Army vs Navy vs Air Force pharmacy

Started by NutMegAceTony08
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Hey, I havent been on this in awhile but did anyone apply for the 12/18 board? Or at least thats what my recruiter told me what the date was. I submitted all my things before the 11/23 deadline and was told a board is coming up. I havent heard a thing...so good? bad? And I'm kind of discouraged now hearing that all the scholarships are gone.
 
ttah8 said:
Hey, I havent been on this in awhile but did anyone apply for the 12/18 board? Or at least thats what my recruiter told me what the date was. I submitted all my things before the 11/23 deadline and was told a board is coming up. I havent heard a thing...so good? bad? And I'm kind of discouraged now hearing that all the scholarships are gone.
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I'm going to be completely honest...based on what I've been told there was no second board last year and it sounds like they aren't going to need one this year either - my recruiter said that the scholarships had all been given out and alternates selected. Good luck, if not this year, then next.

I felt that the interview was crucial...I didn't have a very good interview last year but did this year. Also, the 9 or 10 Q questionnaire they have you do...work what you want known about yourself into that.
 
So has anyone heard from people who have gone through this process or the recruiter whats next. Papers, when pick bases, where when and what Officer training is like. I have some vague ideas. My recruiter told me they give us a list of open bases the following year and we pick. Also, i believe i heard training was 5 weeks in alabama?
 
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NutMegAceTony08 said:
So has anyone heard from people who have gone through this process or the recruiter whats next. Papers, when pick bases, where when and what Officer training is like. I have some vague ideas. My recruiter told me they give us a list of open bases the following year and we pick. Also, i believe i heard training was 5 weeks in alabama?
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The process depends on if you were accepted for the scholarship or if you are going through as a fully qualified pharmacist.

Scholarship (dont know too much about this, but here are some basics):
Selection
They give you a list of bases and tell you to pick a few/rank them in order of most to least preferred
Commissioning
You get your orders
After graduation, you go to COT (Commissioned Officer Training) in alabama (5 weeks)
Go to your base.

As fully qualified pharmacist :
Paperwork (including writing down up to 5 bases you want to go to)
Interview
Selection
Commissioning
Orders
COT
Go to base

I hope that helps.
 
NutMegAceTony08 said:
So has anyone heard from people who have gone through this process or the recruiter whats next. Papers, when pick bases, where when and what Officer training is like. I have some vague ideas. My recruiter told me they give us a list of open bases the following year and we pick. Also, i believe i heard training was 5 weeks in alabama?
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I was notified 7 Dec, meeting 12 Dec, signed everything 21 Dec (today) and commissioning is 2 Jan.

AFIT will be determining where you go during your final year of school - we get to say where we'd like to go is what I hear.

COT is after graduation at Maxwell in alabama. see the link below.

http://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/OTS/index.asp
 
This may be a stupid question as I am pretty unfamiliar with pharmacy in the armed services. Are there many opportunities for a PGY-2 specialized pharmacist such as ID or cards in the military?
 
Going to revive this thread because I'm going to be re-applying this year for the HPSP 2-year scholarship. I wanted to ask if anyone applied for both the Air Force HPSP and the Navy HSCP concurrently in previous years?
I want to increase my scholarship options this year so was thinking of applying for both but wasn't sure if it was allowed.
 
Hey I'm applying this year for the 3year scholarship. Hopefully I get in! Turned in all my apps already and just waiting on my MEPS next week!
 
mandydp6 said:
Going to revive this thread because I'm going to be re-applying this year for the HPSP 2-year scholarship. I wanted to ask if anyone applied for both the Air Force HPSP and the Navy HSCP concurrently in previous years?
I want to increase my scholarship options this year so was thinking of applying for both but wasn't sure if it was allowed.
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I did not do it, but I know it is allowed.
 
aesop13 said:
Is there anyone that can talk about the life of an Armed Forces Pharmacist? I want to know what their day to day has been like?
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Army pharmacist - current resident. Day to day life matches that of any resident; workup patients, present/round, see patients, write notes, project time. Rinse, repeat...

Outside of residency, your job will vary depending upon your work environment.
 
Don't knock outpatient pharmacy...it's the bread and butter of military pharmacy. It's fun when you're in charge of 42 staff members and especially if you are able to help in remodeling an entire department. I love my job!
 
Hey guys, I have a few questions regarding these scholarships. Specifically the Air Force scholarship. I will be starting my 1PD year this August at UF. I have 7 years prior service (USMC) and I am looking at going back into a different branch of service when I graduate (a long time away). Anyways, here are my questions:

1) What do I need to do to get started?
I would assume that I need to talk to a recruiter. Does anyone know of a Health Professions recruiter around Gainesville, FL?

2) What are the deadlines to apply for these scholarships?

3) Do these scholarships affect your GI Bill benefits?
I am switching to Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) in September and will have 12 months under that program.

Thanks for any help on this matter. I just started looking into this and I would appreciate any input you guys have. 👍
 
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JDubya88 said:
Hey guys, I have a few questions regarding these scholarships. Specifically the Air Force scholarship. I will be starting my 1PD year this August at UF. I have 7 years prior service (USMC) and I am looking at going back into a different branch of service when I graduate (a long time away). Anyways, here are my questions:

1) What do I need to do to get started?
I would assume that I need to talk to a recruiter. Does anyone know of a Health Professions recruiter around Gainesville, FL?

2) What are the deadlines to apply for these scholarships?

3) Do these scholarships affect your GI Bill benefits?
I am switching to Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) in September and will have 12 months under that program.

Thanks for any help on this matter. I just started looking into this and I would appreciate any input you guys have. 👍
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Air Force = Only pays for PY3-PY4.
Army = No scholarship program, apply during your last year.

Not sure about Navy.
 
JDubya88 said:
I thought Air Force had a 3 year scholarship as well.
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Yes, the Air Force did award the 3-year scholarships last year for the first time. I am not sure if that will be the case this year though. You should contact a health professions recruiter.
 
JDubya88 said:
I thought Air Force had a 3 year scholarship as well.
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Yes the AF does have a 3 year...I don't know for sure if they will have it again this year but I am pretty sure that answer is a yes as the three year scholarship was mentioned in this article in feb 2011 by the Col. that is the pharmacy consultant to the AF surgeon general.

Link

Dubya - the deadline the last two years has been 1 Oct. (ish) You would want to have everything sent down there by 15 Sept. As I am sure you are aware there is a lot of paperwork, physicals, etc to do. I can put you in touch with a health professions recruiter in Nebraska if that is of any help...but if you are planning to apply for this year you need to get started ASAP
 
to the folks at BAMC, I think it's criminal that we haven't gotten together at some point, also, you guys have a pharmacist who is going to hang out with us at RAFB next month. How do I know it's not one of you? hmmm

PM me your a/s/l, k thx
 
I have asked for one of those cool Air Force thingies on the left side of the screen a couple of times but I keep getting ignored. I finally just cut and pasted a big Air Force symbol as my avatar. Anyone know how to get one of those buttons put on there?
 
theunderminer said:
The military seems to be a popular option these days so if you are sure thats what you want to do you might want to consider going the scholarship route, as it leads to less time in between school and being told to get to training (I'm going AF, I have to wait 6 months from now).

The Army seems to offer the most money in scholarships and loan repayments compared to Navy or AF. Not really sure which one is the easiest to get into anymore b/c of the influx of people trying to get in. Seriously, it seems like recruiters are trying to get people to leave them alone these days haha.

Deployment cycles are probably similar although i've heard AF has shorter cycles compared to other services. You will be stationed in the US for at least the first couple of years because as you go overseas, you will have a lot more responsibility there, so you have to learn everything first.

In terms of the dream sheet of where you want to go, I believe I got my #2 choice.

The chance of a residency in the AF is fairly low I would guess only because there are very few hospitals in the AF, most of the places just have a clinic. I believe the number of hospitals in the AF presently was quoted to be around 7 (conus).

Commissioned Officer Training (COT) in the AF is 5 weeks. This is training on how to be an officer, AF history, etc. Nothing about pharmacy.

Bases in the AF are fairly nice, they usually do tend to be an hour or two from major cities from what I know (big exceptions would include Andrews, etc).
From what a friend of mine in the Navy says, they seem to have the nicest bases.

And as aboveliquidice stated, the Public health service is also a good option to look into.
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Regarding base selection:

I served 6 in the AF as enlisted, '01-'07. As far as amenities go, if you're stationed at an Air Force Base (not an army post, navy station, etc), they're all roughly similar. During my time in, I was stationed at 4 bases (Dover AFB, Dyess AFB, Wichita Falls, TX, Kunsan AB, Korea) , and performed Temporary Duties at probably 20 (Including multiple deployments both in and out of combat zones). My advice is to pick your base like you would pick your school or pick your next job - Is it near things you like, is it close to (or far enough away from) family, is it in an area you could see yourself wanting to stay for a long time?

It's pretty simple - If you don't like heat, stay away from Arizona, if you don't like cows, stay out of the Dakota's, if you don't like mountains don't go to Colorado.

The only exception there may be is in the quality of the Clinic. If that is a concern to you, I can say that, from a customers point of view, I've noticed very little difference in the Clinics I've visited.

If you have any questions about specific bases or Air Force life, send me a message. Keep in mind though that I was enlisted (POL), so I have very little insight into the specific routines of pharmacists at these bases.
 
PharmTheQuah said:
I have asked for one of those cool Air Force thingies on the left side of the screen a couple of times but I keep getting ignored. I finally just cut and pasted a big Air Force symbol as my avatar. Anyone know how to get one of those buttons put on there?
Click to expand...

You have to be a current commissioned officer in one of the services.

Just as a side note, while military service members all appreciate the advertising, most of us wouldn't like the idea of someone who hasn't served displaying any symbols that link them to service, or that they have not earned.
 
PharmTheQuah said:
I have asked for one of those cool Air Force thingies on the left side of the screen a couple of times but I keep getting ignored. I finally just cut and pasted a big Air Force symbol as my avatar. Anyone know how to get one of those buttons put on there?
Click to expand...

You have to request them through the help desk. If you need more help let me know.
 
DelawareStudent said:
You have to be a current commissioned officer in one of the services.

Just as a side note, while military service members all appreciate the advertising, most of us wouldn't like the idea of someone who hasn't served displaying any symbols that link them to service, or that they have not earned.
Click to expand...

I certainly appreciate your service to our country and your concern about the possibility of displaying the symbol while not serving. I was commissioned in January and I am very excited to serve in the USAF. Thanks for looking out for those who have served and those currently serving.
 
PharmTheQuah said:
I certainly appreciate your service to our country and your concern about the possibility of displaying the symbol while not serving. I was commissioned in January and I am very excited to serve in the USAF. Thanks for looking out for those who have served and those currently serving.
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Very cool, and congratulations. What did you select for your duty station?
 
CUninja said:
Yes the AF does have a 3 year...I don't know for sure if they will have it again this year but I am pretty sure that answer is a yes as the three year scholarship was mentioned in this article in feb 2011 by the Col. that is the pharmacy consultant to the AF surgeon general.

Link
Click to expand...

Dialed into Col Spilker's T-Con yesterday, there will be 1, 2, and 3 year scholarships for FY 12. I won't say any more because I'm not sure how sensitive the info is, but there are more than a few of each
 
I haven't got my preference sheet yet. I think I should be getting it by the end of the year and should have my first assignment by spring. We will see what happens 🙂
 
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Reviving this thread because all my paperwork has been submitted, so now I'm sitting and waiting on a response from my recruiter. Anyone else awaiting a response?
 
I am waiting too. From my understanding, due to budget cuts, the amount of scholarships are down from last year. The board date for the first deadline was November 8, 2011. The release date of acceptances supposedly is November 25, 2011. Chances are best if you were able to submit everything by October 18 for the Air Force HPSP. Keep me posted with any word if you hear anything.
 
I called a recruiter for the AF today, and he told me that they are no longer taking applications for this year and that i should contact him once i actually start school next year. I was hoping that since i have interviewed and recently received my acceptance letters i could get rolling a year early. I guess this is not the case with the air force...?
 
Army results were released today. From what I understand they only selected 9 participants. I guess my stars just aren't aligned for service!
 
ValeUC said:
They don't do four year scholarships, only 1-3.
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I understand that they don't do 4 year scholarships, but i want to sign up before i start school, or in my first year, and then have the scholarship kick in during my p2 year. Will they allow my to be in-active for a year during school before the scholarship kicks in during the p2 year?
 
Spunk3y said:
I understand that they don't do 4 year scholarships, but i want to sign up before i start school, or in my first year, and then have the scholarship kick in during my p2 year. Will they allow my to be in-active for a year during school before the scholarship kicks in during the p2 year?
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You would have to submit a package for next years board, which generally meets every October. IF you are selected (it is competitive), you would find out in late nov / early dec and could get commissioned as early as late dec / early jan. they would not start the scholarship until the first day of class of the year you are sponsored for (so the first day of class of your second year.) I would probably contact the recruiter in late spring to get things started to build a package.
 
Spunk3y said:
I understand that they don't do 4 year scholarships, but i want to sign up before i start school, or in my first year, and then have the scholarship kick in during my p2 year. Will they allow my to be in-active for a year during school before the scholarship kicks in during the p2 year?
Click to expand...

Refer to CUninja's post, I'd consider him the SME on this topic.
 
CUninja said:
I would probably contact the recruiter in late spring to get things started to build a package.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much CUninja, that is exactly what i am looking for 🙂. After reading the forum i saw that you had been awarded a scholarship to the air force. Can you give me an idea on what would make my application stand out? What exactly are the boards looking for when they review the application?
 
Spunk3y said:
Thank you very much CUninja, that is exactly what i am looking for 🙂. After reading the forum i saw that you had been awarded a scholarship to the air force. Can you give me an idea on what would make my application stand out? What exactly are the boards looking for when they review the application?
Click to expand...

I can't speak for the boards. That being said, I feel that the interview and your personal statement are important. Also, your grades need to be good enough and they do want to know what kind of person you are in the community (do you work/volunteer/what are your leadership activities.)

The personal statement IMO should include why you want to be an officer.
 
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