Need guidance & I apologize for being deceitful

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Hey everyone this is champ01 and I have a confession to make, a question to ask and support is definitely need. Earlier I made a posting about wanting to know about the air guard n I said it was for a friend, it was actually for me. I am a college student at a small school in wv and almost done with my 1st yr (n a 2yr program) of nursing. Due to the fact that my dad makes a good deal of money I don't get a lot of financial aid and since he old school he doesn't do hand outs. I've thought about joining the air guard out of high school but was discouraged by my dad b/c the was war just starting. My pockets are thin and I really want to be a a nurse and I think it could possibily be a good idea. I've been doing alot of research on it and I think I'm ready to talk to a recruiter but I don't want to be smoothed over. I don't want to make a hasty decision or join for the wrong reasons. Will take any advice and/or support

thanks in advance

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

Air Guard, small town West Virgina, hmmm. Shot in the dark, but I'll guess you live in Martinsburg. Only other Air Guard is down in Charleston and that's not a small town, although I may be missing a town in WV. I live in Charles Town, so I'm familiar with the Air Guard draw around here. Let's get something straightened out, are you curious about the military in general or being a military nurse? How can we help?

LCDR Dan

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Thanks for the reply,

Actually both I would like to be a military nurse b/c I've always wanted to serve my country but to be honest I was kinda nervous (maybe a little scared) b/c the decision is a life altering one and I always wondered about how I would cope with having a family in the military. Also I want to know facts about the air guard. I've been doing alot of research on the subject but I want to know what the websites aren't telling me. I know that a recruiter is just going to do his job and try to recruit me, but I want to know everything a could possibily know before I make a decision.

I'm from shinnston,wv(near clarksburg)

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

Champ01-

Shinnston, got it. I went to school in Philippi at A-B. Anyway, from what I know of the Air Guard they don't have nurses. They are mainly search/ observation/ support. Although they do help transport injured in wartime, they don't have their own nurses, they used Air Force/ Navy/ Army nurses for the care of the patients. A friend of ours that lives in Charleston is an Air Guard pilot that flies C-130s. He was in Iraq at the beginning of the war, I do remember him saying something about medics, but that's different from nursing. I've been active duty Navy for 10+ years. Married to an active duty Navy nurse as well and we have 3 kids, looking to have a 4th. It's not easy, but definitely doable. There's more out there than the Air Guard, are you set on it? What's the draw? Let me know how I can be more help.

LCDR Dan

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Not exactly set on it. B/c of like you said I heard that they only have medics, but I thought I heard somewhere that if you have your BS that then you would be a certified Nurse to them, I could be easily mistaken though. I've thought about the Navy and Air force not so much the army, but haven't done much research on both topics. The reason why I chose the airguard is b/c I'm still not for sure that if I want to do it full time. I've been told by my teachers that their are many opportunities out their and I should try to experience as much as I can before I make a choice,I thought that by being in the airguard it could help me with paying for schooling and let me help me scratch my military itch :) I also heard that you could be a travel nurse while still being in the air guard with certain stipulations, is that true? Thanks for you help

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

I've been in healthcare since 1992 and a nurse since 1997, you are not a nurse unless you get educated as one, so I don't buy the "..certified as a nurse through them" thing, my .02 cents. Since you live in Shinnston, I'll stereotype a little and guess your knowledge of the "outside" world is limited. I'm allowed to say that, I'm from Morgantown and didn't realize how big the world really was until I joined the Navy, you have no idea. Yes, scary as all heck when I left, but glad I did. Actually, having traveled a good bit of the world has given me a real appreciation for my WV upbringing. That's why when we had the chance to live in WV and still be in the Navy we moved to Charles Town, out by Harpers Ferry. We work in DC and commute, it's worth it to raise our kids in WV. Your decision about Air Guard, Navy, Air Force, etc.,. is going to depend on what your goals in life are. I wanted more than what being a civilian nurse could offer me. I figured I'd do 5 years in the Navy travel a bit, if I didn't like it, I'd get out. that's what we did too, but realized we were a better Navy family than a civilian one and I missed being part of something larger than me. This last part is hard to explain, but it's what brought me back to the Navy after 11 months in the civy world. If you have questions, look through the posts on this site, myself as well as many others have posted their experiences some good, some bad, the thing is they've had them. That's something I didn't feel I'd get by being a civy nurse in Morgantown, again that's just me. Take a look around and ask questions as you think of them, let me know how I can help.

Oh yeah, what program are you in, Fairmont State? I did clinicals at the old Clarksburg Hospital when I was in school.

LCDR Dan

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I forgot to tell you I'm orginially from atlanta georgia. I came up here b/c my dad got a job, to make a long story now he's a pastor a the baptist chruch in shinnston. I attend D&E and I'm almost done with my first year of nursing school.In the mist of writing this my dad comes up stairs and says "this is not the time to join the war people are killing themselves!" He so negative when it comes to me joining, always has been. He thinks I'm considering it just b/c I'm in a financial bind. Which is why it came back to surface but it's something that has always been lurking in the back of my mind. ERR!! he's the type that puts a rope around ya neck and wants you to jump so ya can hang ya self so he can say "I told ya so!" Anyway, I just want to make to the best decision for myself. If u have any type of insite on life and or military feel free to share.

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello Champ01 and Welcome to All Nurses!:wink2:

Listen I don't have any real advice to give you, but I second LCDR Dan: you will find many wonderful, knowledgeable people on this forum.

Having said that, I just wanted to give you a "cyber hug". I kind of know a bit of what you are going through. My family was not exactly jumping up and down with joy when I decided to leave the Reserves for Active Duty. They couldn't quite grasp the concept of "it's something that I have to do" they wanted concrete reasons for me wanting to PCS out of state and future deployment(s)

It is hard, especially when you a) live at home and b) family members don't understand, no matter what your reasoning is. I got the "but you're older, you should "know better" argument, Sigh...:banghead:

Keep the faith.

athena

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Actually, the Air Guard has opportunities for nursing career. Also, with Army reserves these corps accept nurses with ADN. And you required with a few years to have your BSN. You can check for yourself on their website.

http://www.goang.com/hp/

http://www.goang.com/hp/nurses/default.aspx

Not exactly set on it. B/c of like you said I heard that they only have medics, but I thought I heard somewhere that if you have your BS that then you would be a certified Nurse to them, I could be easily mistaken though. I've thought about the Navy and Air force not so much the army, but haven't done much research on both topics. The reason why I chose the airguard is b/c I'm still not for sure that if I want to do it full time. I've been told by my teachers that their are many opportunities out their and I should try to experience as much as I can before I make a choice,I thought that by being in the airguard it could help me with paying for schooling and let me help me scratch my military itch :) I also heard that you could be a travel nurse while still being in the air guard with certain stipulations, is that true? Thanks for you help
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Specializes in ER, Trauma, US Navy.

Ah, I stand corrected, thanks. BE16, do the come in as enlisted with their ADN and then get commissioned once they have their BSN? Cahmp01, that is one thing I forgot to point out, the Navy only takes BSNs and you are a commissioned officer.

LCDR Dan

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Thanks for all the help and support I'm looking up those websites as I post this.

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