Joining Air Force Reserves

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Some questions about joining the Air Force Reserve as a nurse with a bachelors degree in nursing. (I would like to be a psychiatric/mental health nurse.)

1) What location in the United States is the best unit to join as a nurse in the Air Force reserve? (Ex. Baltimore, MD; San Diego, California; Phoenix, AZ, etc.?) 

2)Would I be able to serve as a mental health/psych nurse in the reserves?

3) Would the reserves pay for you to get a MHPNP degree and if so, what might that look like as far as years of service and if it would be active duty as a NP etc.

4) What are the pros and cons of joining the Air Force reserves as a Nurse Officer?

I will appreciate any information, I don't know anything at all about the military, but am very interested in going this route, I have worked as a nurse for about 7 years (I became a nurse in my 30's, so I was not young when I became one and therefore my path looks different than perhaps younger nurses who might have a different career path/goals) I have always been supportive of the military and would feel privileged to be a part of it! 

Thanks in advance! 

 

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

The age limit for healthcare officers in the Air Force is 48.  Men must have body fat %<26% and women <36%.  You must be a U.S. citizen with a BSN from a U.S. nursing school.  Assuming you have all that, contact a healthcare officer recruiter near you using the Air Force website's "find a recruiter" feature.

There are mental health nursing slots in the Air Force Reserve, however there aren't any opportunities for deployment in that role.  Deployment is really the whole job in the reserves; you're a call up list that meets once a month.   There isn't any inpatient psych in a deployed location; they get shipped home.  That essentially means that you'll be limited to drilling one weekend a month with no mission; to me that wouldn't be very fulfilling.

If the military reserves is something you really want to do, I would encourage you to look at changing specialties.  

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Specializes in Flight, PACU, generalist.

I'm also a BSN interested in the Navy vs AF reserves, but with lots of questions! I have 13 years of civilian critical care transport. So far, I've had more traction with the AF recruiter since it seems there are tons of AE reservist postings, but not much for critical care in the Navy right now. I'd love any insight on AE flight nurse vs CCATT (which seems to be what they are offering me at this time.)

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.
LeftBrainedRN said:

I'm also a BSN interested in the Navy vs AF reserves, but with lots of questions! I have 13 years of civilian critical care transport. So far, I've had more traction with the AF recruiter since it seems there are tons of AE reservist postings, but not much for critical care in the Navy right now. I'd love any insight on AE flight nurse vs CCATT (which seems to be what they are offering me at this time.)

Flight nursing is the most time consuming RN job in the Air Force Reserve by far.  It requires at least double (more than that in the beginning) the normal reserves time commitment.  You have minimum flight hours and a lot more training courses.  Basically you spend nearly the entire first year on active duty (full time) orders.  Flight nursing is essentially being a flight attendant with a light sprinkle of patient care on top.  The patients are all walkie talkie med-surg types.

Lots of people quit or transfer to less time consuming roles within the reserves once they realize the time required.  That's why there are big sign on bonuses and tons of open slots.

CCATT is way different.  You're not considered air crew.  You are soley focused on ICU patient care.  As a result you have few training requirements aside from two two-week courses and one one-week course every few years.

 

 

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Specializes in Flight, PACU, generalist.

Thanks for the reply! I'm pretty flexible and OK with the time commitment- at least in theory; I suppose the reality of it may hit a little differently when I'm trying to keep up with the rest of my adult life around that schedule. The year of training actually sounds great to me- its flexing work/life around the drills in the following years that sounds more difficult. The high attrition is certainly a thing to consider. I suppose rank/pay rate I come in with may be a factor too since I live in a HCOL area and am well compensated at my regular jobs. The added training days for FN may just cost me too much money over CCATT.

Are there still good opportunities to deploy as CCATT? Do you still feel like part of the military/team in that role? Any tips/questions I should be specifically asking my recruiter? Is there anything to consider in squadron choice other than easiest location for me to get to?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

The nature of the reserves is wait around for something to happen.  There are few meaningful deployment opportunities for anyone right now.  A lot of CCATT and AE deployments right now is just hanging out in Germany or Qatar and moving non-combat related injuries and mental health.  

Your recruiter won't know much of anything.  They are often former aircraft mechanics without the faintest clue of anything medical.  

You do get a tax free housing allowance based on your home of record when you deploy or go on orders for long periods.  You can easily Google "BAH for (insert location)" to see.

You can Google your pay.  Most experienced RNs come in as O-3s/Captains.  Add ~$300 for food allowance, and the a BAH $2000-$3500, and you have your total pay. 

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jfratian said:

The nature of the reserves is wait around for something to happen.  There are few meaningful deployment opportunities for anyone right now.  A lot of CCATT and AE deployments right now is just hanging out in Germany or Qatar and moving non-combat related injuries and mental health.  

Your recruiter won't know much of anything.  They are often former aircraft mechanics without the faintest clue of anything medical.  

You do get a tax free housing allowance based on your home of record when you deploy or go on orders for long periods.  You can easily Google "BAH for (insert location)" to see.

You can Google your pay.  Most experienced RNs come in as O-3s/Captains.  Add ~$300 for food allowance, and the a BAH $2000-$3500, and you have your total pay. 

Hi! I am in the Air Force Reserves and currently pursuing my BSN degree. I have been looking at their Nurse Residency Program and considering going back active. I was active for 4 years before I switched to Reserves. I've been doing more research of other hospitals that offer Residency Program and I am also considering VA. I was wondering if you have any ideas about their comparison to each other. I think I am leaning towards going back active as I still wanna retire after 20 years but I want to see all of my options. 

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

Most major hospital systems have new grad RN residency programs these days.  They all have some similarities, but generally speaking most VAs and military hospitals will lack the acuity you will see in a major university teaching hospital.  The Air Force only offers the new grad program for active duty.  If you want to do reserves, you'll have to have 1 year of experience first; new grads aren't accepted.

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jfratian said:

Most major hospital systems have new grad RN residency programs these days.  They all have some similarities, but generally speaking most VAs and military hospitals will lack the acuity you will see in a major university teaching hospital.  The Air Force only offers the new grad program for active duty.  If you want to do reserves, you'll have to have 1 year of experience first; new grads aren't accepted.

I am planning about going back active duty if I were to do the residency program. I should be able to apply for it right after I graduate right?

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.
Chrys Domingo said:

I am planning about going back active duty if I were to do the residency program. I should be able to apply for it right after I graduate right?

The app takes 6-12 months.  Most apply 1 year before graduation.  After graduation, you won't be able to do the residency any more.

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