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From browsing the forum I see a lot of people with questions about joining the military pre/during/post PA school and I just wanted to share my experience...

 

Last Saturday I finally got sworn in and commissioned as a 1Lt in the Louisiana Air National Guard with the 159th MDG. I will be a PA on the CERFP (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, high-yield explosive enhance response force package) team there and am really looking forward to it. CERFP is a rapid response team that deploys when needed for CONUS man-made or natural disasters. the unit I am with is responsible for FEMA region 6. The training that I will get through the Air Guard is going to really be beneficial with my civilian role as a Trauma PA in a level 2 trauma center.

 

A little background...

 

I was prior enlisted AF Reserves for 12 years before getting into PA school. I started out as a munitions loader on A-10s with the 926th FW in New Orleans. I deployed to Afghanistan with them in 2004 and the unit was shut down with the BRAC in 2006 so I transferred to Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA and continued my career as a loader on A-10s with the 917th. in Sept 2012 I had the opportunity to take a position as the acting 1st Sergeant of the 917th MOF and did so until the following July when I separated due to the demands of PA school. This worked out pretty well as that unit was also in the processes of being shut down due to the potential retirement of the A-10 so I was able to separate and receive Honorable Discharge. I met the Air Guard recruiter at the annual LA PA conference and expressed my desire to get back in the AF after graduation as a PA. He told me they were looking and so I kept in touch with him. I had reached out to the AF Reserves but was told they wouldn't even talk to me until I had 6 months experience as a PA. So, I turned my attention to the Air Guard. As graduation neared in Aug 2015 I began getting all the paperwork completed for credentialing. After passing the PANCE all of the paperwork was sent off and I started on the commissioning paperwork. I went to MEPS in October 2015 and all was good except for the weight I had put on in PA school. I returned to MEPS in March 2016 and was cleared so the commissioning paperwork was sent off and finally approved and I was sworn in on 9July. I was told that I was coming in as 2Lt with credit for 2 years. When I swore in I found out I was 1Lt.

 

As I said previously, I am really looking forward to this new military career path and am excited about the training that I will be receiving. I am not sure if any of this information will be helpful to anyone out there but I wanted to share my experience in the event that anyone out there is considering joining.

 

 

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That's great!!! I'm currently at the 187th MDG in Montgomery but I've heard such good things about the 159th. My supervisor actually went there last year to observe their mass PHA process.  I plan to apply to PA school in the next year or so if the classes align for me. Good luck as a ANG PA. I look forward to hearing/reading your stories of CFERP on the forums :) 

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Awesome!  Congrats!   Could you discuss what loan forgiveness incentives the ANG has for PA's? 

 

Thanks!

 

So when I first began talking with the recruiter back in Fall 2014 he informed me that they were giving $50k toward student loans. I thought this was great! The following Spring he came and spoke to my class and that same benefit was still available. However, when the new budget for FY15-16 came out they had taken all educational benefits away. I am not sure if this was across the board, just for ANG, or just for medical officers. He did tell me that they were told from higher up that when the new budget comes out and potentially depending on what happens with the election in November that those benefits could be reinstated. My Commander reiterated these same possibilities last weekend and told me that they were told that if and when those benefits are available that those of us that did not receive them would be eligible for them then. So at this point it is just a waiting game and hopefully if they are available again that they hold up their end of the deal and I can get some loan repayment. 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

enochy,

 

I'll be totally honest with you, I really don't know what my contract was for. I need 8 or 9 years to be eligible to retire so that's all I am really worried about reaching. and as of now I have not heard any new info on any incentive pay. Although I am hopeful I'm not holding my breath HA!

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I want to join the Air National Guard and eventually become a PA. I'm 28 years old. I have a BS in Biology, but I have no HCE (Healthcare Experience). Will it be okay if I can get a non-medical job in the ANB, but go to school to get my certificate/associate's degree as an EMT or Surgical Tech? Then get a job working as an EMT or Surgical Tech and get the hours I need to get some HCE. I just want to make sure I will be qualified to apply to PA School. A lot of the PA Programs would prefer someone with HCE (CNA, EMT, Paramedic, Surgical Tech, Medical Assistant, etc...) SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND!!!

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I want to join the Air National Guard and eventually become a PA. I'm 28 years old. I have a BS in Biology, but I have no HCE (Healthcare Experience). Will it be okay if I can get a non-medical job in the ANB, but go to school to get my certificate/associate's degree as an EMT or Surgical Tech? Then get a job working as an EMT or Surgical Tech and get the hours I need to get some HCE. I just want to make sure I will be qualified to apply to PA School. A lot of the PA Programs would prefer someone with HCE (CNA, EMT, Paramedic, Surgical Tech, Medical Assistant, etc...) SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND!!!

 

 

Hey kshantew,

 

First off are you just wanting to join the ANG or are you wanting to do it with the hopes that it will aid in you getting into PA school? if the latter, I would encourage you to try to get into the medical side. I too had a BS in biological sciences and 10 years enlisted in the AF Reserves when I started applying to PA schools. It was then that I had wished i had been in medical as opposed to aircraft maintenance. those 10 years of medical experience would have been invaluable. so, i had to look to other means and since i already worked full time in research i had to find part time work. i ended up being an EKG tech for about a year and that sufficed for my patient contact hours. i also shadowed several PAs in various specialties which i also think was advantageous. I am not saying don't join the Guard if you want to, but if you do use it to work to your advantage. And if you really want to be an EMT or surgical tech then by all means do that too. The most important thing is to be sure you are doing something that you enjoy. In my experience there is nothing worse than doing something that you don't truly enjoy b/c then it is not fun. best of luck with your journey. I know that right now it probably seems like it will take a very long time but trust me when its all over and you are working as a PA you will look back and wonder where time went. I hope this answered your question or at least gave you some useful info.

 

Regards,

Armand

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From browsing the forum I see a lot of people with questions about joining the military pre/during/post PA school and I just wanted to share my experience...

 

Last Saturday I finally got sworn in and commissioned as a 1Lt in the Louisiana Air National Guard with the 159th MDG. I will be a PA on the CERFP (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, high-yield explosive enhance response force package) team there and am really looking forward to it. CERFP is a rapid response team that deploys when needed for CONUS man-made or natural disasters. the unit I am with is responsible for FEMA region 6. The training that I will get through the Air Guard is going to really be beneficial with my civilian role as a Trauma PA in a level 2 trauma center.

 

A little background...

 

I was prior enlisted AF Reserves for 12 years before getting into PA school. I started out as a munitions loader on A-10s with the 926th FW in New Orleans. I deployed to Afghanistan with them in 2004 and the unit was shut down with the BRAC in 2006 so I transferred to Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA and continued my career as a loader on A-10s with the 917th. in Sept 2012 I had the opportunity to take a position as the acting 1st Sergeant of the 917th MOF and did so until the following July when I separated due to the demands of PA school. This worked out pretty well as that unit was also in the processes of being shut down due to the potential retirement of the A-10 so I was able to separate and receive Honorable Discharge. I met the Air Guard recruiter at the annual LA PA conference and expressed my desire to get back in the AF after graduation as a PA. He told me they were looking and so I kept in touch with him. I had reached out to the AF Reserves but was told they wouldn't even talk to me until I had 6 months experience as a PA. So, I turned my attention to the Air Guard. As graduation neared in Aug 2015 I began getting all the paperwork completed for credentialing. After passing the PANCE all of the paperwork was sent off and I started on the commissioning paperwork. I went to MEPS in October 2015 and all was good except for the weight I had put on in PA school. I returned to MEPS in March 2016 and was cleared so the commissioning paperwork was sent off and finally approved and I was sworn in on 9July. I was told that I was coming in as 2Lt with credit for 2 years. When I swore in I found out I was 1Lt.

 

As I said previously, I am really looking forward to this new military career path and am excited about the training that I will be receiving. I am not sure if any of this information will be helpful to anyone out there but I wanted to share my experience in the event that anyone out there is considering joining.

How did you pay for PA school?

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  • 2 weeks later...

How did you pay for PA school?

Although I did have the Post 9-11 GI Bill at 50% I still also took out student loans. My wife stayed home in Baton Rouge while I attended school inn Shreveport so the loans were used in addition for school related items, rent, bills, etc. probably could have been more frugal while in school but it's in the past now.

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