Air Force Nurses- Car a hassle with COT/NTP?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, PACU.

I've heard different things from my recruiter so I just was curious to if anybody has any advice on having a car at COT and/or NTP is beneficial/hassle/not needed?

I've seen we can fly in for COT but was wondering how things would work for those who drive. Does the Air Force move your car from place to place or if you have a car, does that mean you have to drive it there? I live on the West Coast and will be stationed at Langley AFB Virginia so it would be quite the road trip if that's how it plays out!

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I don't know if you can ship your car because COT and NTP are considered "tdy" i.e. a short temporary training. If you are staying at the base where you are doing NTP, then you can probably ship your car. At COT, you are not allowed to touch your car for the first 2 weeks but it comes in handy for going out and about after that. Also good to have during NTP, unless your city has great public transportation. I did my NTP in Las Vegas, so I would have been screwed without my car. Another note: a lot of buses/taxis can't go on base, so they might drop you off at the gate and you would have to walk a mile or two just to get to class for NTP.

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

I drove from Phoenix to Alabama (27hrs) then to Texas (12ish hrs). I barely used the car while at COT. But I am still glad I had it. With the car, I could take more things than what I could on a plane. It gave me a sense of some control in the packing. I had my laptop, printer, office supplies, etc. And it all was very needed at COT where the computers/printers rarely worked right. I didn't do NTP, but if it's on the way why not take it? Guess it depends on where your NTP is at.

You do get travel costs for moving your car and your things.

So it just comes down to how comfortable you are driving all that way.

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I am going to COT in March then to NTP in Cincinnati then on to Langley as well. I plan on taking my car. My husband is going to drive down to COT with me (to help drive and spend some more time together) and then fly back. He will then come down to graduation and help me drive to Ohio (not too bad of a drive) and fly back. I think we only have 3 days in between? I could be completely wrong about that... I think it also depends on where you have to go. Then from Ohio I'll drive by myself to Langley and find a place to stay and then my husband will come and join me. If I were only going to COT I would not take my car.But, I think it will come in handy during the 9 weeks of NTP training. 9 weeks without a car is hard to imagine, especially with the high cost of public transportation (at least here in Denver) It was a battle to figure out if I would fly or drive though. See you at Langley! Are you going Med/Surg or L&D?

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

You will want your car but the AF won't ship it to TDY locations. This isn't that bad of the drive, I just drove DC to CO. You can safely store your stuff in your car at COT that you won't need, or want, in your room. They won't pay you mileage but will reimburse you the amount of a flight, so you won't get rich but it should cover your gas. I say drive. They might pay you mileage from your home to next duty station though, I don't know about that.

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

When I went to COT in 2010, my milage was covered. I went to TMO before and a sergeant there organized me. I had my household shipped from my home to my first base while I went to COT. I also did a partial dity (do it yourself) move. I had my car weighed empty then weighed again when loaded - easily done at a truck weighing station. I kept a big envelop for receipts - separating those from home to COT and another for COT to base. It all got reimbursed when I inprocessed and went through finance when I got here.

I've also gotten reimbursed for any tdy travel since - including a trip back to Maxwell.

You won't have much chance to use your car at COT. But when we got privileges is was nice to run away for the afternoon just to get away. The car storage is right there and cars a safe there.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, PACU.

Thanks for the replies everyone! Sure is nice to have some feedback from you all. Definitely getting excited to get things started!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, PACU.
I am going to COT in March then to NTP in Cincinnati then on to Langley as well. I plan on taking my car. My husband is going to drive down to COT with me (to help drive and spend some more time together) and then fly back. He will then come down to graduation and help me drive to Ohio (not too bad of a drive) and fly back. I think we only have 3 days in between? I could be completely wrong about that... I think it also depends on where you have to go. Then from Ohio I'll drive by myself to Langley and find a place to stay and then my husband will come and join me. If I were only going to COT I would not take my car.But, I think it will come in handy during the 9 weeks of NTP training. 9 weeks without a car is hard to imagine, especially with the high cost of public transportation (at least here in Denver) It was a battle to figure out if I would fly or drive though. See you at Langley! Are you going Med/Surg or L&D?

I'm doing Med/Surg. How about you? I head to COT in Jan and then to Tampa for NTP after that!

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I'm at COT right now (graduation is t-2 days!) and trust me, bring your car. You will want to get away when you get your privileges. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being with my flight, but after 3.5 weeks you need to get away if you can. I'm extremely glad I brought my car with me. I drove from St. Louis to Maxwell, and I am off the Lackland after this. My husband is driving here and we are towing my car. With all the reimbursements for travel that we get, it will even itself out.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, PACU.
I'm at COT right now (graduation is t-2 days!) and trust me, bring your car. You will want to get away when you get your privileges. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being with my flight, but after 3.5 weeks you need to get away if you can. I'm extremely glad I brought my car with me. I drove from St. Louis to Maxwell, and I am off the Lackland after this. My husband is driving here and we are towing my car. With all the reimbursements for travel that we get, it will even itself out.

Thanks for the info rndiver! Definitely thinking a car would be nice to have while there! Random COT question, do they do another medical processing/exam/immunizations upon getting there? I've heard the MEPS physical is good for 2 years but wondered if they do extra. One of my family members asked me about immunizations and all that and I'm trying to find out since I didn't know. Thanks for any info!

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

You will get immunizations at COT if you don't have documentation that you had them. (or if you can get out of it there, you'll get them at your duty station). When you arrive at COT, you get weighed in right away. No doctor physical exam though.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg. Telemetry.

I flew to cot and then to Cincinnati for NTP. You will be fine without a car, since you will be staying at a four-star hotel (Marriott) which is within walking g distance to UC Health. They also have a complimentary shuttle that drives a good radius if you need to get anything. There will be others who have their car there. If you plan to bring your own car, you will be given a parking pass where you can park in a secured garage at the hotel. Cincinnati NTP was awesome! I was there from Nov. - Feb.

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