Nursing.....Air Force or Navy??

MCHnurse · Jan 31, 2007

Well it sounds like us girls are all in good company. I too have debt that exceeds $100K. That includes student loans, credit cards, and cars. YIKES! I'm a penny-pincher and I'm already devising a very aggressive payback plan. Certainly my sign-on bonus and loan repayment from the Navy will help. It sounds like I need to be really proactive if I'm ever stationed overseas. I can't believe that the credit card company did that to you LCDR Dan!! Even scarier is that Big Brother knew just as much about your situation as you did...perhaps even more than you did!

navynurse06 · Jan 31, 2007

Up front means when your paperwork goes through and you are finally accepted to the NCP program.

Allemse · Jan 31, 2007

Up front means when your paperwork goes through and you are finally accepted to the NCP program.

That's what I was thinking, but wasn't sure. Thank you.

Sharon

DanznRN, RN · Feb 1, 2007

Ladies-

You ain't kidding I was surprised when I got called to the CO's office. I was freaking out when they told me what it was all about. That was a nerve racking month until it all got sorted out.

As far as school loans are concerned, well, loans in general. What they are looking at is that you are paying on them, if required to do so. They also look at what kind of loans they are. Having $130K or so in school loans is not that big a deal to them, it is a worthwhile investment for your education (really you all have that much in school loans? I thought my $43K was a lot). A house loan is a worthwhile investment. Think of it this way, if you have one income say $40,000/ year, but have $130K in school loans, a $650,000 house loan and 3 porsches in the garage, that's not wose spending, that's bad debt. Things like school/ home loans and a reasonable car payment(s) are just that, reasonable. They just want to make sure you can control money, using your credit score is one way ogf doing it. Like I said, if their is something on there fishy, be able to explain it. Just trying to help you all stay ahead of the game, not get you freaked out, sorry if that is how it's coming across. I prefer to tell real world things rather than recruiting brochure info, I want informed people in the Navy and staying in for the long haul, that's why I pass the info along.

LCDR(s) Dan

Gennaver, MSN · Feb 1, 2007

Ladies-
You ain't kidding I was surprised when I got called to the CO's office. I was freaking out when they told me what it was all about. That was a nerve racking month until it all got sorted out.
As far as school loans are concerned, well, loans in general. What they are looking at is that you are paying on them, if required to do so. They also look at what kind of loans they are. Having $130K or so in school loans is not that big a deal to them, it is a worthwhile investment for your education (really you all have that much in school loans? I thought my $43K was a lot).
... Just trying to help you all stay ahead of the game, not get you freaked out, sorry if that is how it's coming across. I prefer to tell real world things rather than recruiting brochure info, I want informed people in the Navy and staying in for the long haul, that's why I pass the info along.
LCDR(s) Dan

Hello there,

Yup, my undergraduate insitution costs were 20K a year and my graduate program is 42K for tuition alone, (let alone my cost of living expenses on top of that so that I can go to school in the first place!) I do consider these an investment, otherwise I would still be working full time at a minimum wage textile production job and moonlighting as a waitress, (no benies, no retirement...no sick day pay...yes, this is a worthy investment but, school is SOOOOO costly).

Thanks,

Gen

Lisa131 · Apr 25, 2007

You all were talking about the Navys student loan repayment program... how does that work?? ... do you apply for it when you get out of college?? I will going into the Navy after I graduate and want to know all the oppurtunities to pay back all my loans as well.

Thank you,

Lisa

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 26, 2007

You all were talking about the Navys student loan repayment program... how does that work?? ... do you apply for it when you get out of college?? I will going into the Navy after I graduate and want to know all the oppurtunities to pay back all my loans as well.
Thank you,
Lisa

Hello Lisa,

My information is for the Army's HPLRP, (health profession's loan repayment program) and it was a part of my application packet and in my contract prior to signing.

Good luck!

dschueler · Apr 26, 2007

Hello, I've been lurking around here for some months know and have found lots of great information..but I still have questions.
I am currently enrolled in a 4 yr. BSN program and will graduate in 2 years. I am married and have 4 children between the ages of 13 & 6. I have been thinking about joining either the Air Force or the Navy and have found many sites with info for the Navy, but not a whole lot on the AF, so I guess right now, I'm leaning towards the Navy. My only question is my family situation. Is it a bad thing to already have a large family before getting in?? My husband and father are both former AF, so we are familiar with the military. Another thing is that my husband is on long-term disability due to a work injury..Is that a problem?? I have heard lots of great stories about how nurses are treated in the military by doctors, as oppose to how we are treated in the civilian world by some not so nice Drs.( I know not all are jerks).
From what I have read, once I'm done with school I would go to an commissioned officer training camp, and then to one of the big 3 naval hospitals. How long does one usually stay there?? What are my odds of going on a ship? And if I do go on a ship, for how long?? Another question is about housing, since we are a big family, do they have housing that can accommadate us?? What if the size of the house we need is not in my ranking area? I have found a website for naval housing and there are some enlisted houses that have more bedrooms than some officier housing, so woujld we go into the enlisted housing?? How often do you move?? When my dad was in the AF we moved just about every 2 years, where as my husband was stationed at Barksdale for all of his 6 years!
I would like to do the program that the Navy does for college students, where they pay you a stippend while in school and get a sign-on bonus, and from what I read I need to do this after I complete my first semester in nursing courses, which ould be the end of this semster, so I need to deceide what I'm going to do pretty soon!
Thanks for any input you can give
Sorry so long....just trying to make the right decision.
Feel free to email me if yoou want!

OKAY.....my hubby just retired from 20 yrs in the Air Force. Army, Navy and others just plain suck because they are notorious for putting all their $$ into guns and boats, not people. The Air Force puts it's money back into its people, so you will be MUCH HAPPIER in the Air Force. They have better facilities and also base housing, etc...

You do NOT want to be on a ship or in a tent in Iraq. The Army is WORSE than the Navy, and the Air Force is BETTER than all the rest, really. I hated the way the Army hospitals in Germany were run, compared to Air Force hospitals.

Do a LOT Of research first and make sure you talk to nursing recruiters. I knew LOTS and LOTS of nurses in the Air Force, my husband was a pilot and he flew the C-9 medevac plane and the nurses flew with him when they had to pick up patients, and I knew all of them.....I worked on base as a student nurse waaay back when, did not finish because my we had to move, yet again, but I am going now.

Just talk to people, the Army just sucks soooo bad!! They are just (no offense) a lower group of people because the Army is not a technical Force like the Navy or Air Force, and they require tests to get in....since the jobs are higher tech, whereas the Army is marching, infantry.

Take care and God Bless!!

:)

Deb

allnurses Guide · Apr 27, 2007

OKAY.....my hubby just retired from 20 yrs in the Air Force. Army, Navy and others just plain suck because they are notorious for putting all their $$ into guns and boats, not people. The Air Force puts it's money back into its people, so you will be MUCH HAPPIER in the Air Force. They have better facilities and also base housing, etc...
You do NOT want to be on a ship or in a tent in Iraq. The Army is WORSE than the Navy, and the Air Force is BETTER than all the rest, really. I hated the way the Army hospitals in Germany were run, compared to Air Force hospitals.
Do a LOT Of research first and make sure you talk to nursing recruiters. I knew LOTS and LOTS of nurses in the Air Force, my husband was a pilot and he flew the C-9 medevac plane and the nurses flew with him when they had to pick up patients, and I knew all of them.....I worked on base as a student nurse waaay back when, did not finish because my we had to move, yet again, but I am going now.
Just talk to people, the Army just sucks soooo bad!! They are just (no offense) a lower group of people because the Army is not a technical Force like the Navy or Air Force, and they require tests to get in....since the jobs are higher tech, whereas the Army is marching, infantry.
Take care and God Bless!!
:)
Deb

This is such a degatory post...Where should I begin.

1. The Army is actually ahead of the AF in revamping their housing. I currently live in AF housing this house is at least 40 +years old it is 4br/2bth and is just over 1400 sq ft. The best military housing I have seen so far has been on an Army base.

2. Army people are lower group of people? These people take the same ASVAB test as anyone else. Do you want to know where two of lowest ASVAB scores in AF go.....Security Forces and Medical Technicians. I believe the minimum qualification for these two jobs is in the low 50's.

3. The Army percentage wise probably has less technical positions than the AF, but d/t to their size would have just as many or more technical jobs than the AF.

The Army is not for everyone, but neither is the AF.

You should pick your service based on your own goals not what someone else thinks. The Army is very mission-oriented, but has lots of chance for career progression. The AF in some ways trys to balance life and the mission, but if you are shift-worker the rules don't apply to you and all those quality of life things seem few and far between.

By the way I am an AF active-duty nurse and have been for over 5yr now. I like being in the AF, but I would never think of being disrespctful to my sister services. :nono:

dschueler · Apr 27, 2007

Whatever, I was not just bashing for the sake of bashing. Just so happens that we lived at Army bases for many years and it is no secret that the Govt chose to put their money into guns/weapons and boats instead of their people services for many, many years.

I was not on a bashing slam, just giving info. She can do what she wants to do, but I was just offering her the info "I" know about, and nothing more. I prefer the AF and Coast Guard from all the installations I have been at. My grandparents lived in Columbus GA and it was a dive at Ft Benning, no secrets that the Army bases were once great bases, back in the glory days, everything was new and lush, but of all my travels to Ramstein, Landstuhl and Ft Stewart, Ft Carson, and many others, it is just sad the condition of their housing. I have to say that he Navy housing at Hickam and Pearl are getting re-vamped and the Navy is out-doing the AF in that area, but I was told the AF is going to re-do the housing at Hickam as well.

Just the fact that the Army never invested or renovated as fast as it counterpoints and if I HAD the choice of a branch, I would prefer to go where they seem to treat their people better, and besides that point, just because one base looks good, the next assignment no matter what branch of the Armed Forces, could be totally different.

Anyway, I think you totally took what I was saying as an attack. I above anyone should know and respect and thank EVERY soldier and pilot and seaman for their sacrifices and the torture their families endure while they are gone overseas or on training. I could never ever imagine my spouse being on a ship for 6 months, although he was gone for 2 tours of 3 months each to Germany and Iraq, so that was hard, but I made it.

Just food for thought, visit a bunch of bases, it just so happened that when we were at Hickam last week for vacation, we were talking about the housing situation and met friends and that turned out to be the topic of conversation, why the other armed forces never kept up with the AF for the ammenities on the bases and housing and such ....it made me angry to tell you the truth. We went to the commissary at Ft Stewart, and it was pitiful and just disgraceful that they allow the buildings and hospitals and such to get in such terrible conditions and don't seem to care about the families as much........that is just my observation, nothing on the people, this is not people's fault, its the goverment's fault for not putting more $$ into our troops, who VERY much deserve it.

Don't take it as a slam on the men/women who serve, not intended, but on the govt!! Just look at what happened at Walter Reed, no further comment needed.

God Bless all who serve!!!!

Deb

allnurses Guide · Apr 27, 2007

Deb,

I am glad that you replied/clarified, but referring to another service as lower group of people is hard to take any other way.

I have been to several bases also... Sheppard AFB, Keesler AFB, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt AFB, Barksdale AFB, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ft Sill, Ft Sam Houston, Ft Polk, Lackland AFB, Wright-Patterson AFB, Gulfport Navy base.

In general the Army is way ahead of the AF in many aspects. The Army really is trying to redo their image/way of "business". They have fully privatized their housing and are way ahead of the AF in rebuilding their houses.

Before I retire I don't think this will be much of debate anymore because the military medical services are probably going to be integrated into one DOD medical service.

dschueler · Apr 27, 2007

I used to work at NICU at Scott AFB, and taught the childbirth classes there waaay back in 92. Yeah, I had heard those rumors way back then, and they used a ton of civi nurses for the day surgery and L&D and also the ER.

When we were in Ramstein, 95-98, I had a DOD doc and all his staff and the family medicine team there was all civilian and DOD hired docs, Landstuhl. I loved Landstuhl, but the base around it was the pits, Ramstein was much nicer. I had asked my hubby many times over the many years why were the army bases such dregs, and he was the one, with others, that said it was because so many years they neglected the people and put their money into the other stuff, and there are more people in the army overall, so harder to allocate funds to the softer services than the more important things. Also, its tougher to get into the Navy and AF because of the technical aspect, more mechanical things and high tech things than the army has....so that is why I had said that about the army, not meaning they were lesser or anything, just easier to get into the army than navy and af, nuke subs and such......that is what I meant by the higher tech stuff.

I had many, many friends who were RN's in the AF, and my hubby flew with tons of them when he flew the C9's from way back when.

We were stationed at Clark AB, PI, Yokota, Scott, Charleston, Ramstein,Scott, Charleston, and then he retired last May, and of course no pilots were being hired, so he was offered a job by Boeing last May, Thank God!!! and he flies the C17, still, for Boeing. He is TDY all the time, but at least he flies Delta and stays at Marriott now and just picks up and delivers the planes to the bases.

I miss the AF, but he was gone a ton over the past 2 yrs to Iraq and Afgan. so I am sooo glad he is out!!

I toy-ed with the idea of doing the reserve thing to pay for my bachelor's degree RN, but he said I would probably get a free trip to Iraq if I did that, which wouldn't be so bad, but I would have to make sure I was not in an area that was being bombed so much....which that is always a possiblity.

Anyway, I am hoping to just do the LPN thing and then get my RN back to back, as it is the quickest way here. I hate that the industry is so short of nurses, and then to get into school is a wait, and then once you are accepted, the wait to start is 2-4 yrs, so that is just ridiculous!! That is why I determined to do the LPN thing first, so I can pass go, and skip all the pre-req things. My old clinicals and lab classes are so old now, they won't work until I have the LPN license, then they can take my lab classes for my RN...makes no sense.

Anyway, thanks for the reply, I am just bored, so I thought I should/would go back to nursing school, kids are 21 and 19, my oldest son is pre-med, but I told him not with his grades, so I told him to check into nursing school, and to get his BSN, he will graduate next year from Oral Roberts and then he can go to nursing school with a biology BS.

Take care,

Deb