New Grads...any information about COT

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New grads with no prior RN experience, have any of you received your information about your duty station or NTP assignments? I thought I remembered reading that some of you had. We have my husband's COT date, but we were wondering if anyone is going to COT without their duty station or NTP assignment. Also, what was the timeline between receiving your COT date and knowing where you were stationed if there was a delay?

Forgive me if I worded any of this incorrectly, I am still learning the lingo.

The uniforms are crazy expensive. BDUs were not this high when I was enlisted. (And while I realize everything's gone up since I was last in, still - this is insane.)

Also, you may not know this - officers only get a one time clothing allowance, and you have to apply to get it. It's a lovely $400 - less than a third of what you're going to spend total.

Unsolicited advice: get the UnderArmour sage green socks - they're compression and will save your legs; do NOT skimp on boots - you wear them almost constantly for five weeks; and do not skimp on running shoes. You only get one pair of feet. Take the time to go into someplace like Finish Line (which offers a military discount) and have them check out your gait/how you stand so you can get proper running shoes.

Also, be sure you get corafram low quarters (the patent leather ones) - the TIs chewed some folks about not having them, and anyway, they're low maintenance - you can get scuffs off with banana peels (use the inside of it, where the oil is) and shine them with a towel.

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Specializes in all.

One thing about the board confuses me a bit. Say the board meets April 10th and the recruiter gets a two week extension to submit the application. Does that mean the board members come back or do they continue to review applications throughout the month?

I was under the understanding that the board meets every three months and that these were people from different areas who come to a place to review the boards.

These threads have provided so much information, but some of it conflicts with what my recruiter has told me and so far everything my recruiter has said has been spot on.

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I have a question about commissioning... I will be graduating this Thursday with my BSN. Will I be commissioning sometime in the summer?

I've posted this a few times, but my application was turned in for the January Boards, I got accepted mid-February and I signed my acceptance letter a week after. The last I heard, I will be hearing back about a COT date/duty assignment in late Spring-early summer. I understand that not everything in this process is cut and dry, but I'm confused as to why I haven't heard anything yet. Meanwhile, others have gotten accepted at a later date and already know specific dates/duty stations. Is there anyone else that I can talk to? Up until February, my recruiter was really great - really informative and spot on. However, I almost feel like he's been avoiding me! LOL. I'm not quite sure how his other cadidates feel... but it's been frustrating me a lot (like many of you too).

Also, I never received a copy of my acceptance letter. I went into my recruiter's office to sign it before it got sent in February. Does everyone get one in the mail or e-mail? Should I ask him about this when and if he gets back to me?

In the meantime, I will be studying for the NCLEX and looking for a temporary job.

I hope everyone get's there questions answered! Thank goodness for this forum; otherwise, I'd really be pulling my hair out. :-P

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You have to ask for copies (well, I did, anyway). This is a good time to get into practice of getting copies of EVERYTHING. Believe me, one day you'll be glad you have them, because the Feds love love love their paperwork, and they also have a tendency to lose stuff. Usually the REALLY important stuff.

Not trying to be difficult (or sound obtuse, because it probably will), but you'll be commissioned when AFPC gets all your preliminary paperwork done, and they're probably not going to do anything until they receive word that you've passed the NCLEX (and good luck, BTW - you'll do fine!).

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One thing about the board confuses me a bit. Say the board meets April 10th and the recruiter gets a two week extension to submit the application. Does that mean the board members come back or do they continue to review applications throughout the month?

I was under the understanding that the board meets every three months and that these were people from different areas who come to a place to review the boards.

These threads have provided so much information, but some of it conflicts with what my recruiter has told me and so far everything my recruiter has said has been spot on.

What I've been told is that there are boards every sixty days, and that if you miss one, you're rolled into the next one. My understanding for the Health Professions boards are that these folks are permanently at Randolph. What you're describing sounds more like the line side, BOT boards. The AF really can't afford to be flying people all over the show every couple of weeks (unless of course you have a few stars on your shoulders, and my understanding is these folks are O3's to O5s and are overseen by an O5 or O6).

The beauty (ha ha) of the USAF, though, is there's no real way of truly knowing what they're up to unless you're actually there....

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Well based on the update we got yesterday, we should be hearing something shortly. Hopefully it will be what we want to hear! :) Thanks for all the help. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions the closer we get to moving.

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Specializes in all.

I would imagine they have to space apart all the new grads coming in. Like most civilian hospitals one area cannot asorb too many newbies and there must be some sort of balance. That would make sense as to why the new grads get cot dates way in the future.

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Here's a nice twist for you - when I boarded they had a whole board OF new grads (in March!) and skipped the qualifieds. That's how I ended up in COT in October.

You're probably right though - because they also have to condition their acceptance on their passing the NCLEX.

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