I am interested in becoming an AF nurse, and I have some questions. (WTBCRNA - I have reviewed some of your posts and you seem to have a lot of information. I couldn't contact you via pm because I can't pm on here.) I love nursing, and I have always wanted to be in the military. I never realized that I could still join until recently.
I am 34 and married with 4 children. My stepdaughter doesn't reside with us, so we only have 3 children that actually live here. I'm currently in the process of getting my BSN. I have my ADN and have been a med-surg/Ortho nurse for the last 2 years. I did speak with a nurse recruiter and I will have to wait until I am within a year of graduating to begin the enlistment process. These questions are open to anyone who might have answers :)
Here are some of the questions I have:
1) When you enlist, I know they send you for some type of training. How long is this training and does your family go with?
2) What are the pros/cons to base housing vs. living off base. Have you ever lived on base? How are the 'officer's' living quarters different than other housing?
3) I was told that although we are considered 'Officers' we aren't really 'Officers'. Is that true? Do we undergo any special officer training? Are nurses who enlist with a BSN as Officers treated differently than those who enlisted before obtaining their degree?
4) How easy/difficult is it to be deployed out of the country with your family? We would like to go to Germany, Italy or possibly Guam. My family is very excited about the idea of getting to travel AND let me do a job that I absolutely love to do!
5) Please tell me that most of the hospitals have computerized charting :) We're still on manual here.
6) What type of nurses are in demand? If you want to advance and become a CRNA, does the AF help you with this? Do you have to enroll further for this?
7) What are the hospitals like? Did you work as a nurse BEFORE joining the AF? Have you ever worked at a civilian hospital? What are the differences?
8) Have you ever been deployed into an active combat area? Are nurses normally deployed in these areas. If they are, do they get extra combat training?
9) Last but not least, tell me the pros and cons. Tell me 3 things you have really appreciated about your career in the AF and 3 things you would like to see changed.
10) What are the retirement benefits for an AF career of 20 years?
I appreciate anyone who takes the time to answer even one of my questions. The nurse recruiter sounded very promising, but I want to make sure that what I am hearing isn't too good to be true. I just love the idea that we would get to move/travel every 4 years while I get to do the absolute best job in the world. I do not come from a military family, so the closest military experience I have is that I've seen Top Gun.
I am prior service Air Force (enlisted) and am going to be going back into the miltary next year as a nurse. I was wondering if you knew what branch offers the fastest promotion to major? I read in your post that the AF is the slowest to promote officers to O-4. Can you tell me which branch of service will offer me the fastest promotion to Major please.
wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA
5,128 Posts
USPHS