air force vs navy

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andyjl

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I am wondering what the differences between the navy and air force is in terms of both lifestyle and in terms of practicing/facilities/experience.

I have heard air force is most like civilian lifestyle and this branch has the best up to date technology and clinics for dentists to use. Although i believe navy's dental clinics are very impressive as well.

I have also heard that for dentists, air force is the place to be, but don't know why that is. Is it because of the reasons i stated above or is there more to it?

In the air force, are they in need of dentists as much as the navy?

Do air force dentists get worked less than navy dentists on average?

also in both the air force and the navy, do you have to go out and train like a soldier, boot camp, etc? Aside from the active duty training that you receive upon graduating from dental school

Is the air force base which one could live at nicer than the ones navy dentists live on?

thanks in advance.

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As far as dental work, well, I know nothing... I am currently a Navy officer and was a prior enlisted Air Force. The dental clinics in both services always seem busy, as far as your workload I have no idea, but I would expect it to be busy in either branch.

Lifestyle is something that I can speak to with much more authority. The Air Force has the best "life style" of all the services, but it lacks some of the tradition and character of the Navy. If you are looking at being out of harms way and living the most comfortable life, you simply can't beat the USAF. The USAF idea of deployment differs greatly from that of the Navy, which differs yet again from the Army.

The Navy is in someways the middle road between the Army and the Air Force. Dentists do go to sea in the Navy, and they do spend time away from home more so than their Air Force counter parts. Some Air Force bases are less desirable than others.... Ever spend time in the Mojave Desert??? Edwards Air Force Base is just one garden spot you can be assigned to. Navy bases tend to be near the coast for the most part, some of us think that's an advantage.

If you don't want to adopt at least a somewhat military lifestyle, you should reevaluate your options before joining. The least "military" of the services is in fact the USAF. This is probably where you would want to be given the list of concerns that you have asked questions about. You can live a very civilian life style in either branch by living off-base and maintaining separation between work and home. Deploying on a ship in the Navy however will not give you this "break" that you often can take for granted in the USAF. Also don't forget USAF dentists can and do deploy, so don't think you can get out of everything military by being USAF (although you can avoid more of it than in the USN.)

Mark

PS - Although I am new to the Navy, I was raised in a family with close ties to the Navy and spent 9 years in the USAF. So I have a little background with both life styles.
 
"also in both the air force and the navy, do you have to go out and train like a soldier, boot camp, etc? Aside from the active duty training that you receive upon graduating from dental school"

Hmmm… No chatter on "fork & knife" school aka OCS (officers candidate school) yet? I would chat with the guys on navy.com/chat. They can’t compare btwn air force and navy- but they can tell you more on what to expect w/ the navy dental program. Good Luck in your decision! :)
 
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I'm curious to know if anyone here has been accepted to both the Air Force and the Navy scholarship programs for dental school, but chose the Navy route between the two?

If so, I would like to know why and how that experience has worked out as far as your expectations are concerned.
 
I am a dental lab tech in the Air Force. I am working on getting all of my school done in order to get into dental school. From my experiences, I enjoy being the Air Force. I have to say in most small clinics (that is what I am familar with) dentists are able to leave around 4 or 4:30 at the latest. There are always those who want to be there longer, but that is a rare instance. I do think the Air Force is like being a civilian dentist without as much work! They are focused on quality not quantity. Let me know if you have any specific questions about Air Force dental clinics. We are near an Army base and most Army personnel prefer coming to our clinic if they have the choice. If you have any advice for me on getting into dental school I am listening
 
Hello I am a senior in college seeking to become a doctor. I would like to do my residency in emergency medicine and I was curious about a few things.
1. If I join will I be able to complete my residency at a civilian institute or will I be required to practice as a general practitioner or will I need to attend a naval institute?
2. Will I be required to serve on a ship or can I be stationed and practice at a base for the entirety of my service?
3. If I joined what would be my rank after I finished medical school ? After I finish my residency?
4. My wife is a early childhood teacher will she be able to teach children of families who live on the base and if not will the navy help her find a job in the surrounding area?
5. While I was in high school I broke my back. It does not really effect me now except when the weather changes. I do not have any trouble lifting or moving just stiff when I wake up sometimes. Will this effect me joining the navy?
6. Will I be able to have a choice in where I am stationed?
7. While living on a base how does the housing process work? Will I need to apply and hope I get a place to live or will housing be provided or will I have to live off base?
8. I had spoken with a recruiter and in the city where I would like to attend medical school there is also an Air Force base. The recruiter had assured me that I would be able to live there if I applied and there was available room for me and my wife. I was wondering if this is a true statement and how far ahead would I need to apply?
 
Day to day work would be very similar in both services. However, I can't give specifics on the Navy, since I haven't lived that life.

Deployments can be different. While I was deployed to Southwest Asia, some Navy Dentists were deployed not far from me. Same for the Army.

I think the idea that the AF is less military is somewhat skewed. I have been in the Army and in the USAF. I will say we are less anal about some things, but make no mistake, we are in the military. As an AF officer, you will be expected to be a leader. My personal opinion is that as an officer, you must strive to be a leader. Note that I'm not saying you'll be a little Patton, but you must lead by example. I have also been a civilian dentist and would not say the AF is just civilian dentistry in uniform.

The Navy has some great customs and I'm sure it would be great being a dentist in the Navy. I have enjoyed the AF so far (going on 12.5 years).
 
This has actually been an ongoing dilemma for me as well. Having experienced stations in the USAF and reading about USN locations, I'm using that as a strong argument.

With the AF, as MarkP said, you could get stuck in some weird place, Edwards AFB was being gentle in my opinion, try North Dakota or Clovis New Mexico. While with the USN I'm seeing that you almost invariably get to be on one of the coasts, overseas, or on a ship somewhere (for me the ship thing sounds really interesting, but I may be too idealistic about it). So even if you don't get your "choice" per se, you won't get stuck somewhere completely unbearable (unless of course the ship thing sounds awful to you).

The AEGD choices for the USN also seem better; on that point I wonder why the AF doesn't have a joint AEGD with the USN on Okinawa, seeing as AF personnel went there regularly for treatment. (anyway, a bit off topic, sorry).

Another point of interest for me, which may have already been clarified elsewhere, is the ability to specialize right out of dental school in regard to the USN vs USAF; are they equal, is it harder to get a slot in the USAF, etc?

Then there's the 20k bonus the USN gives, which may seem like nothing to some people, but it's pretty awesome compared to getting no bonus.

Anyway, in the end the fact that the USAF has so few scholarships (from what I hear), the choice between USAF and USN may be completely moot.
 
Hello I am a senior in college seeking to become a doctor. I would like to do my residency in emergency medicine and I was curious about a few things.
1. If I join will I be able to complete my residency at a civilian institute or will I be required to practice as a general practitioner or will I need to attend a naval institute?

Currently, the navy requires you to apply for a military-based residency first, and then, if you don't get in they may allow you to apply to a civilian residency. With that in mind, most applicants get into a military residency. And as a side note, the experience you get in the military for emergency medicine will be outstanding.

2. Will I be required to serve on a ship or can I be stationed and practice at a base for the entirety of my service?

There is no requirement to serve on a ship. The detailer (person who assigns personnel to duty stations) will distribute you according to the needs of the Navy while taking your personal situations, extenuating circumstances, etc into consideration. Navy assignments tend to be 3 years for shore duty (i.e,. naval hospital/clinic) or 2 years sea duty (i.e., on a ship), or 3 years operational billet (i.e., Seabees or Marine unit/base). There are variations on each, but if you play your cards right, you can typically get what you want.

3. If I joined what would be my rank after I finished medical school ? After I finish my residency?

You will be an O-3 (Lieutenant) fresh out of med school. After your residency, you will be either an O-3 or an O-4 (Lieutenant Commander), depending on your time of service, your performance up until that time, and your evaluations.

4. My wife is a early childhood teacher will she be able to teach children of families who live on the base and if not will the navy help her find a job in the surrounding area?

If you are moving to your base from out of the area (there are guidelines and limitations), she can use the Military Spousal Preference status to apply for civilian military contracts or GS positions. Check out www.usajobs.gov ...

As far as private sector civilian jobs, there are resources available with the military. At the base I'm at, they hold job fairs semi-annually for military personnel who are transitioning out and military spouses as well.

Since your wife is an early childhood teacher, I would STRONGLY suggest contacting the AF base near you, and ask to be connected to whatever daycare/child care/preschool/youth center they have, and ask if there will be any jobs coming up, and how to be hired through the military, and what certifications are required. Once you have the contact and application in hand, be sure to check the box for "Military Spousal Preference." It is not a guarantee, but it does put you closer to the top of the list.

The centers at San Diego are staffed with a lot of personnel whose husbands are active duty military, or otherwise associated with the military through civilian positions on base.

On a side note, you're really lucky that your wife has a very portable career. Military professionals tend to have an easier time moving around if their spouses aren't tied to a geographic location. (e.g., another dentist, pig farmer, etc).

5. While I was in high school I broke my back. It does not really effect me now except when the weather changes. I do not have any trouble lifting or moving just stiff when I wake up sometimes. Will this effect me joining the navy?

Since I'm not a medical screener, I can positively say 'maybe' ... it's something you'll have to disclose during the application process, but it might preclude you from military service.

(BTW, not a good idea to hide major stuff like this from the military if you're applying. Technically the military can kick you out, make your life miserable if they find out you lied. Especially if they want to, say, send you out with the marines for 6 months, and something happens, and they find out it was something you didn't disclose. And now the marine unit is screwed because their ER/Trauma doc is out of commission with a re-injured back, someone's going to get pissed.)

6. Will I be able to have a choice in where I am stationed?

You'll be able to have input, but everything is according to needs of the navy -- who's leaving what station, is that position already spoken for, etc etc etc. The detailer will try to find something you'll be happy with, but not everyone can go to Hawaii, San Diego, Sigonella, Italy, or Rota, Spain.

7. While living on a base how does the housing process work? Will I need to apply and hope I get a place to live or will housing be provided or will I have to live off base?

Typically as officers, you are not required to live on base. The same is not true for most enlisted, especially junior enlisted.

To live on base, you have to apply through the base housing office or equivalent. There is usually a waiting list. If you do accept base housing, you forgo your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) pay. Many choose to live off base because they are able to find a rental in nearby areas for less than the BAH. Since BAH pay is tax-free, whatever difference you keep is extra tax free money in your pocket.

8. I had spoken with a recruiter and in the city where I would like to attend medical school there is also an Air Force base. The recruiter had assured me that I would be able to live there if I applied and there was available room for me and my wife. I was wondering if this is a true statement and how far ahead would I need to apply?

I call bull****. Maybe your recruiter isn't trying to fleece you. Most likely he transferred out of this area and is going off of faulty assumptions. I would verify with the base housing department, whatever it's called on AF bases.

But before that, consider this:

It sounds like you are looking at the HPSP program or the HSCP program. Let's say you take this, congrats you're in the navy!

In practice, you are in this weird limbo with the military. Throughout medical or dental school, you are not assigned to the base or an actual unit on that base, and when you apply for housing, they will ask you "Which unit are you with"?

You will say, "I'm not with a unit, but I'm a med student, and I go to U of X down the street, but I'm on a Navy scholarship and the recruiter said you'd be able to get me into base housing."

You'll probably get nowhere, because their job is to assign housing to active duty personnel stationed on base. You, being neither a reservist nor active duty member, will be pretty much SOL. Besides, they won't know what to do with you because you technically belong to the navy.

And, the housing staff will start thinking, "I might get in trouble if I give this guy a house, when CAPT Smith has been on the waiting list for 8 months."

So with that in mind, I would go ahead and plan for off-base housing:

1) You can use the extra $ from the difference between BAH and your monthly rental.

2) You will have many years ahead of you to be a member of the military -- enjoy your time right now as a civilian living out in town, and getting trained on the military's dime!

3) If you live on military housing, you will be living among other officers, most of whom are higher rank than you. Once they find out you are an officer, they will likely treat you accordingly as an officer of that rank and may expect the same from you. But let's face it, unless you had previous military service, you won't know what to do or how to act. That's why they send you to officer training around your second year of med school, so when you hit your military residencies and rotations, you don't act like a total FNG. (F*ckin' New Guy) :D

So just enjoy the civilian life for now! Grow your hair as long as you want, flaunt that soul patch, wax your handlebar mustache! Don't sweat that speeding ticket you got coming home (they can revoke your driving privileges if you get pulled over on base too many times).

Save all the military regulations for when you are in the military and concentrate on your schooling!

Good luck,

OAH
 
This has actually been an ongoing dilemma for me as well. Having experienced stations in the USAF and reading about USN locations, I'm using that as a strong argument.

With the AF, as MarkP said, you could get stuck in some weird place, Edwards AFB was being gentle in my opinion, try North Dakota or Clovis New Mexico. While with the USN I'm seeing that you almost invariably get to be on one of the coasts, overseas, or on a ship somewhere (for me the ship thing sounds really interesting, but I may be too idealistic about it). So even if you don't get your "choice" per se, you won't get stuck somewhere completely unbearable (unless of course the ship thing sounds awful to you). Don't forget the Navy has some inland bases as well. Think Millington, Tennessee and Great Lakes, Illinois.

The AEGD choices for the USN also seem better; on that point I wonder why the AF doesn't have a joint AEGD with the USN on Okinawa, seeing as AF personnel went there regularly for treatment. (anyway, a bit off topic, sorry). AF has some good locations and excellent residencies. Issues with where the residents would go after the residency are different for the AF than the Navy.

Another point of interest for me, which may have already been clarified elsewhere, is the ability to specialize right out of dental school in regard to the USN vs USAF; are they equal, is it harder to get a slot in the USAF, etc? Can't speak for the Navy here. For the AF, it depends on what you want to do. You can go to any residency, but Ortho and Endo. We have many highly qualified applicants with some AF time in already.

Then there's the 20k bonus the USN gives, which may seem like nothing to some people, but it's pretty awesome compared to getting no bonus.

Anyway, in the end the fact that the USAF has so few scholarships (from what I hear), the choice between USAF and USN may be completely moot.

Remember, many things about the different services are subjective and will depend on you personally. I had a friend that joined the Navy, but didn't want to be on a ship. Guess, what. He deployed on a ship. His love affair didn't last long. I have also known people that said they joined the AF to keep from deploying, but deployed anyway. If you fill a room with 10 people from a particular service, you may very well get 10 different experiences.

As for the "less than desirable locations", many people love those bases. They tend to be smaller clinics with no specialists. It allows our General Dentists to practice full scope and if you specialize, you won't go to most of those bases anyway. If all you are looking for is life outside the clinic, you may not like the smaller bases. If you want to have a fulfilling practice, you will like the smaller bases more. Again, it's all subjective.
 
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