Air Force Nurse
Consider being an Air Force Nurse now that you have graduated from high school and you’ve decided that you want to be a nurse. Your best bet is to go for your four year nursing degree, right off the bat. But that’s expensive. So how are you going to pay for it? Join the Air Force!
There are several options with the US Air Force. First, there is the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp. Yes, the Air Force does offer ROTC, just like the Army or the Navy. It is a competitive scholarship program that pays for tuition, books and lab fees, offers a stipend during the school year, training during the summer, and has requirements such as physical training and military training during school. Along with your nursing classes you would take some military history and other military classes. After graduation from college and AFROTC you will be commissioned as an officer in the Air Force Nurse Corps.
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You can also enlist in the Air Force Reserve, which offers you training in a healthcare related field or other career. Once you enlist in the Air Force Reserve you have access to tuition assistance and other funding that can be used to pay for nursing school or you can apply to the AFROTC program. If you choose to join the Air Force, you can apply to the AFROTC at a college where there is a program. You will have a far more rigorous course load, but you will be paid as an active duty airman.
Direct Commission Program
Are you already a nurse? Already have your BSN? You are all set to become a Lieutenant and join the Air Force Nurse Corps. If you are between the ages of 21 and 32 and have your four year degree, the Air Force would love to have you! There are programs that will assist in repaying your student loans, assist you in getting your master’s degree, and even help you to specialize in everything from Emergency nursing to Anesthesia or become a Nurse Practitioner. If you already have a bachelors or higher degree in nursing you can apply to the Air Force Nursing Corps to be accepted directly into the Air Force as a nursing officer. This route is referred to as a direct commission. This option is available for the regular fulltime Air Force and as an Air Force reservist.
