So many questions re AF Nursing

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I am applying to four nursing schools this year. (taking Chem, Physiology, Nutrition in the Fall semester.) I have a Bachelor's of Science in Gerontology. I am applying to Bachelor's to BSN programs.

I am interested in the Air Force. My father and all three brothers were Air Force and my husband WAS active duty AF, now reserves (enlisted). My mother worked civil service AF for 20+ years. All that to say.....I know something of AF life. When we were first married my husband and I deployed to Panama for four years.

So, my questions:

I am 36, would be at least 37 by time I could apply for a commission. I understand that that is not too old, so I'm not worried about that, however......I was Dx with hypertension last week when I was home to see my brother. (he had two strokes) I have been able to correct it with diet and I think it may have been episodic and not a permanent condition. Do you think I could get a waiver for that?

I have been losing weight (had two babies back-to-back, we are done with the baby-having.) I just lost twenty, need to lose sixty more to meet my max weight for the AF. (I am more comfortable, though at the weight I would be after losing 80 more pounds, so "max weight" is not exactly my goal!)

I guess my concern is that anything health-related could keep me out of the AF. Years ago, before I finished my degree, I realized that I had exceeded the max age for enlisting. I thought that I was giving up this dream forever. I have ALWAYS wanted to be in the AF.....it was just something that was always a part of my family.

I really want to do this (and would love to have another overseas assignment!) In short, (too late!), my plan is as follows:

1) Continue to lose weight and get in shape, including a walking program that leads up to jogging then running.

2) Keep my GPA high (It is currently 3.4, hoping to raise it!)

3) Keep doing whatever I can to help with this goal. Any ideas other than the ones stated above? If I got into my first choice nursing program, I would begin June 2008 and graduate in July 2009. When would I talk to a recruiter? It is a 14 month program. Talk to him/her when I am halfway through? When I am accepted? I don't want to jump the gun and I don't want to talk to them now when I am out of shape and have THAT the focus of our discussion.

There wouldn't be a problem with my husband being enlisted reserves and me active duty officer, would there?

I read everything I could find on here last night, some good info, some misleading. Someone wrote," you can write the base you want into your contract and they HAVE to send you there or it is breach of contract." All they have to say is,"needs of the Air Force come first" and you are out of luck.

That is another thing that bothers me, I don't want to end up in Turkey or Iceland! It's called a Dream Sheet, not an Order Sheet!

ETA: I just read ANOTHER thread about people being able to pick their follow on base (after COTS). Could this really be TRUE?!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I am applying to four nursing schools this year. (taking Chem, Physiology, Nutrition in the Fall semester.) I have a Bachelor's of Science in Gerontology. I am applying to Bachelor's to BSN programs.

I am interested in the Air Force. My father and all three brothers were Air Force and my husband WAS active duty AF, now reserves (enlisted). My mother worked civil service AF for 20+ years. All that to say.....I know something of AF life. When we were first married my husband and I deployed to Panama for four years.

So, my questions:

I am 36, would be at least 37 by time I could apply for a commission. I understand that that is not too old, so I'm not worried about that, however......I was Dx with hypertension last week when I was home to see my brother. (he had two strokes) I have been able to correct it with diet and I think it may have been episodic and not a permanent condition. Do you think I could get a waiver for that?

I have been losing weight (had two babies back-to-back, we are done with the baby-having.) I just lost twenty, need to lose sixty more to meet my max weight for the AF. (I am more comfortable, though at the weight I would be after losing 80 more pounds, so "max weight" is not exactly my goal!)

I guess my concern is that anything health-related could keep me out of the AF. Years ago, before I finished my degree, I realized that I had exceeded the max age for enlisting. I thought that I was giving up this dream forever. I have ALWAYS wanted to be in the AF.....it was just something that was always a part of my family.

I really want to do this (and would love to have another overseas assignment!) In short, (too late!), my plan is as follows:

1) Continue to lose weight and get in shape, including a walking program that leads up to jogging then running.

2) Keep my GPA high (It is currently 3.4, hoping to raise it!)

3) Keep doing whatever I can to help with this goal. Any ideas other than the ones stated above? If I got into my first choice nursing program, I would begin June 2008 and graduate in July 2009. When would I talk to a recruiter? It is a 14 month program. Talk to him/her when I am halfway through? When I am accepted? I don't want to jump the gun and I don't want to talk to them now when I am out of shape and have THAT the focus of our discussion.

There wouldn't be a problem with my husband being enlisted reserves and me active duty officer, would there?

I read everything I could find on here last night, some good info, some misleading. Someone wrote," you can write the base you want into your contract and they HAVE to send you there or it is breach of contract." All they have to say is,"needs of the Air Force come first" and you are out of luck.

That is another thing that bothers me, I don't want to end up in Turkey or Iceland! It's called a Dream Sheet, not an Order Sheet!

ETA: I just read ANOTHER thread about people being able to pick their follow on base (after COTS). Could this really be TRUE?!

Bolus,

As long as you continue to loose weight and obtain your RN/BSN I don't see anything that you posted that would prohibit you from joining the AF. The catch 22 if you want to be assured of getting your top choice of an overseas base upon entering the AF is that you need to gain 1yr RN experience before entering the AF.

When you join the AF as a new nurse (less than 1yr experience) you are more limited on assignments. What most people don't know is that you can pretty much get any assignment that you want as a nurse when you first enter the AF. All you have to do is put down your top choice and don't budge from that choice i.e. if you want to go to Ramstein put that as your top choice and say "if I don't get Ramstein I don't join". You need to be realistic though pick someplace that needs nurses.

There are lots of married enlisted/officer couples in the medical field.

If you are bound and determined to come in as a new nurse you should still be able to get an overseas assignment after your COT & NTP course. Again, you just have to firm.

Good Luck,

Capt E, USAF, NC

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Thank you! I don't consider getting a year of experience post-graduation (and licensure) as a Catch 22. I wouldn't mind that at all if I helped me get to where I want to go. (namely, Germany!) So, what you are saying is that as long as I am realistic in asking for what I want (right now looking like Landstuhl as it looks like they do critical care and that is what I am interested in!) I could probably get there?

I will continue to research bases in Germany, England and Italy as to who does the most med care. (I don't want to work in a clinic doing vital signs, I want to do critical care.)

I looked into going to Germany as a civilian, but the thought of taking the boards in German has me Betont (stressed) as my German is just taking off and I havn't even passed the boards in ENGLISH yet!

Again, thanks for the reply! I don't want to talk to a recruiter yet and get their hopes up!;)

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Thank you! I don't consider getting a year of experience post-graduation (and licensure) as a Catch 22. I wouldn't mind that at all if I helped me get to where I want to go. (namely, Germany!) So, what you are saying is that as long as I am realistic in asking for what I want (right now looking like Landstuhl as it looks like they do critical care and that is what I am interested in!) I could probably get there?

I will continue to research bases in Germany, England and Italy as to who does the most med care. (I don't want to work in a clinic doing vital signs, I want to do critical care.)

I looked into going to Germany as a civilian, but the thought of taking the boards in German has me Betont (stressed) as my German is just taking off and I havn't even passed the boards in ENGLISH yet!

Again, thanks for the reply! I don't want to talk to a recruiter yet and get their hopes up!;)

Landstuhl would be a very good base to try and go to. Last I heard Landstuhl was receiving an average of 100+ patients a day from down range. If you want to do critical care the easiest way to do it, is like I did and go through a civilian critical residency, gain 1yr ICU experience, and then apply to the AF. At that one yr mark you can go into the AF with your ICU identifier and go straight into the ICU.

Then 2yrs after entering the AF you can apply for advanced training to get your MSN/NP/CNS/CRNA etc. I am currently in school doing my CRNA.

Good Luck!

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Thank you again! CRNA is EXACTLY where I want to be eventually!

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