaching etc. Besides for the fact I am pretty sure the NGOs get treated differently than uniformed persons that are under the UCMJ and have a very strict chain of command.
I am not trying to give the wrong impression. I think it would be a great experience to go out as an NGO on a humantarian mission with other NGOs or the military.
I don't know how many nurses I have heard state that if day to day military nursing was like it was when they were deployed they would stay in forever instead they end up getting out, because it is nothing like that day to day or like they envisoned military nursing when they 1st came in the military.
"Most new nurses in the AF are very disappointed at 1st with military life, because our lives rarely involve going out on humantarian missions/training etc (6yrs now and I haven't done one humantarian mission and have done one 9day TDY for deployment training)
I have probably gone over a year without having to muster. There are no JC requirements for the most part while deployed, rules change, uniform requirements are simplified, paperwork is simplified, we don't have to worry about MEPRS/MILPO/6-part folders/Readiness office/boring monthly readiness training taught by a tech or nurse that hasn't done any of things they are teaching etc. Besides for the fact I am pretty sure the NGOs get treated differently than uniformed persons that are under the UCMJ and have a very strict chain of command."
I just wanted to add, you seem to know alot about humanitarian "military mission" for not having participated on one.....
"Most new nurses in the AF are very disappointed at 1st with military life, because our lives rarely involve going out on humantarian missions/training etc (6yrs now and I haven't done one humantarian mission and have done one 9day TDY for deployment training)
I have probably gone over a year without having to muster. There are no JC requirements for the most part while deployed, rules change, uniform requirements are simplified, paperwork is simplified, we don't have to worry about MEPRS/MILPO/6-part folders/Readiness office/boring monthly readiness training taught by a tech or nurse that hasn't done any of things they are teaching etc. Besides for the fact I am pretty sure the NGOs get treated differently than uniformed persons that are under the UCMJ and have a very strict chain of command."
I just wanted to add, you seem to know alot about humanitarian "military mission" for not having participated on one.....
cb:)
lol....fair enough, but I do know what goes on day to day in the life of an average AF nurse especially compared to non-military/AF nurses. In 6yrs time in the AF I have worked in ICU (at three different bases), ER, Acute Care, Student Health Clinic/Primary Care, and manning assist at the local Biloxi VA. Also, I do carry one humanitarian award for being in Hurricaine Katrina/participating in the clean up etc. I was not deployed to hurricaine Katrina I was there for the entire thing taking care of patients in the dark, helping prepare patients for evac after the storm, setting up the ICU for emergency C-section by flashlight, helped rake up several blocks of pine needles/leaves/etc, and not to mention sitting in the ICU at Keesler not getting fed because they nutrition staff forgot to bring us our MREs. Technically, no I have never been deployed on a humantarian mission.
Still it comes back to the same thing in my experience I don't think working as an NGO gives you that much insight into the day to day life of an AF nurse.
You obviously are a well rounded nurse with lots of experience I am just disagreeing on one small point, and that is not worth arguing about.
Out of curiousity how many AF nurses where on these humantarian missions you were on?
Thanks for sharing your insights, to the "allnurses.com community", we all benefit tremendously from your experiences!!!
I agree NGO volunteers can't possibly know the extent of dedication that military nurses possess.
It sounds like you had quite an experience with the Katrina aftermath!!! ---Certainly more interesting than paperwork and JCAHO restrictions.
I have been on 2 "joint-military mission" and one "non-military medical mission". (USNS Mercy and USS Peleliu--the grey hull).
Just for something different, I lived in Africa on/off for 10yrs.....
Have a great day,
cb------currently finishing-ups my finals!!! :)
Finals....yuck!!!!!!! I am currently going to school on the AF's dime and just finished my 1st year of my MSN program and now I am off to clinicals for 18months. Good Luck on your finals!
Gottago
112 Posts
I'm not familiar with NGO. Could you provide more information?