47-year-old mom joins AF Reserve

by Maj. Wayne Capps
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

12/24/2013 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, TURKEY -- Imagine... your child just graduated high school and is deciding between college and the Air Force, but at 47-years-old, you join instead.

That is exactly what Capt. Karen Stewart, a newly qualified flight nurse with the 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. did.

"After my son graduated from high school, he was trying to decide if he wanted to go to college or join the military. We started looking at different Air Force jobs and I saw flight nursing," said Stewart, who is a civilian nurse of 11 years. "I thought I was too old, then saw the age limit was 48 and I knew I had to try it."

Her son decided to go on to college but Stewart contacted the Air Force Reserve recruiter.

"The recruiter said I probably wouldn't make it at my age. I told him that he didn't know me and to send me the application," said Stewart. "It took 12 months to process my application but I was accepted and swore in 2 months before my 48th birthday."

Stewart said she was proud to prove the recruiter wrong. "I took my Air Force Physical Fitness test two days before my 48th birthday... and scored an excellent on it."

On her first overseas mission to Incirlik AB, Turkey, she was fully engaged in the training at hand. "She is jumping in and was doing what needs to be done. She is a real team player," said 1st Lt. Howard Crowley, medical crew director on the mission. "Her civilian nursing experience is very helpful. In nursing you never know what will happen next, you focus on critical thinking and that really helps here," he said.

"I love flying, this has been great," she said. "I think every day how blessed I am to do this."

"I don't want to see anyone get hurt but if that is the situation, I want to be able to help them," said Stewart as she reflected on the wartime nature of being a flight nurse. "If it were my child, I would want someone like me to bring them home."

"I am excited about starting this new career," she said, as she was finishing up the last leg of her first overseas training mission. "I can't stay in long enough to retire because of my age. But, I can stay in until I am 61-years-old and I plan on doing that!"