Army and Air Force HPSP

[are8]

Questions for those participating in the Air Force of Army HPSP program!! Thank you in advance for your time. I have been granted the HPSP by both branches and feel like when I ask questions to the respective recruiters that they just tell me what I want to hear, I have a hard time trusting everything. I was hoping people actually in the program could advise:



1) I am aware of humanitarian mission possibilities where you have very short tours (from a few weeks to a few months) in an impoverished area. Does anybody know of opportunities for this in either branch, and if possible if you have a better chance in one military branch in taking part in these missions?



2) I am very excited about practicing dentistry abroad. If I just do my required four payback years, will it be possible to do all of me time abroad, will it even be possible to do part of it abroad?? I am not sure if the military requires equal time abroad as well as in America...



3) Can you guys correct me if there are any additional countries where you can be a dentist for the respective branches:



Army: Japan, Korea, Belgium, Italy, Germany.

Air Force: Japan, Korea, Italy, Germany, Turkey, UK, Guam.



Please let me know if there are other locations! For instance, I think there is an Air Force base in Greenland, but I have no idea if they have dentists at the "minor bases"



4) I have heard that for those fresh out of dental school, that the military will only put you in big clinics to "learn the ropes" (thus small chance of going abroad where clinics are generally smaller than in the U.S.)



5) My Army recruiter told me you have higher chance of promotion in Army because its dental core is so much bigger, anybody can comment as to the truth of this?



6) There are a lot of stereotypes flying around that quality of life being better in the Air Force, personally I think that the life of a dental officer in either branch would be completely the same. Thoughts about this?



7) Any other general thoughts about pros/cons of Air Force vs. Army. In other words, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN MY SITUATION!!!



To those who answer this lengthy treatise, very many thanks. These are specific questions, which is why I need to ask them, because you can't find the answers in the HPSP literature out there....

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[Drill+Fill]

Wow, that's a lot of questions. I can't answer everything, but let me say a couple of things. First of all- recruiters can't be trusted. It's not their fault, they are given an impossible job and embellishing the truth just becomes part of the game. HPSP is a great opportunity, but don't do it if you're not willing to pay up after graduation.

Humanitarian assignments often involve professionals from all 3 branches working together. A Marine friend of mine (not a doctor) was in Africa last year and saw dentists from each service their. That's just the nature of joint operations these days. For the most part they are all volunteer, so if you really want it- shouldn't be a problem.

There's no hard and fast requirement for how long you spend overseas and how long you spend in country. If you get assigned overseas right off the bat and then make it clear that you don't want to stay on, you may be able to pull off 4 years abroad. If you have a family and the military moves you overseas, expect to stay there at least 3 years. If you're alone it's less expensive to move you and you may be able to move after just 2 years. If you start off in the states you can bet you'll be somewhere for 3 years, and don't plan on them moving you overseas for just one year.

It looks like you have all the locations right for the Army
A note on that: this year the Army was looking for volunteers for Gemany and Japan.

If you're not planning on doing a residency of any sort and you don't make yourself well known to the detailer, then you can pretty much bet on getting assigned to some large base in the States (makes sense, that's where the most need is right?). Otherwise, you can go wherever you're needed. But keep in mind you will have a general dentist (none AGD) designation, so not everything will be open to you. As for going overseas, that's where I'm headed- wasn't hard at all.

Ok, now for my overall input: don't fool yourself, life will not be the same regardless of which service you select. Get it out of your head that you're just going to be a doctor working on servicemen and women. You too will be one of those servicemen and women. They are paying a lot of money to have you at their disposal and their needs are very different. Although joint operations make it possible for anyone to do anything, you can pretty much count on this: Army personel spend time on the ground in tents, A.F. personel spend a lot of time near airports (and if you were thinking of the Navy, I'd tell you that they spend a lot of time at sea). Think of the service that you want to be a part of and go for it. This is a chance to be a part of something very big. Choose to be a part of the one you like more, that will take some of the edge off the bad days. I think you probably know which one you want to do, just admit it to yourself and stop trying to justify the otherone. They may be similar jobs but they will be different lifestyles. If you're the kind of person who wants to wear camoflage and combat boots, you should probably go in one directions. If on the otherhand you want to wear a light blue shirt and tie and know that the front line is very far away, go in that direction. Hope this helped somewhat.

P.S. size is something to think about, Army D.C. is bigger, but I can't give you any input on how that affects anything.
P.P.S. you probably guessed I'm in the Army, and you're right. I hope it didn't seem like I was pushing that. Both are great opportunities- different strokes for different folks.

 

[ShakaZulu]

I believe Drill + Fill answered most of your questions. I would like to make a statement concerning your last question.

7) Any other general thoughts about pros/cons of Air Force vs. Army. In other words, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN MY SITUATION!!!

I would schedule a visit to an Air Force and Army Dental Clinic and speak to dental officers from each service. Inquire about their likes and dislikes and make an informed decision.

 

[BigRedDentist]

Go Air Force! See you at COT in June!

 

[jmill0]

Finally a military thread that hasn't been hijacked by people that have a friend whose 3rd cousin once heard of a guy who.......

Great answers to these questions. Explore all your options. This may be a fit for you....

 

[Rube]

Nicer= Air Force

Cooler = Army


I evy you. I wish I could join but I can't. Overseas is fine but from my friends who have served, you'll never experience anything better than treating your countrymen.


Good luck.

 

[yebin012]

Questions for those participating in the Air Force of Army HPSP program!! Thank you in advance for your time. I have been granted the HPSP by both branches and feel like when I ask questions to the respective recruiters that they just tell me what I want to hear, I have a hard time trusting everything. I was hoping people actually in the program could advise:



1) I am aware of humanitarian mission possibilities where you have very short tours (from a few weeks to a few months) in an impoverished area. Does anybody know of opportunities for this in either branch, and if possible if you have a better chance in one military branch in taking part in these missions?



2) I am very excited about practicing dentistry abroad. If I just do my required four payback years, will it be possible to do all of me time abroad, will it even be possible to do part of it abroad?? I am not sure if the military requires equal time abroad as well as in America...



3) Can you guys correct me if there are any additional countries where you can be a dentist for the respective branches:



Army: Japan, Korea, Belgium, Italy, Germany.

Air Force: Japan, Korea, Italy, Germany, Turkey, UK, Guam.



Please let me know if there are other locations! For instance, I think there is an Air Force base in Greenland, but I have no idea if they have dentists at the "minor bases"



4) I have heard that for those fresh out of dental school, that the military will only put you in big clinics to "learn the ropes" (thus small chance of going abroad where clinics are generally smaller than in the U.S.)



5) My Army recruiter told me you have higher chance of promotion in Army because its dental core is so much bigger, anybody can comment as to the truth of this?



6) There are a lot of stereotypes flying around that quality of life being better in the Air Force, personally I think that the life of a dental officer in either branch would be completely the same. Thoughts about this?



7) Any other general thoughts about pros/cons of Air Force vs. Army. In other words, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN MY SITUATION!!!



To those who answer this lengthy treatise, very many thanks. These are specific questions, which is why I need to ask them, because you can't find the answers in the HPSP literature out there....

Have you made a decision- Army or Air Force?

 

[are8]

Have you made a decision- Army or Air Force?

Just decided Air Force a few days ago. It was a really tough decision. The two things that worried me about Air Force

1) They are officer heavy right now and are making lots of cutbacks, even encouraging Air Force personal to switch to Army (Blue to Green program). On the other hand, the Army is upping their fource by 10% this year. I am not sure how this will affect funding and maintaining the "higher quality of life that the Air Force has over all other military branches"

2) Have you read the comments in the military doctor forum? Ummmm, there are a lot of mad Air Force doctors right now.... Apparently they are complaining that they have way more people they are expected to treat per day now, and this is specific to the Air Force right now.....

In the end though having all of my best friends IN the military (both army and Air force) telling me to go to the Air Force kind of was the deciding factor (not the best reason I guess ). I simply could not wiegh in differnces in the HPSP program and Dentistry in either branch because they seemed almost identical.

 

[grmaster1]

Just decided Air Force a few days ago. It was a really tough decision. The two things that worried me about Air Force

I simply could not wiegh in differnces in the HPSP program and Dentistry in either branch because they seemed almost identical.

Just two things?

The Air Force takes a pano on each new recruit and that's it... No treatment, no BWX, nothing... Saw a girl yesterday, 4 "bombers," 7 more cavities--all she had in her record is a signed (by her) form, stating that she had cavities, and a panoramic x-ray.

Moral--AF dentistry sucks.

Army's policy is no dental care in the first hitch (first few years when you sign up)...


HPSP is a triservice program--no difference there.

 

[ca_dreamin']

Does anyone know if the pay is similar between the branches (and Navy) AFTER graduation? I know that all seems fairly even during school, but just wondered if there was an advantage after graduation. Thanks.

 

[dexadental]

I was told the pay for the navy as a recent grad is about 70 to 75 Gs.

 

[bkwash]

How does the scholarship work if you specialize? I have been told that the years in specialty traiining count as payback years. I.e if you have the scholarship for 2 years and you do a 2 year ortho residency is that it?

It seems like all the specialties are needed in combat zones and overseas, but if you do ortho where will you be stationed?

 

[m-dmd]

Just two things?

The Air Force takes a pano on each new recruit and that's it... No treatment, no BWX, nothing... Saw a girl yesterday, 4 "bombers," 7 more cavities--all she had in her record is a signed (by her) form, stating that she had cavities, and a panoramic x-ray.

Moral--AF dentistry sucks.

Army's policy is no dental care in the first hitch (first few years when you sign up)...


HPSP is a triservice program--no difference there.

Wow, I really want to state some facts here. Where ever you got your info was sooo very wrong. The army does do dental care during the "first hitch" as you call it. We do not even let soldiers deploy ( if they do not have dental health (I don't know the exact reg, but it states something to the effect of if this could cause the patient a problem within the next 12 months, they are considered non deployable. Every single (or close to it) soldier is examined dentally before he/she deploys, along with medical,etc. Does this mean some soldiers do not slip through the cracks...Heck no, it happens it is not a perfect system.

I am not sure about the Air Force, but I doubt they would let her deploy with 4 bombers. That reduces readiness quite a bit. I wouldn't doubt that she was either coming out of AIT, basic, or a reservist if she had not had access to dental care.

Do I like being an Army dentist? Some days I will tell you NO WAY!!! Other days, I am happy. I don't worry about liability or suing. If I need a second opinion, there are 60 or so people, in all specialties that I can ask. If I don't feel comfortable doing something, I don't do it. I do A LOT Of amalgams. LOTS AND LOTS, and many cuspal coverage amalgams, I didn't even do one until I got here!!!! I wish I could do more cosmetic stuff, but I have to fulfill my mission. I do it when I can.My patients are absolutely great. For the most part, they are pretty grateful to be there, are very respectful, and don't moan or complain. I love working on soldiers, it is so rewarding to come home at the end of the day and KNOW that I am contributing, even if it is just a small amount to our great soldiers. I get to hear some of the most amazing, sad, happy, stories from "down range," the stuff you dont get to hear about. Where I am, we use a member of the team called and EFDA (expanded function dental assistant) that fills my preps. Not my most favorite part, I just like to fill my own preps, but again, I have a mission that I am there to help accomplish. We pee in cups, we run at 430 in the morning (thankfully that was only once in the past 2 years), we have to take a PT test twice a year, and we PT 3 days a week at 0630. The colonels that I have met, and have taught me have taught me more than I could have ever learned "out there." The camaraderie is great, and not something you will find "out there," and I know this because I have talked to civilian dentists that have worked in the civilian sector, that have owned their own practices, that now work for the army as a contract doc.

And to break down pay per month...and this is public record: http://www.defenselink.mil/militarypay/
$3221 (goes up $400 a month when I hit the 2 year mark)
$187 food (non taxable)
$250 dental pay
$1100 housing (but this depends on where you are stationed..can be higher or lower) Non taxable
Total yearly: 57096 + 4000dental yearly bonus = $61000

I don't know where you guys are getting the 70-75k range....Someone somewhere is fudging the truth.
But I don't pay health ins...and I don't have debt (ok, so I have some debt but no where's near what some of my friends have...they are at about 250K for the school I attended)

Payback time does not include specialty training, so if you take a 2 year ortho residency with the army, you still owe them 4 years for HPSP . Some contracts included the 1 year AEGD as payback (mine did) and some (more recently) did not.

And this is a cool website.
http://www.dod.mil/cgi-bin/finalpayhigh3.pl
http://www.defenselink.mil/cgi-bin/rmc.pl

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!!!

 

[dexadental]

I do see the hpsp program as kinda a neat way to get LOTS of hands on training prior to starting a practice...maybe a residency in itself. I am wondering though about the specialization dilemma. Is it really a problem if you want to specialize? And what is this I hear about the Navy and (maybe other branches?) having their own schools for this? I think it would be crazy for the military to allow a person to knock off some years of active duty by seeking out a specialty, but who knows, maybe its true...

 

[dexadental]

Also, if you are a dental corps officer in any branch do you need to live on base? Or can you just drive there and work?

 

[lcm2010]

Go Air Force! See you at COT in June!

I'll start off by saying that I know very little about how the military repayment programs work. Do dentists ever get sent to actual war zones? Do you have to go through basic training like a real soldier? How much say do you have in where you are placed? When I talk to a recruiter I felt as though I couldn't trust what he said, and that I'd have to hear the truth from someone whose investigated it a bit more. Also, is HPSP something you need to decided about before your first year, or can you do say 2 years for 2 years?

 

[m-dmd]

I have not only investigated it, I live it. I did HPSP and am in my initial payback time. If you have questions, I will give you an honest answer, from real life, not from someone that told someone that told you.

Yes, you can get deployed as a dentist. The deployment for specialists is limited to 6 months (but **could** be longer) and for a dentist you can expect in a typical 4 year tour to be deployed once. Not everyone gets deployed, but nowadays, many are. We are generally not in actual war zones, but over there (Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait) you can get hurt anywhere. It is not all rosy when you are deployed, but you will eat well, if that is any consolation. Many of my collegues have been deployed, and I know a few that are still there. They all have come back with a sincere appretiation for what our YOUNG soldiers do for us. I mean, these 18 year old kids risk their lives, daily over there, for us. We, as dentists, are support staff.

If you want to do HPSP, there is a 3 year or a 4 year program. If you wait until your 3rd year to apply (ie you only have 2 years left of dental school) you still owe them a min of 3 years. Does that make any sense?


No, you do not have to live on post. Most likely, at least for the first few months, you will have to live off post. There is usually a waiting list to get on post. I live off post, and I like it that way. The neighborhood I live in is mostly military, but I don't have to wear my beret when I got to the mailbox. When I leave work, I leave work. On post, for me, it would seem like I was always at work. There are many though that prefer to live on post.

There are specialty training programs sponsored by the military. These years in training do not count towards payback time towards your hpsp, except for some whose contract specifically spells out that the 1 year AEGD is included. In the Army, there is a perio program at Ft Gordon, an endo, 2 year GPR, Oral Surgery (one of the best in the country) at Ft Bragg, and the list goes on(and these programs can be joint service...Navy attending Army programs, Air Force attending Navy, etc). Like I said though, even if you attend one of these programs during your initial obligation, it does not count towards payback of HPSP.

Any other questions?

 

[dexadental]

Hey thanks for the great information...I'm really still considering this Navy scholarship...it is very tempting...especially for such a school as expensive as Nova...
One more question, you mentioned not having to wear a beret to get the mail...do you need to wear a uniform to work every day? And if you live "off-post", you can live anywhere you want right?
How are you surviving on the salary they give you if you don't mind?
I wouldn't mind being deployed, but would I be doing dentistry exclusively?
Do you get a pay raise for being deployed or is that just part of the package (perk to some, non-perk to others)
Know anyone doing the scholarship through the Navy...how do they like it?

Thanks!

 

[r_salis]

m-dmd and others -- are there many women in the HPSP program?

 

[BigRedDentist]

m-dmd and others -- are there many women in the HPSP program?

In my COT (OTS) class there are quite a few women. I would say about 40-50%. It is hard to say exactly since there are lots of chaplains and lawyers mixed in with us.

 

[stormshadow23]

Hey BigRed, how long did it take for your scroll approval to get back to you? I was approved for the HPSP in mid-March and I am yet to hear back on the Scroll. All my recruiter tells me is "any day now" and he's been saying that since April. Just curious how long this thing is taking other people w/ the HPSP.

 

[r_salis]

fyi: I found an interesting "unofficial guide" to HPSP while googling around: http://lukeballard.tripod.com/HPSP.html

 

[bkwash]

i read that you CANNOT do an ortho residency...is this true? how many military programs are there?

 

[m-dmd]

1. You can do ortho residency. They are getting strict on letting people do it right out of dental school though. The military wants to get their use out of you before you go onto more schooling. In order to do military ortho residency (where they pay for your school and pay you as a captain) you have to be active duty for 2 years as a dentist before the board convenes.

2. There are women (I am one!!!) but there are not as many as there are men. At least that is my experience and I am at a very, very, very large DENTAC.

3. Yes, I am required to wear a uniform to work. That can be either PT uniform, the ACU's (which are really not that bad, heck at least I don't have to dryclean them anymore), or your class B's (no one wears those). When you get to work you can change. I just change into a scrub top. Too much of a pain to change out of the boots.

4. I bring home about $4000 a month after taxes and then I get my yearly bonus which equals out to $2800. I live on that pretty well. I lived on a heck of a lot less when I was in dental school. I don't have as large school loans like many of my classmates do, I don't pay health insurance at all (and when I went on maternity leave...I got 6 weeks paid and I took an additional 2 weeks leave...show me a job that will pay you for maternity leave...not in this country),and about $15,000 yearly of my income is non taxable. I had this one website that showed what you actually take home compared to civilian and it is quite a bit more similar than what first would appear.

5. No pay raise for being deployed...but you are not taxed, so that is a HUGE savings there, you also get some additional pays...Hazardous duty pay, separation pay (that is about $100).


6. YOu can live anywhere you want, to a point. There is a list of places that they Army puts out that you can't live at, but these are places that I would never, ever want to live anyways.

7. If you were deployed, you would do dentistry...Does that mean you will ONLY be doing that...No. You may have to set up a tent, or something like that, but you are dentist and you are the most valuable to the military as a dentist. You are a soldier though too, and there will be times you are doing stuff that has nothing to do with dentistry. I have not been deployed, so sorry I cannot give you a firsthand answer.

8.Knew someone in school that was going on to do the navy scholarship. I have no idea what he is doing.

9. By the way, I get free CE which out there costs a heck of a lot of money. My post is ADA approved and AGD approved for CE credits, so those requireements that my states has for biannual requirments is met. And I don't have to take off work for it either. For example, last friday we had a CE at 0930-1130 on radiology, then one on endo, then on tx planning, and lastly on cariogy.

 

[dexadental]

Thanks for answering my questions...very helpful! I am planning to probably go through with this scholarship but it is taking them so long to give me an answer on if it has even been approved yet...grrr.

I know I want to specialize...but it probably will be after my committment for the hpsp...don't want to do military dentistry forever...

 

[BigRedDentist]

Hey BigRed, how long did it take for your scroll approval to get back to you? I was approved for the HPSP in mid-March and I am yet to hear back on the Scroll. All my recruiter tells me is "any day now" and he's been saying that since April. Just curious how long this thing is taking other people w/ the HPSP.

I am not sure what you mean by Scroll approval. I finished my paperwork in December, got accepted in late Jan/early Feb, commissioned Feb 20th, and I am at COT now.

 

[stormshadow23]

I am not sure what you mean by Scroll approval. I finished my paperwork in December, got accepted in late Jan/early Feb, commissioned Feb 20th, and I am at COT now.

Scroll approval is some new formality they started last year for the HPSP that requires some stamp from the Senate or Secretary of Defense after you are accepted. I'm Navy HPSP, but I know that the Army requires it too, so I figured that all the branches had it. Anyway, from the looks of things it took you about a month. Oh well, I guess I'll just "hurry up and wait", better get used to it now. Good luck with COT.

 

[BigRedDentist]

Scroll approval is some new formality they started last year for the HPSP that requires some stamp from the Senate or Secretary of Defense after you are accepted. I'm Navy HPSP, but I know that the Army requires it too, so I figured that all the branches had it. Anyway, from the looks of things it took you about a month. Oh well, I guess I'll just "hurry up and wait", better get used to it now. Good luck with COT.

My paperwork for my clothing allowance did get turned in late due to the senate having to approve of my commission but I do not know exactly how much longer it takes. Good luck!

 

[virginiabeach]

This is a good website to figure out how much you will get paid. Its a navy website but i'm pretty sure all branches pay dentists the same when its all said and done. Military Salary Calculator

 

[Oggun]

2) Have you read the comments in the military doctor forum?

Could you post a link to that forum? I'm in the Air Force HPSP program and I'm graduating in 2007, I'd like to get an idea of what type of issues Dentists in the active duty military are dealing with.

 

[BigRedDentist]

Anyone have any good links for the AEGD and specialty residencies around the country at different bases and the number of spots in each? I know it is available for MD/DO s but I haven't seen anything for dental.

 

[prechilill]

Anyone have any good links for the AEGD and specialty residencies around the country at different bases and the number of spots in each? I know it is available for MD/DO s but I haven't seen anything for dental.

From memory, at Navy Hospital Bethesda we had one ensign selected for prosth and two for oral surgery next year with the rest of the residency spots going to fleet dentists (including a couple to army and air force). The Navy accepts for training about 8 to 10 comp dentists, 4 endo, 4 prosth and 3 perio residents regularly each year. Sometimes they have oral medicine, oral path, radiology and oral facial pain residents but not always. It is kind of hit and miss. Prosth and Perio are three year programs (about 36 months straight- no breaks), comp and endo are 2 year but all have a three year payback. This year there were a few ortho and pedo residency slots also, whereas last year I do not remember there being any. Of course, as I stated this is all from memory. Bethesda also has about 5 GPR and 2 AEGD slots each year.
There is a tremendous amount of talk about the "purple suit" health care system in the military which basically means the three branches are combining. (I do not know if public health service will be included.) Walter Reed is coming to Bethesda and a bigger hospital will be constructed here along with a satellite facility south of D.C.

 

[prechilill]

Here is a link:

http://www.bethesda.med.navy.mil/Careers/Postgraduate_Dental_School/

 

[natedizzle]

I am currently pursuing both the Army and Air Force HPSP. I am hoping to get the Air Force. I know that it is the most competative branch but I feel as though I have a good shot with my DAT and GPA (20 Academic, 21 Perceptual, 3.89) and if I apply for the first board.

Anyway, you don't have to feel the need to answer this but because you were able to obtain the AF scholarship I was wondering what your credentials looked like? DAT, GPA, etc.

 

[virginiabeach]

I am currently pursuing both the Army and Air Force HPSP. I am hoping to get the Air Force. I know that it is the most competative branch but I feel as though I have a good shot with my DAT and GPA (20 Academic, 21 Perceptual, 3.89) and if I apply for the first board.

Anyway, you don't have to feel the need to answer this but because you were able to obtain the AF scholarship I was wondering what your credentials looked like? DAT, GPA, etc.

You have nothing to worry about.

 

[BigRedDentist]

I am currently pursuing both the Army and Air Force HPSP. I am hoping to get the Air Force. I know that it is the most competative branch but I feel as though I have a good shot with my DAT and GPA (20 Academic, 21 Perceptual, 3.89) and if I apply for the first board.

Anyway, you don't have to feel the need to answer this but because you were able to obtain the AF scholarship I was wondering what your credentials looked like? DAT, GPA, etc.

You should be good to go. I am 21 AA 21 PA 3.6 GPA Cornell University and applied to the first board.

 

[USUaggie]

Apology in advance that I haven't read this whole thread so I hope I'm not repeating something that's already been said.

Cool AF base locator link:

http://airforce.com/baselocator.php

I am trying to get into the air force. my logic is that the army could deploy me for over a year at a time and the navy could put me on a boat for half of a year or send me on land with the marines in Iraq, but with the air force they cap the deployment at 4 months/year (so that's the worst it could get). -Someone tell me if that's wrong -
In addition, i've just heard from most of the people I've talked to that the air force treats their personnel a lot better.

Oh, someone was asking about the foreign/domestic assignments - my recruiter told me that the first assignment has to be stateside (at least the first year) and after that foreign bases are an option. Personally, I would love being stationed in Italy or Germany.

 

[BigRedDentist]

Apology in advance that I haven't read this whole thread so I hope I'm not repeating something that's already been said.

Cool AF base locator link:

http://airforce.com/baselocator.php

I am trying to get into the air force. my logic is that the army could deploy me for over a year at a time and the navy could put me on a boat for half of a year or send me on land with the marines in Iraq, but with the air force they cap the deployment at 4 months/year (so that's the worst it could get). -Someone tell me if that's wrong -
In addition, i've just heard from most of the people I've talked to that the air force treats their personnel a lot better.

Oh, someone was asking about the foreign/domestic assignments - my recruiter told me that the first assignment has to be stateside (at least the first year) and after that foreign bases are an option. Personally, I would love being stationed in Italy or Germany.

Those are pretty much the reasons that I joined the USAF as well. AEF are amazing.

 

[Lesley]

Apology in advance that I haven't read this whole thread so I hope I'm not repeating something that's already been said.

Cool AF base locator link:

http://airforce.com/baselocator.php

I am trying to get into the air force. my logic is that the army could deploy me for over a year at a time and the navy could put me on a boat for half of a year or send me on land with the marines in Iraq, but with the air force they cap the deployment at 4 months/year (so that's the worst it could get). -Someone tell me if that's wrong -
In addition, i've just heard from most of the people I've talked to that the air force treats their personnel a lot better.

Oh, someone was asking about the foreign/domestic assignments - my recruiter told me that the first assignment has to be stateside (at least the first year) and after that foreign bases are an option. Personally, I would love being stationed in Italy or Germany.

You are correct regarding the Navy. Even during your first tour, it's possible you may go FMF, Fleet Marine Force. The Marines have no doctor or dental officers. They draw their medical and dental staff primarily from the Navy.

The length of time someone is on a ship really has more do to do with the crew's/ship's mission. That can vary. It could be less than 6 months or more. I don't know if the Air Force sticks to more subscribed periods of deployment. I was on dry land all three years, so I have no experience at sea.

 

[a_armydoc]

I posted before about going HPSP, it's a good program if you're right for it, but there is a difference in the services, and I don't say that because I'm Army, I say that because it's the truth and don't want to see young people getting suckered in without the whole picture.

The Army has you pick 6 military residencies. If you don't get picked up for one of those you go to a civilian residency of your choice. You can list 6 residencies (or transitional years) for every specialty out there. With an 85% Army Match, and an 85% of those matched to their first choice, that's almost a guarantee you'll get the residency you want.

For the Navy and the Air force, they post a certain # of slots for each specialty each year. If you want a civilian residency they have a certain # of slots for those too, so you can see the downfall from the individual's perspective.

Bottom line is that if you are comfortable getting stuck in a residency you might not want choose one of the others.

Finally the Army DOES NOT deploy you or pull you out of residency for a GMO tour (meaning you're a doc without finishing your residency), the same can't be said for the other services.

What makes the Air Force and Navy attractive to people, is the promise of shorter deployments or not going to a place like Iraq. But the truth is that every service is there, Navy goes with the Marines, Air Force goes with Air Force or the Army, it's truly joint.

If you'd like more information you can email me.

[email protected]

 

[Dadoh]

Apology in advance that I haven't read this whole thread so I hope I'm not repeating something that's already been said.

Cool AF base locator link:

http://airforce.com/baselocator.php

I am trying to get into the air force. my logic is that the army could deploy me for over a year at a time and the navy could put me on a boat for half of a year or send me on land with the marines in Iraq, but with the air force they cap the deployment at 4 months/year (so that's the worst it could get). -Someone tell me if that's wrong -
In addition, i've just heard from most of the people I've talked to that the air force treats their personnel a lot better.

Oh, someone was asking about the foreign/domestic assignments - my recruiter told me that the first assignment has to be stateside (at least the first year) and after that foreign bases are an option. Personally, I would love being stationed in Italy or Germany.

I hope that you will be getting paid retrograde. If you are class of 2009 and haven't been selected yet then that won't happen until sometime next year. You probably don't want to get the 2 years of HPSP for 3 years of commitment.

 

[Dadoh]

I posted before about going HPSP, it's a good program if you're right for it, but there is a difference in the services, and I don't say that because I'm Army, I say that because it's the truth and don't want to see young people getting suckered in without the whole picture.

The Army has you pick 6 military residencies. If you don't get picked up for one of those you go to a civilian residency of your choice. You can list 6 residencies (or transitional years) for every specialty out there. With an 85% Army Match, and an 85% of those matched to their first choice, that's almost a guarantee you'll get the residency you want.

For the Navy and the Air force, they post a certain # of slots for each specialty each year. If you want a civilian residency they have a certain # of slots for those too, so you can see the downfall from the individual's perspective.

Bottom line is that if you are comfortable getting stuck in a residency you might not want choose one of the others.

Finally the Army DOES NOT deploy you or pull you out of residency for a GMO tour (meaning you're a doc without finishing your residency), the same can't be said for the other services.

What makes the Air Force and Navy attractive to people, is the promise of shorter deployments or not going to a place like Iraq. But the truth is that every service is there, Navy goes with the Marines, Air Force goes with Air Force or the Army, it's truly joint.

If you'd like more information you can email me.

[email protected]

You are talking about medical residencies right? In dentistry you don't have to do any residency in any of the services if don't want to. You apply and get accepted and then you can still turn it down. It is true that there are differences between services. The deployments are longer Army>Navy>AirForce, but nobody is exempt from deployment. I have a friend in the army dental corps that wanted to transfer to the Air Force. He wanted to stay in the military but the deployments were getting to his family. The recruiter said that he wouldn't be deployed, but he talked with some air force friends and they said that they still have deployments to worry about. there might be more oppurtunity for getting a residency that you want in the army just because there are more available, but I have also heard that people treated better in the air force dental corps.

 

[BigRedDentist]

Also, I know there is a preference for residencies within a service but from a lot of the rumors I have heard you can get into any of the services' residencies from any branch relatively easy since we are becoming more of the "Purple Core" and there is a shortage of all medical personnel.

 

[USUaggie]

I hope that you will be getting paid retrograde. If you are class of 2009 and haven't been selected yet then that won't happen until sometime next year. You probably don't want to get the 2 years of HPSP for 3 years of commitment.

Unfortunately there's no retrograde pay. I wanted to go into the military all along but a little over a year ago I had a major knee surgery where I recieved a bone graft in my lateral condyle and I'm just now at the point where I feel like I'm 100% and the air force will accept me.
My recruiter tells me there's still a shot at getting the 3 year (even though I just started my second year) but I'm not counting on it. The one advantage is that if I get into the AEGD program with a 2 year scholarship, that year counts as part of the 3 year commitment (so I would only owe 2 working years) whereas if I got into it with a 3 or 4 year scholarship, the AEGD would still be a neutral year so I would have to work 3 or 4 years in addition to that.
My tentative plan is to re-sign if my wife and I like being in the air force and the signing bonus would help with some of the debt. If we don't like it we can get out at that point.

 

[Dadoh]

The one advantage is that if I get into the AEGD program with a 2 year scholarship, that year counts as part of the 3 year commitment (so I would only owe 2 working years) whereas if I got into it with a 3 or 4 year scholarship, the AEGD would still be a neutral year so I would have to work 3 or 4 years in addition to that.

That is interesting I didn't know that. make sure to see that in writing on your contract before you sign that. there was a guy in my class that applied for a 3 year scholarship during his fall of his 2nd year. He got it and then got retrograde pay, but he applied for the Army. It makes sense to me that if there is a possibility that you may want to stay in that you would really want to get the 3 year. I am not sure but I don't think that they gave him retrograde stipend, but he got paid from the date that he signed. If you are at Loma Linda then it might be nice not to have to pay for that year of tuition and your instrument kit.

 

[aphistis]

Moving to the Military Dentistry forum.

 

[pmoney]

Also, I know there is a preference for residencies within a service but from a lot of the rumors I have heard you can get into any of the services' residencies from any branch relatively easy since we are becoming more of the "Purple Core" and there is a shortage of all medical personnel.

.

The posts in the mil medicine forum show quite a number of folks from different services attending other residencies. The preference will probably still go to whichever service is offering the residency though.

 

[dentalguy]

So I'm still thinking about the scholarship, What I am starting to believe (don't know if its true) but it looks like I will have no problems paying off my loans after school if I don't choose the scholarship. I looked at the military calculator and when I configured everything (even the 4-4 pay back) after taxes I would be making 61,000. I'm pretty confident I will be able to make that even after loan payments, with civilian taxes included. Thoughts??

 

[Dadoh]

So I'm still thinking about the scholarship, What I am starting to believe (don't know if its true) but it looks like I will have no problems paying off my loans after school if I don't choose the scholarship. I looked at the military calculator and when I configured everything (even the 4-4 pay back) after taxes I would be making 61,000. I'm pretty confident I will be able to make that even after loan payments, with civilian taxes included. Thoughts??

I would'nt do the HPSP just for the financial reasons. The way I look at it in the end financially they are pretty even if you go to a private school. I figure that the total financial package that I get while going to school is $60-70,000 a year and so that is ~$250,000 of loans that I am not going to take out. In the army I will make ~$60,000 a year plus fringe benefits., and if I didn't do the HPSP then I would probably be associating some place for the 3-4 years. Although there are outliers and it might differ regionally, the average associate makes $120-130k. That is the $60-70k more that I wouldn't be making in the army for those four years. That just happens to be how much I am not taking out in loans each of the four years. Of course if you are civilian paying off loans you have to also pay off the interest of those loans and you are paying more than twice what a military dentist pays in taxes due to higher tax bracket, military benefits etc. So for me they financially doing the HPSP is just a little bit better deal, but not enough to do the HPSP for finances alone. I like that I have a job when I am done. I don't have to worry about finances during school. I get to travel a little bit after school and before settling down. There is oppurtunity of getting some great experience while not having to pay for CE. You can do residencies while being paid. And I like the fact that I don't have $250k of debt hanging over my head that it takes civilians 10 years to pay off and military 4 years to pay back. Anyway that is what I think.

 

[dentalguy]

I would'nt do the HPSP just for the financial reasons. The way I look at it in the end financially they are pretty even if you go to a private school. I figure that the total financial package that I get while going to school is $60-70,000 a year and so that is ~$250,000 of loans that I am not going to take out. In the army I will make ~$60,000 a year plus fringe benefits., and if I didn't do the HPSP then I would probably be associating some place for the 3-4 years. Although there are outliers and it might differ regionally, the average associate makes $120-130k. That is the $60-70k more that I wouldn't be making in the army for those four years. That just happens to be how much I am not taking out in loans each of the four years. Of course if you are civilian paying off loans you have to also pay off the interest of those loans and you are paying more than twice what a military dentist pays in taxes due to higher tax bracket, military benefits etc. So for me they financially doing the HPSP is just a little bit better deal, but not enough to do the HPSP for finances alone. I like that I have a job when I am done. I don't have to worry about finances during school. I get to travel a little bit after school and before settling down. There is oppurtunity of getting some great experience while not having to pay for CE. You can do residencies while being paid. And I like the fact that I don't have $250k of debt hanging over my head that it takes civilians 10 years to pay off and military 4 years to pay back. Anyway that is what I think.

\


DaDoh,

So I am going to a state school. Ill have about 180 thousand out for dschool and then I'll have about 40-42 thousand for my grad school loans....yes i know not to do military just for the money and there is a part of me that wants to serve but then again there is a part of me that wants complete control.....i mean i could pay loans for 10 years and still live fairly well (im thinkin id pay about 30,000 a year in loans if I chose the civilian route. I already turned down the Navy because I didn't want to be at sea for long periods of time. I didn't apply to air force because the recruiter was a d***
and now I only have the Army to choose. I have a dentist that is interested in selling me his practice when I am done with school as well. The fact that he is thinkin about that makes me wonder if I should do the military. All of the old dentists I have shadowed have told me that its an awesome experience to be a dentist in the military. I just don't know. I feel frustrated because every time i find a negative there is a positive and everytime I find a positive there is a negative. I know that I'm not all gun ho to join which makes me think I should not join. Yes it would be nice to only have to pay back for 4 years instead of ten. Good Lord now I'm really confused again....Not to worry I do this on a daily basis on whether not I should join...


Just to throw this out there, I'm meeting the commander of the army dental corps on Wednesday at OSU. I mean I know he'll be very positive about everything but I think itd still be cool to visit with him.