Danish

I commissioned with an “in lieu of” which basically means pending flight physical. I finally had it completed a year and a half after being gained at my unit LOL. There are pros and cons to that. I was non prior, so the time in grade didn’t affect me thankfully. I am at FN/AEIQ now finally and I’ll be qualified roughly 2 years after commissioning. It’s a very long process.

Yes, based on your AFSC they may. My ascession (sp?) bonus when I commissioned was a choice of $60k or $60k student loan repayment. Both are taxable. currently for 46F the bonus is $105k over Three years.

Feel free to message me privately. I am a USAFR flight nurse and I am with the 45th AES at MacDill as well. I am also a graduate of SPC ? my suggestion is to start working in either ER or ICU if you can. Even step-down or PCU would help you. Make sure you do BLS, ACLS, and PALS as well. once you have a year experience and BSN complete, reach out to the medical USAFR recruiter (Sgt (MODERATOR EDIT OF NAME) was my recruiter but I think he is retiring.) Be patient. The commissioning process is long. Be prepared for a lot of training initially. TFOT (previously OTS), SERE, Water survival and emergency parachute training, FN/AEIQ, and MQT (about a year total) all must be completed before you earn your wings and are fully qualified to fly. When it comes to ranking structure you will find that the AE world is a bit different from the rest of the Air Force. As an officer you will rely heavily on your enlisted airmen to guide you and teach you. Yes, as a Captain I technically outrank the SNCOs but they have sacrificed and worked MUCH longer and harder than I have and I would be lost without them.

Hi! Great...long...LOL I commissioned in Feb, began drilling in June, and finally got my dates for TFOT (officer school) for Jan! Be prepared to hurry up and wait, but its very worth it.

It was in mine.

For reserves, you are fine. I commissioned at 40 in the USAF Reserve.

46F was 60K I apologize, I misread the title of the post. This was USAF ascension bonus

I am an NP, but wanted to fly and there were no NP positions, so I took a flight nurse position. I commissioned as a Captain 03 based on my education and experience even though my USAF reserve job is a nurse. My initial paperwork said 2nd Lt, so its dynamic and will change most likely by the time you sign your official paperwork.

Maybe I am glutton for punishment, but I am thinking of going back to school to obtain a terminal degree. I am leaning towards Aspen Univ. DNP in Leadership as they offer some insight into the financial, business, and management side of practice. Has any NP's here gone back for the DNP? Any advice? ( Background: I am currently working for the VA healthcare system in Vascular Surgery, but ideally some day would like to have my own clinic and feel that this would help prepare a little more than the current education I have. ) **I am also a USAF Reservist, so the cost is decent with Aspen ($16,000)

I work in vascular surgery. I was an RN at the same hospital for five years prior to becoming an NP. It's my home, so I couldn't leave. Plus, the benefits package makes the pay equate if you add that value.

Nope. I work full time as an NP and part time (Reserves) as an RN.

Not exactly apples to apples here. I have 17 years ICU and ER experience as an RN and have only been a vascular surgery NP for less than a year. I WANTED to fly. I am reserves and I still work full time for the federal govt as an NP. My goal was to serve and to retire with two pensions, which I do and I will.

My ED and ICU experience has helped quite a bit, but I am learning a lot. I work full time as an NP for the VA still and am only reserve as a flight nurse.

You will start your position as the same step and grade, just on the NP scale. Your first proficiency will be 1 year later and most NPs become nurse III at that time if they are involved in committees and such. It is still considerably less than the community pays for NPs though. I had offers for well over $30K more that I turned down to stay with the VA.

It is very base specific. I live in the Tampa area and my closest base is MacDill. When I initially began the process of commissioning there was no need for NPs on base and I was offered a flight nurse job. It was either take the opportunity as a flight nurse or nothing, so I took it. I work for the VA as a NP and for the USAF reserves as a nurse.

Congratulations and God speed!! Enjoy your retirement!!

You will only be boarded again if you separate from the system for 1 year. I transitioned from Staff nurse to Nurse practitioner and they didn't re-board me. All they did was take my step and grade and switch me to that same step and grade on the NP scale.

Im commissioning as a flight nurse and when I questioned my recruiter about it this is what I was told as well. Also, that it is approx 10K jobs.

My VA hospital does not use outside staffing agencies (They used to.) Even the nursing home staffs from the hospital resource / float pool. The VA HR department is horrible and not very efficient. I was hired 5 years ago and it took 9 months from offer to start date. Currently transitioning from RN to APRN and it has been 6 months since my offer and I just got my start date for June 9th. Credentialing was completed in December.

Received this email this morning in my VA email... "Good Afternoon, Recently, Congress and the President approved a cost of living increase in the amount of 1.6% that will be retroactive to January 6, 2019. Last week, the contractor for the Human Resources information system used to track pay was tasked to make these changes to the pay of the 253,000 eligible VA employees. Almost all eligible employees were successfully processed and will see the change and the back pay in this Friday’s paycheck. For 308 of you, the contractor’s effort resulted in an error that must be corrected manually by Bay Pines HRM. If you are one of the 308 employees, you will see the change and back pay in your May 17, 2019, pay. Additional back pay will be included to account for the delay. An SF-50 will be placed in your eOPF when the pay adjustment is made for you. You will receive an email from [email protected] notifying you that this has occurred."

No, my recruiter told me I would have a while before attending COT and I would be drilling prior. I didnt think to ask about pay. A friend of mine is a Sargent Major in the Army and he told me he believed I would not be paid as my rank until after COT. He could be wrong. I emailed my recruiter because hes out of town on training and havent heard back yet. Thanks for your response. I pray you're correct :)

I have had the same recruiter, but he waited to submit me for MEPS as I was so close to finishing up the MSN-FNP program and taking boards. It will make a difference in rank, so I agreed to wait.

I turned 40 during this process. The MEPS physical is different for those under 40. With that being said, I had to have fasted blood work and an EKG at MEPS which showed an arrhythmia. I had to return to MEPS 3 weeks later for a cardiology consult. They bussed me over to a cardiologist and I had another EKG and an echo which was perfect and the cardiologist cleared me stating that it was basically a bogus EKG. It was just another wrench in the process. I am being told that it is currently taking up to 4 weeks for the waivers to be approved by the surgeon general. Apparently my next step will be security clearance and swearing in. I have also been advised that COT is full for this year, so it will be next year before I go. You can begin drilling prior to going to officer training though, you just will not be paid at your rank because you are a cadet until officer training is complete. I emailed regarding pay / back pay for the difference and am waiting for a reply.

Ive been in the process over 2 years. Just finally had my waiver sent to the surgeon general and my recruiter said it will be about six more months before I swear in. Its a loooong process, isnt it?!

Current USAF Reserve accession bonus for flight nurse is $60,000 for 6 years. Its paid $20K per year for first 3 years.