Student Considering Air Force Nursing

Specialties Government

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Hello Everyone,

I am a nursing student trying to decide whether joining the Air Force is the right way for me to begin my nursing career (graduation may 2006). I have found this discussion very helpful so far, thanks!

Those of you who have been there: Is there anything you wish you had known before you decided to become an Air Force Nurse?

Thank you so much!

Sarah

If you enlist you can apply for the Nursing Program...you have to have all your pre-req's done and have a good GPA as it is competitive. You would receive your current salary (at the rank you are when you begin the program) while you go to school full time. You have to be enlisted for 2 years before applying for this program and have completed your 5-level training. You also have to extend your commitment to the AF by another 2 or 4 years. It will be a longer process, but it is possible.

I went to nursing school while my husband was enlisted (still am actually, I graduate in 9 months). Luckily he was stationed here for 4 years. He does now have PCS orders and I will be staying behind with our kids to finish up school and it does suck that we will be separated, but that is kind of the life if you want a career yourself. I am considering joining after I graduate (the AF has a really generous loan repayment bonus) and am freaking out about being separated even longer for all the training.

If you do join, you can apply for joint spouse orders and the AF is really good at giving you both orders together most of the time.

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I just had a quick question. I am supposed to graduate with my BSN in May of 2014. How soon should I start gathering information to do this? Also, if you are accepted, do you have to deploy? Is there a way that you can stay in the U.S.?

-Brittany

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If you want to join the military and not deploy, I suggest you don't join. Deployment is part of service and I personally don't want to serve with anyone who would skirt the responsibility and privilege of serving on deployment. I am currently on deployment and I feel it is an honor to do whatever I can to help our wounded soldiers return to health. On a daily basis I see 18-25 y.o. soldiers who have risked their lives in service to our country and they deserve better than wishy-washy healthcare professionals who cannot or will not step up and serve in deployments.

Military service is not for everyone and those who are not able to give their all need not consider joining.

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

Yammar, I know how strongly we can feel about deployments. I did my first one after being in only 9 months. You're right that serving our heroes is an amazing challenge and honor. Not everyone investigating what being in the service means understands that passion. I should get tasked from my next deployment in May - our deployment cycle is 18months home, 6 months deployed. And ICU nurses here seem to always get tasked.

So....to soften that answer just a bit - yes, you can just about guarantee that you will deploy in the military. If you don't want to go oversees and be stationed away from home and have little say in where you go and when you go, then the military is probably a poor fit.

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If you want to join the military and not deploy, I suggest you don't join. Deployment is part of service and I personally don't want to serve with anyone who would skirt the responsibility and privilege of serving on deployment. I am currently on deployment and I feel it is an honor to do whatever I can to help our wounded soldiers return to health. On a daily basis I see 18-25 y.o. soldiers who have risked their lives in service to our country and they deserve better than wishy-washy healthcare professionals who cannot or will not step up and serve in deployments.

Military service is not for everyone and those who are not able to give their all need not consider joining.

yammar, i have a few questions for you about deployments…check your PM :)

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I am also considering the Air Force after I graduate - I am willing to deploy I just would like to know more about it. What are the living conditions like, the lifestyle, work load etc. I'm usually good with accepting things I just like to know more about them. Can anyone help me out :)

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I am also considering the Air Force after I graduate - I am willing to deploy I just would like to know more about it. What are the living conditions like, the lifestyle, work load etc. I'm usually good with accepting things I just like to know more about them. Can anyone help me out :)

Deployments in the AF are generally 6 months at a time, but other than that it all depends on what base you deploy to. You could be living in a tent or you could be living in dorms. Work load and lifestyle are just as variable.

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Are nurses who are deployed to the Middle East often directly in harms way? Again, it doesn't really change what I want to do - I just like being informed

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Are nurses who are deployed to the Middle East often directly in harms way? Again, it doesn't really change what I want to do - I just like being informed

No, generally nurses are not near any direct fighting.

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

During deployments as an AF nurse, we are pretty much kept in the relatively safe area of the hospital, sleeping quarters, dining facility, and gym. There are times when there are mortars and such lobbed into our areas, but the risk of other attack is pretty low. I told my family that I was in greater danger to get in a car accident here in town than get injured in Iraq.

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Sometimes at night we can hear the boom and then wait for the announcement before donning the IBA. There have been a few that where a bit close to where you could feel the ground shake. One in particular was a little close for comfort, but even with that one I know of only one person who was hurt and they only had a shrapnel frag come through the B-hut. Still all in all I am pretty thankful at the enemies very bad aim.

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Thank you for your response - it helps to be informed about what goes on, what life is like (deployed and on base). I really am eager to be accepted into the NTP and I want to learn as much as I can about EVERYTHING. I want to learn for myself and for my uneasy family/friends...I'm guessing your family midinphx was worried about deployment as well? Have you been deployed before if so how many times/to where?

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