Navy/air force anyone?

[Hope1974]

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Are any pharmacy students joining the Navy or the Air Force? Does any1 have any info? A Navy recruiter told me that if I signed up for 3 years, I wouldn't get anything. If I signed for 4 years I would get a 30k bonus (minus taxes). If I wanted them to pay 40k on my loans, for each 40k that they pay I have to add 2 years. So If I wanted them to pay 80K (like what they have on there misleading site) and get a 30k sign on bonus, I'd have to sign up for 8 years.

 

[CUninja]

Are any pharmacy students joining the Navy or the Air Force? Does any1 have any info? A Navy recruiter told me that if I signed up for 3 years, I wouldn't get anything. If I signed for 4 years I would get a 30k bonus (minus taxes). If I wanted them to pay 40k on my loans, for each 40k that they pay I have to add 2 years. So If I wanted them to pay 80K (like what they have on there misleading site) and get a 30k sign on bonus, I'd have to sign up for 8 years.

Yes you will have to sign up for 8 years, at least in the AF. 3 years active duty and 5 years inactive reserve (but they still could call you up.) I know that the incentives are different for pharmacy students than they are for those who have their pharmacist license. The AF looks for most of it's pharmacists while they are still in school as far as I know. Hope that helps.

 

[Hope1974]

Yeah, I'm graduating in May. I hadn't heard of the military scholarship until it was too late. There isn't much of an incentive to sign up after you graduate, I don't understand that. I guess they don't need pharmacists. A friend a mine that was in the navy, said she thinks I could still pay off my loans in those 4 years ( with a bonus of 30k and salary of an O3(3700 a month, everything else-housing, food, etc paid for). The humanitarian missions they go on is another reason why I was interested. That and the good training as a pharmacist plus travel. But, it's iffy. I don't know any navy or airforce pharmacists that are in that really recommend doing this. Most of the people I talked to were enlisted when they were in, n don't want to go back, though they do say the benefits were great.

Hey, your at Creighton, I was there in '96. So, I guess you're familiar with Dr. Scofield and Dr. Doud? Anyway. Thanks for the info.

 

[CUninja]

Yeah, I'm graduating in May. I hadn't heard of the military scholarship until it was too late. There isn't much of an incentive to sign up after you graduate, I don't understand that. I guess they don't need pharmacists. A friend a mine that was in the navy, said she thinks I could still pay off my loans in those 4 years ( with a bonus of 30k and salary of an O3 (3700 a month, everything else-housing, food, etc paid for). The humanitarian missions they go on is another reason why I was interested. That and the good training as a pharmacist plus travel. But, it's iffy. I don't know any navy or airforce pharmacists that are in that really recommend doing this. Most of the people I talked to were enlisted when they were in, n don't want to go back, though they do say the benefits were great.

Hey, your at Creighton, I was there in '96. So, I guess you're familiar with Dr. Scofield and Dr. Doud? Anyway. Thanks for the info.

What were you here for? Yes I am familiar with those two professors, in fact I saw one of them at the grocery store the other day. Nice people.

I disagree with you about the above point though, theoretically if I were a branch of the armed forces, scholarships would be a good way to control the amount of people coming in, allowing you to account for the people coming out according to your goals.

I don't know if that's true, but it does make sense...

 

[Hope1974]

What were you here for? Yes I am familiar with those two professors, in fact I saw one of them at the grocery store the other day. Nice people.

I disagree with you about the above point though, theoretically if I were a branch of the armed forces, scholarships would be a good way to control the amount of people coming in, allowing you to account for the people coming out according to your goals.

I don't know if that's true, but it does make sense...

I was there in '96 in a summer program for students interested in research or medical related fields. Which above point were u refering to? Anyway, am still considering it. That or the Public Health Service, its almost the same thing. And, after the 1st year you can apply for specialty pay of 15k. I can't see how private companies could offer more benefits, experience, training or opportunities. I worked in private-CVS for 3 years. Anyway, later

 

[CUninja]

There isn't much of an incentive to sign up after you graduate, I don't understand that. I guess they don't need pharmacists.

That was the statement I was referring to 🙂

The public health service is also great...I did a week down in Arizona at three different IHS facilities last year as part of a Native American immersion course. I was impressed at the way that they do things. Of course, you need to like living in the sticks if you are going to do that...I thought it was a great time. 👍

 

[Jbuprepharm]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the AF isn't taking any pharmacists this year. We're at capacity from what I've been told.

 

[twiga]

"We're at capacity from what I've been told."

Could you help us out with who may have told you that? No big deal if you can't. Just curious so that I don't hold my hopes up for the USAF!

Especially since I'm training for the 1.5 mile run as I type this. Man, it's hard typing while running, hehe.

 

[Hope1974]

"We're at capacity from what I've been told."

Could you help us out with who may have told you that? No big deal if you can't. Just curious so that I don't hold my hopes up for the USAF!

Especially since I'm training for the 1.5 mile run as I type this. Man, it's hard typing while running, hehe.

I heard that too through the grapevine, several times. Plus, the airforce recruiters don't ever pick up the phone or respond to emails. I gave up on them a while ago.

 

[Jbuprepharm]

"We're at capacity from what I've been told."

Could you help us out with who may have told you that? No big deal if you can't. Just curious so that I don't hold my hopes up for the USAF!

Especially since I'm training for the 1.5 mile run as I type this. Man, it's hard typing while running, hehe.

I heard it from my friends who are graduating this year that wanted to join, the recruiter told them that. Plus, my boss was saying that AF pharmacy is fully staffed in terms of slots for active duty pharmacists (certainly not actually fully staffed).

but October marks a new fiscal year, don't give up

 

[cashmonyz]

look at the army if you want to repay back your student loans

 

[twiga]

I have pretty much ZERO student loans. I would be joining up just to give back to my country.

 

[Caverject]

I'm pretty sure I would rather just continue my private sector position. Esp. since of all the branches, the AF seemed to be the best BUT they are fully staffed and I'm not ready to settle for second best. Thanks for all the help.

WTF? What makes you think the AF is "the best"? Because the Air Force deploys more of their pharmacists more often than the Army and the Navy to wartime environments?

 

[type b pharmD]

idk why people are obsessed with the air force either . it would be my last pick among the military services personally , but in reality there are no major differences in the way your life and job would be between the forces, based on numerous comments from posters on here, also given the fact that all military services are administrated by the same set of rules and regulations more or less

 

[Jbuprepharm]

WTF? What makes you think the AF is "the best"? Because the Air Force deploys more of their pharmacists more often than the Army and the Navy to wartime environments?

You mad

 

[cashmonyz]

Don't worry i would pick army first if I ever decided to join --people seem cooler in the army anyways. Working at the VA and talking to a lot of officers in navy/army/airforce, my air force friends reasons to join were for a better 'environment' more cushier/standard of living.