1st Base Assignment USAF for 2010, need advice

steveo · Apr 23, 2009

Eglin is a nice area. Keesler has a pretty good ER.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 24, 2009

I'd go to Landstuhl -- Germany rocks. The base near Landstuhl (Ramstein AFB) is very nice! I graduated from HS there many moons ago. :)

allnurses Guide · Apr 24, 2009

I will be graduating in about a year and I need to pick my dream bases. My options are: Andrews, Eglin, Keesler, Lackland, Langley, Nellis, Travis, Wright-Patterson, Mt. Home, Elmendorf and Landstuhl. I would like to work on a trauma floor or in the ER. Please let me know if you have any advice on which base would be best for trauma/ER and which bases are nice in general.

There are only two of those bases where you are going to get any true trauma: Lackland and Landstuhl.

Are there any other things you are looking for in a base besides trauma? I think all of those bases have an ER, but I am not sure about Mt. Home.

Laura V · Apr 24, 2009

I want a base that is well kept and not in the middle of nowhere. I will be 22 when I graduate and I would like to have a big city or somewhere nearby that I can go explore and that has a lot to do.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 24, 2009

It's been a while since I've been to Landstuhl, but there was always plenty of trouble .... er, fun to be had. The great thing about Europe in general is that if you drive a few hours in any direction, you'll probably be in a different country. The largest cities near Landstuhl where we used to hang out are Kaiserslautern ("K-town") and Saarbrücken -- lots to do in both locations.

allnurses Guide · Apr 24, 2009

I want a base that is well kept and not in the middle of nowhere. I will be 22 when I graduate and I would like to have a big city or somewhere nearby that I can go explore and that has a lot to do.

I think you would probably be happy with most of the bases besides Mt. Home. Mt. Home to my understanding is about as small as it gets for AF purposes.

BabyRN05 · Apr 24, 2009

I just got accepted into the Air Force, and I'll be at Langley AFB - from what I understand you can't go overseas for the first 3 years (unless you include Elmendorf AFB - you can go there). I'm from Mtn. Home, and believe me you DON'T want to go there (I do love Idaho though).

allnurses Guide · Apr 24, 2009

I just got accepted into the Air Force, and I'll be at Langley AFB - from what I understand you can't go overseas for the first 3 years (unless you include Elmendorf AFB - you can go there). I'm from Mtn. Home, and believe me you DON'T want to go there (I do love Idaho though).

I have known AF nurses to go overseas on their 1st assignment, but it is not an easy thing. In general the AF will highly discourage from going overseas on your 1st duty.

NursePamela · Apr 25, 2009

Laura V where is "home"?

At 22 and just coming in I would take Travis off your list - Too expensive.

Andrews is also very costly to live there but from what I am told BAH covers you, but that was a spouse of an o-5 telling me this so,,,,.

Elmendorf is Gods country - most beautiful place I would ever live - Loved it! No trauma though, it goes to the civilian hospital.

Landstuhl - excellent - if you do not get it on your first tour I would still keep it on the list.

Do you care about the weather? Do you want hot or cold. The first assignment is one of the easiest to get what you want to make it a good choice!

Laura V · Apr 25, 2009

Home for me is about 35 min northeast of Atlanta, I am only in Knoxville for school.

I do not care about the weather so much as other things, but no desert!

I want to make a good decision, but I have no family that has been in the military, so I just do not even know where to start. My concern with Landstuhl is that I do not want to be "thrown into the fire" with that kind of trauma right out of college. I really want to get the hang of real world nursing (not school) before I tackle Germany. I want a base where I will get plenty of experience.

NursePamela · Apr 25, 2009

Do you want big city? small city? or the great outdoors? Does it matter if you have a roommate?