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5th BW sergeant to become AF nurse

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica McConnell
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  A staff sergeant from the 5th Bomb Wing here was recently accepted into the Air Force Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program and is now well on her way to transitioning from command post trainer to nursing officer.

Staff Sgt. Virgil Charles, 5th BW Command Post NCOIC of the operations center for training, was nominated and accepted into the NECP, an Air Force program which offers active-duty Airmen the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in nursing, an in-demand career in the Air Force.

The NECP is touted as an intense and competitive program. Her list of accomplishments in the Air Force explains why she was chosen for such a prestigious program.

Charles is praised by her leadership for her abilities in training. She was lauded by the Nuclear Surety Staff Assistance Visit team as leading the best unit training program in Air Force Global Strike Command, was coined by the AFGSC/A3 chief, and trained with 100 percent certification accuracy with 95 percent pass rates.

Charles is also credited for revamping an inadequate training program by creating a controller evaluation critique, an initiative benchmarked by the AFGSC NSSAV team.

With these accomplishments under her belt, Charles' leadership is confident in her ability to complete her degree at the University of Central Florida while participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Charles will commission after passing the National Council Licensure Examination and then attend Commissioned Officer Training and the Nurse Transition Program.

The NECP allows Airmen to remain on active duty and continue to receive an income while going to school full time. Airmen selected for NECP receive tuition and scholarships for up to $15,000 per year, as well as a textbook allowance of $600 per year. Those selected may participate for up to three years, depending on their degree programs and previous academics.

For more information on the NECP, visit the education center or visit www.afoats.af.mil/AFROTC/EnlistedComm.