RN looking for some AF info from someone who knows

annabeap, MSN, APRN, NP · May 29, 2011

Your recruiter knows all about your paperwork- I feel like it should all be completed before you graduate (even by Jan2012), and then you just get your last set of transcripts sent after you graduate. My recruiter was pretty clear on what paperwork was due and when. If you aren't getting your answers taken care of, keep bugging the office and maybe you'll get a hold of someone else.

As far as going the med/surg route and getting into CCU/ICU- it really depends on leadership and who else is applying with you. You might be stuck on the med/surg floor for 2yrs first before you get a slot. And it's a ICU fellowship right now at Lackland AFB. So you have to pay attention for the "call for candidates", apply and wait. The fellowship is classes, PT formations, tests, and clinical- I wanna say it's 12 weeks, but I could be mistaken. It's intense, I've heard, and it could be frustrating if you're already experienced.

And actually, I think they're combining our AF ICU fellowship with the Army's since they're going over to Brooke Army Medical Center soon...

If you already have your 2 yrs civilian CCU experience, and you know you want the CCU/ICU route, make sure your recruiter is putting you in for that. Your ticket in may easily be your prior experience already. And be ready to deploy! Good luck! :)

Shimano0606 · May 29, 2011

annabeap has it right. Your experience should count and push you into an ICU position, assuming leadership doesn't need you somewhere else. Do you have your CCRN? That might help seal the deal, but maybe not a requirement. Your AFSC should reflect that you are a trained ICU nurse. Your recruiter should know the distinction and put you in for that.

I have heard, although not fact as far as I know, is that all incoming ICU nurses will need either a certification (like ccrn) and/or a documented training platform from a civilian hospital (like ECCO) and at least 1 year of experience. Not sure what that means for this fiscal year.

The fellowship seems awesome. It's labor intensive and a joint venture with the Army...mostly at BAMC. If you have the above criteria met, then you probably get to bypass the fellowship.

If you get in directly to an ICU, you have to be in your current job at least 2 years before you start CRNA school. The application period starts about a year before your class would start. Theoretically, you could be in an ICU only 1 year before putting your application together for school. Lately, they have been accepting more junior nurses than in previous years because of the low number of applicants. Not sure how that trend will look by the time you get in.

Good luck

CRF250Xpert · May 30, 2011

There are many things you can do without your recruiter and actually - the more work you have done and the less your recruiter has to do - the better service you'll get. Recruiters are lazy bottom feeders. Do it all yourself and you'll have a cake walk. Here's a form you need to completely fill out. It will take you a while and it's a pain. Complete it and save a copy in a couple of safe places. You never know when you are going to need that data. I was recently asked for all of it by the strangest place. I had it, but it took me by surprise.

www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf

icurnanthony · May 30, 2011

Appreciate everyone's help. I will do whatever I need to to make this go quicker and improve my chances. Saw in some other posts something about a June 28th deadline for paperwork but didn't know if that was for this year or if it pertained to my situation. Recruiter said something about an October meeting. Either way I will contacting him this week and every week until I'm in just to make sure.

Not sure if I can get my CCRN this year but looking into other certifications that would improve my eligibility and prove my CCU experience. Allready have ACLS, PALS, and TNCC.

icurnanthony · Jun 3, 2011

Anybody know where I can find a list of what paperwork I need and what has to be done before commissioning. I'm sure the recruiter will let me know but I'm anal about that sort of thing and want to get something done now.

razorshark · Jun 4, 2011

There are many things you can do without your recruiter and actually - the more work you have done and the less your recruiter has to do - the better service you'll get. Recruiters are lazy bottom feeders. Do it all yourself and you'll have a cake walk. Here's a form you need to completely fill out. It will take you a while and it's a pain. Complete it and save a copy in a couple of safe places. You never know when you are going to need that data. I was recently asked for all of it by the strangest place. I had it, but it took me by surprise.
www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf

With all due respect, I would strongly advise anyone that wants to become an Air Force nurse to disregard that statement. Your Health Professions recruiter will let you exactly what you need to do, and it will be up to you to do it. The more you do on your own without (us) having to spoon-feed you, the better it will be for everyone.

Keep in mind, there are many different agencies that are involved in this process, only a few selection boards each year, and competition to get in is the higher than it ever has been. The SF86 is only required IF you are selected...so filling it out before that is pointless.

v/r

Sharky (aka "bottom feeder")

allnurses Guide · Jun 5, 2011

hello everyone, been lurking here for years but just now registered. i'm a 33 year old, male who has been an rn for 2 years now. i'm working on my bsn and should graduate may 2012. my 2 years' experience is in ccu/micu, er, and house wide nursing supervisor. i recently started taking the steps to enter the air force after graduation next year as a ccu rn with possible crna route. spoke to the local recruiter and the health professionals recruiter for my region and just submitted some of my info. he said i was eligible to apply for a ccu commission considering my background.
what kind of paperwork do i need to get together? when is the deadline for my paperwork if i don't graduate till may 2012? if i don't get a ccu position can i apply at the same time for med/surge to help ensure i get a spot? how hard is it to transfer from med/surge to ccu after being commissioned? what do i need to start focusing on to improve my chances of being selected? any suggestions on who i can get a letter of recommendation from that would do the most good? anything else would be greatly appreciated. thanks

you should be able to apply and get your critical care nursing identifier (46n3e) with your experience. there is no specific ccu identifier and more than likely, unless you goto whmc/bamc, you will just be working in a regular med/surgical icu. in general just coming in with your icu identifier will keep you from working anywhere but icu for the at least the first couple of years, but the needs of the af come first and technically you can be placed anywhere. i have yet to see an icu nurse placed anywhere but icu initially as long as there was an icu at the base, but anything is possible.

you already have the required experience to apply for nurse anesthesia in the af, but what you don't have is the time on station requirement/tos. when you have two years tos you can apply to nurse anesthesia school in the af. when you are getting ready to apply to nurse anesthesia school i would suggest talking to several of the crnas there and most will be more than happy to help with the process if you come to elmendorf while i am there i can help you with the process.

i don't know if you know this but the army allows you to do a direct entry into nurse anesthesia school. you have to go through medical officer training first, but then you would report to school afterwards. it makes for what i think is more difficult transition, but overall it is very good deal. should you want to go that route i can give you the necessary links, and the email of one of the army crna faculty members that can help you with the process.

there are also programs in the navy, va, and usphs that will enable you to goto school full-time.

79Tango · Jun 7, 2011

recruiters are lazy bottom feeders.

some would argue that the recruiting/retention cmd has the most important mission in all branches of the military.

CRF250Xpert · Jun 7, 2011

i actually put myself in the usaf. my recruiter did nothing except arrange for his boss to witness my swearing-in. my father-in-law performed my commission. i arranged my own meps. i did every single piece of paper required on my own and had to find almost all of them online. i'm certain that i am the only person ever that had to put himself in the usaf.

i met my recruiter twice – period; once at the swearing-in and once at meps (he needed a piece of paper signed). my recruiter was a bottom feeder pos that was usually at a softball game when i had a question and he actually took the time to answer his phone. medical recruiters have a mission of a few people a year and obviously i was number 4.

i know the process because i actually have btdt. the transparent attempts at negating my advice are not in the best interest of young civilians trying to get into the usaf.

if i were a civilian nurse again trying to get into the usaf (oh, yes – i already did that), i would research every step of the process and get it all done on my own. as far as recruiter help - expect nothing and anything will be a blessing.

allnurses Guide · Jun 7, 2011

recruiters are lazy bottom feeders.
some would argue that the recruiting/retention cmd has the most important mission in all branches of the military.
opinions vary.........

razorshark · Jun 7, 2011

i actually put myself in the usaf. my recruiter did nothing except arrange for his boss to witness my swearing-in. my father-in-law performed my commission. i arranged my own meps. i did every single piece of paper required on my own and had to find almost all of them online. i'm certain that i am the only person ever that had to put himself in the usaf.
i met my recruiter twice - period; once at the swearing-in and once at meps (he needed a piece of paper signed). my recruiter was a bottom feeder pos that was usually at a softball game when i had a question and he actually took the time to answer his phone. medical recruiters have a mission of a few people a year and obviously i was number 4.
i know the process because i actually have btdt. the transparent attempts at negating my advice are not in the best interest of young civilians trying to get into the usaf.
if i were a civilian nurse again trying to get into the usaf (oh, yes - i already did that), i would research every step of the process and get it all done on my own. as far as recruiter help - expect nothing and anything will be a blessing.

if you are encouraging others to follow your footsteps considering today's recruiting climate, you will be setting them up for failure. there is absolutely no way to get all the required forms online, completed properly, and go through each step (fy program announcement criteria, command directives, meps physical, cne interview, scroll submission, credentials validation, quality control procedures, incentive contracts, etc., without a health professions recruiter...period. if you did, great...but that is not how it works today. either way, its not worth arguing about in this medium. for those wanting to become air force nurses, do not attempt to bypass your recruiter...if you miss one step, one form, one piece during the entire process, you will not be "qcd", "board ready", or "selected". but like i said, not going to debate.

v/r

sharky