Help! Air Force, Army, and CRNA career pathways????

allnurses Guide · Dec 22, 2008

Goals:
1) get experience in flight/aeromedical transport, forward surgical teams, or any other unique or difficult experiences not found in the civilian sector. I've heard of a lot about the concepts, but have no idea how each of them function in their respective branches.
2)Directly or eventually attend CRNA school
3)live internationally (Ramstein, Landstuhl, etc.)
So, my questions:
1) With my experience, I know I can probably work with an ICU identifier from the start, but is it possible to work internationally? (I really don't want to be stuck stateside for 2 years) If so, what CC opportunities are there for newly commissioned officers and how do you specify this when you commission?
2)My GPA doesn't make me super competitive for many CRNA schools here in the US, but I know some look at the overall picture and strength of recent academic history. Does the military function in this capacity at all?
Also, 3-5 years appears to be the average time people wait until they even get a shot at USUHS from non-Army branches. Do I even have a chance for direct admission with Army? If scored well on the GRE, do you think I would still have a shot?
3) What are most time commitments after CRNA school with the different branches? I remember hearing from the air force recruiter that the time in school is the amount you are required to serve afterward (30 months). Is this accurate? I seem to be reading otherwise...
I know that I asked a ton of questions, but I appreciate any help! Thanks!

Goals:

1. You cannot go directly into being a flight nurse on AD in the AF. You have to wait approximately 2yrs before you can put in your packet to go to aerovac school. Your packet would have a high chance of being denied because you are an ICU nurse and there is more of a need for ICU nurses than flight nurses. The closest you would probably be able to get is CCATT.

2. You will need to wait 2yrs at least in the AF in order to apply to CRNA school and you can apply directly to the Army CRNA program, but according Col Garrett (the former program director for the Army program)the highest drop out rates come from the direct accession applicants.

3. Ramstein is only a clinic which is an unlikely assignment for an experienced ICU nurse. Landstuhl is an Army hospital and it would also be unlikely to be assigned there as new accession into the AF. Overseas assignments for AF ICU nurses include Lakenheath, Japan (Yokota), Korea, and Italy (Aviono...although there is not really an ICU there).

Questions:

1. There only thing your contract is going to specifiy coming into the AF is bonus(es), rank, location/assignment, and speciality code. Your chief nurse actually determines where you will work, so if (however unlikely) your chief nurse decides you will be working med-surg that is where you will be working. That is an extremely unlikely scenario, because the AF only assigns X amount of critical care nurses per hospital.

2. The military looks at the same factors as the civilian world when getting accepted to CRNA school. The big difference is that the military also looks at your military record. You would have to get a waiver if your GPA was lower than 3.0 to be eligible to apply with the Army program. You would still be at a disadvantage even if you could get waiver for the Army for your gpa. Your application would basically be placed with all the other people that needed a waiver, and to my understanding those are the last ones to be looked for the board.

3. The time committment is universal for all branches after AD CRNA school. It is 4.5 years. The school is 30 months long.

I don't think these are the answers you are wanting to hear, but you should not come into the military w/o having truthful answers from experienced military nurses.

lionstudent · Dec 23, 2008

Goals:
1. You cannot go directly into being a flight nurse on AD in the AF. You have to wait approximately 2yrs before you can put in your packet to go to aerovac school. Your packet would have a high chance of being denied because you are an ICU nurse and there is more of a need for ICU nurses than flight nurses. The closest you would probably be able to get is CCATT.
2. You will need to wait 2yrs at least in the AF in order to apply to CRNA school and you can apply directly to the Army CRNA program, but according Col Garrett (the former program director for the Army program)the highest drop out rates come from the direct accession applicants.
3. Ramstein is only a clinic which is an unlikely assignment for an experienced ICU nurse. Landstuhl is an Army hospital and it would also be unlikely to be assigned there as new accession into the AF. Overseas assignments for AF ICU nurses include Lakenheath, Japan (Yokota), Korea, and Italy (Aviono...although there is not really an ICU there).
Questions:
1. There only thing your contract is going to specifiy coming into the AF is bonus(es), rank, location/assignment, and speciality code. Your chief nurse actually determines where you will work, so if (however unlikely) your chief nurse decides you will be working med-surg that is where you will be working. That is an extremely unlikely scenario, because the AF only assigns X amount of critical care nurses per hospital.
2. The military looks at the same factors as the civilian world when getting accepted to CRNA school. The big difference is that the military also looks at your military record. You would have to get a waiver if your GPA was lower than 3.0 to be eligible to apply with the Army program. You would still be at a disadvantage even if you could get waiver for the Army for your gpa. Your application would basically be placed with all the other people that needed a waiver, and to my understanding those are the last ones to be looked for the board.
3. The time committment is universal for all branches after AD CRNA school. It is 4.5 years. The school is 30 months long.
I don't think these are the answers you are wanting to hear, but you should not come into the military w/o having truthful answers from experienced military nurses.

...but the good news, as I have read from previous posts on this site from an Army CRNA, is that the Army slots for CRNA applicants are not always filled...that they usually have numerous vacancies each year...As far as the Army goes, in order to bypass the Med/Surg component and start directly in ICU for the Army, U would need > 2000 hrs of previous ICU experience to even b considered...and U may have to be stateside starting out...SPUDRN, I would encourage U to continue adding experience under your belt....U do have a leg up having your ACLS/CCRN/PALS & a good or even great GRE would help tremendoulsy...WTBCRNA is right on point...having a military record is a factor and would be of benefit b/c waivers are always an option...IMO, I see the military as stone killing two birds (military record & military experience...a.k.a. more ICU time)...

olderthandirt2 · Dec 24, 2008

"but the good news, as I have read from previous posts on this site from an Army CRNA, is that the Army slots for CRNA applicants are not always filled...that they usually have numerous vacancies each year.."

Yes, and from what I understand.....if an applicant doesn't meet the criteria, then the slots remain open and unfilled........They don't lower the standards.

Am I right here?

c.

allnurses Guide · Dec 24, 2008

"but the good news, as I have read from previous posts on this site from an Army CRNA, is that the Army slots for CRNA applicants are not always filled...that they usually have numerous vacancies each year.."
Yes, and from what I understand.....if an applicant doesn't meet the criteria, then the slots remain open and unfilled........They don't lower the standards.
Am I right here?
c.

You are more than likely to be accepted with a waiver, but you are right the overall standards don't change to add more students.

Military CRNA school is different than civilian CRNA schools in many aspects. You have to figure it costs the military somewhere between 100-150K year to send us to school, and the military wants to make sure that you have a good chance of making it through school.

athena55, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2008

:twocents: If I may add to the ongoing:

Doesn't matter if you have 20+ years of ICU experience. In order to obtain the 8A y0u will need to attend and pass the Army CCNC (critical care nurse course) that is being offered at MAMC and at BAMC.

athena

SPUDRN · Dec 26, 2008

Thank you all for your replies. They have been very helpful. Although, they were not quite the answers I wanted to hear, I believe they were the answers that I NEEDED to hear. I was a bit unrealistic in my thinking about what the military (any branch) can provide and the specific opportunities out there.

Other than the loan repayment and bonuses, many of us aspire to that the sense of honor, partriotism, and duty that I'm sure all of our folks in the services have. What other real benefit is there to being in the military in both short and long terms??

In terms of financial viability and experiences, why would I want to be in the military instead of being a traveling nurse??? As a young, single person with no family, gaining experience and setting myself up to be competitive for CRNA school is paramount in my goals, but which is really the better choice? Civilian or military?

Lionstudent, you mentioned getting more experience. Were you refering more to the Army direct ascension program or all branches in general?

Again, thanks for all your wonderful responses. :yeah:

lionstudent · Dec 26, 2008

Thank you all for your replies. They have been very helpful. Although, they were not quite the answers I wanted to hear, I believe they were the answers that I NEEDED to hear. I was a bit unrealistic in my thinking about what the military (any branch) can provide and the specific opportunities out there.
Other than the loan repayment and bonuses, many of us aspire to that the sense of honor, partriotism, and duty that I'm sure all of our folks in the services have. What other real benefit is there to being in the military in both short and long terms??
In terms of financial viability and experiences, why would I want to be in the military instead of being a traveling nurse??? As a young, single person with no family, gaining experience and setting myself up to be competitive for CRNA school is paramount in my goals, but which is really the better choice? Civilian or military?
Lionstudent, you mentioned getting more experience. Were you refering more to the Army direct ascension program or all branches in general?
Again, thanks for all your wonderful responses.

SPUDRN, et. al,

I want to correct the vagueness of my previous post....First, I am prior service (Spanish linguist) and I DID NOT want to imply that the Army CRNA application vacancies existed d/t a lower standard...NOOOO!!! I was ONLY refering to the waiver on the GPA (an option the military offers if EVERYTHING ELSE is in order vis-a-vis competitive civilian CRNA schools)...EVERY STANDARD still applies & needs to be in place...Heck, the Army doesn't even lower the standard if U fail the PT test by .1 second or 1 push-up, for goodness sake!!!...Secondly, SPUDRN, when I mentioned adding more experience...Yes, I was referring to the OPTION of an Army direct accession, (your situation mirrors mine as I have 1 yr of nursing school remaining) and I was looking at it more from the standpoint of U already having your CCRN....I should have clarified or added, "obtaining more years of the TYPE experience that the Army looks for via an ICU Competency Check list" (8A Skill Identifier) not just merely "ICU experience" (a good point by a previous post)...This "checklist" is a complete list of all specific ICU-type competencies (skills) required by the Army for ICU and experience (competencies) MOST CRNA schools look for (civilian and military)...The benefit of the Army is that you obtain this valuable "Identifier" once U complete/pass the Critical Care Course...Now this may all be moot for U, since U have your CCRN already, I don't know... Thirdly, as a travel nurse (something I considered as well), I have found that you may or may not have an opportunity to gain these crucial "Army ICU type experience/competencies" b/c each hospital ICU is different or b/c of the type pt U may have, or WHATEVER the reason...From what I have discovered, in the Army, U r guaranteed these crucial competencies via the Critical Care Course and U would b caring for patients requiring these type competencies for the duration of your service obligation...Now all this may be moot for U b/c U have your CCRN....however, it's up to the Army to decide...Finally, I took particular interest in your post b/c, as I said earlier, your situation almost mirrors mine....My responses are d/t some of the things I have recently found out....IMO, the main goal is doing what it takes TO STAY COMPETITIVE!!!

SPUDRN · Dec 29, 2008

Another question... So, I heard somewhere that the army CNCC course was the same as the ECCO course put on by the AACN. Is this true?