You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.

You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. For Reserve service, the maximum age to apply is 60 years, with a Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) of 65. Candidates who wish to enlist into the Reserves beyond the age of 61 years will need further assessment to ensure they can complete all pre-requisite training in their chosen field prior to reaching CRA.

For this role, you’ll need an Australian state or territory full, provisional or probationary C Class licence. If your licence is suspended or cancelled, you won’t be eligible until that suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.

All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.

For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.

To apply and be appointed as an Air Force Specialist Nurse, you must possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor of Nursing and unrestricted AHPRA Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
• minimum 2 years nursing practice in an acute care setting, post initial AHPRA registration
• evidence of currently meeting the AHPRA currency and recency of clinical nursing practice requirements
• postgraduate certificate / diploma / masters in a specialist nursing area (emergency department, intensive care unit, retrieval or perioperative)
• minimum 2 years employed specialist nursing practice postgraduate and currently working a minimum of 20 hours (0.5 FTE) per week or equivalency in the last 24 months.

Each specialty area has additional professional credentialing requirements:

Emergency Nursing

• currency in Advanced Life Support (ARC ALS 2 or equivalent) and Trauma Nursing (TNCC or TNP)
• experience in major trauma care (highly desirable)
• experience in Retrieval care (highly desirable).

Intensive Care Nursing

• currency in Advanced Life Support (ARC ALS 2 or equivalent)
• experience in major trauma care (highly desirable)
• experience in Retrieval care (highly desirable).

Perioperative Nursing

• currency in Advanced Life Support (ARC ALS 2 or equivalent)
• cross-experience in peri/post anaesthesia, perioperative circulating and instrument roles
• experience in major trauma care (highly desirable).

To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.

You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.

Female

• Sit-ups (feet held): 20
• Shuttle Run Score: 5.1.

Male

• Sit-ups (feet held): 20
• Shuttle Run Score: 6.1.

For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.

There is no minimum number of years required in the ADF Reserve as service is voluntary. You can volunteer until the Defence retirement age of 65, subject to the requirements and your suitability for further service.

Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work responsibilities. You choose your level of commitment ranging from a minimum of 20 days and up to 150 days per year, with the potential to extend to 200 days. In your first year, this includes both Initial Employment and Military Training. On training completion, you can serve from as little as a couple of days a week, one weekend a month or in consecutive weeks - in a way that suits your lifestyle.

Course: Specialist Reserve Officer Induction Course
Duration: 5 days
Location: RAAF Base East Sale, Vic

This course will provide you with general service knowledge, including:

• Air Force customs
• mess etiquette
• air power studies
• organisation of the ADF
• basic practical instruction in drill movements.

Before you can deploy on exercise or operation, you’ll need to undertake:

Course: Operational Health Support Course (OPHLTHSPT)
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Health Operational Conversion Unit (HOCU), RAAF Base Amberley, Qld

This course includes a 4-day field phase and will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to deploy an operational health support facility. Subjects include:

• Operational Health Support
• instruction on the various levels of health support available
• personal and collective preparation for deployment
• logistics and administrative considerations
• establishing and running a deployed health facility.

Depending on your specialist role, other training may be required or offered, such as:

Course: Trauma Nursing Program (TNP) Course
Duration: 2 days
Location: HOCU, RAAF Base Amberley, Qld

This course will train you with the knowledge and skills required to care for trauma patients through a systematic approach.

Course: Military Critical Care Aeromedical Evacuation Team (MCAT) Course
Duration: 7 days
Location: HOCU, RAAF Base Amberley, Qld

This course provides you with the skills, knowledge and attitude to apply your existing critical care skills into the aviation environment.

Course: Aviation Nurse Course (ANC)
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM), RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA

This course aims to graduate Nurses as Aviation Nurses, who are capable of assisting in the assessment and management of the health of ADF aircrew, provide advice on aviation medicine topics, and health support to ADF flying operations.

Course: Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) Course
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: HOCU, RAAF Base Amberley, Qld and RAAF Base Richmond, NSW

This course addresses the clinical aspects and practical implications of transporting patients by air and the technical aspects of aircraft preparation for aeromedical evacuation use. The course covers theory and practical phases for the C-17A Globemaster III, C-130J Hercules and the C-27J Spartan aircraft.