Air Force Nursing 2013

Mamakellyd · Jan 31, 2013

This does help very much. I'd love to know more about the ropes course though. I did a tree top thing this summer with my kids and did fine on the rope part, but not sure if I could make it over a wall like I've seen in movies! :)

JillyRN · Jan 31, 2013

Thanks for all the great information. I too am concerned about the process between orders, COT, and moving if I am selected. Fortunately my husband has been through a few and should be able to handle it well.

Ljv,

Could you give us a timeline of your wife's process: Board date, notification of results, when she got orders, and when she left? I'm not familiar with the NTP process, so it may be different. Just curious. Also, what kind of stuff did she find helpful in regards to the PT requirements?

ljv84 · Jan 31, 2013

Timeline for the whole process:

First we contacted the recruiter around Jan of 2012, and started working on the packet. I reached out to a couple of my friends from the military that were now RN officers to write her LOR's. She went to MEPS around April, the next month in May she went for her chief nurse interview. Like all of you for the chief nurse interview she went out of the way to look the part (hair up military reg style, on piercing in each ear, nice dress suit). Her interview was not what she was expecting, she said he asked very few questions, went over his sheet to make sure he covered everything and she was out in like 20 minutes. She freaked out after that, thinking that since her interview would be a huge disadvantage to others that had long ones but it turns out she did just fine. After her packet was submitted in June and the board met in July, after that we played the waiting game. In August we saw on the FB group that people were finding out they were being notified that they were selected so we emailed her recuriter and he called 30min later saying she was one of the 16 selected for med/surg. From what it looked like they selected first those who had already graduated, passed their NCLEX and was working. Most of those on the waiting list either weren't done with school yet, not working after graduation, or did not yet take their NCLEX. He didn't have a COT date yet or where we were going then, but we verbally accepted the offer on the phone. I think it was maybe 2 weeks later or maybe even shorter than that we were notified when she was going to COT and where we were going to be stationed. She put on her application she wanted to leave to COT in Jan, and she got that. On her dream sheet we put Colorado, and other states all over the east coast. We got Travis in California, so we didn't get any of our picks. We had to sign the offer letter and send it back to her recruiter. Another 2 weeks later or so we got her actual orders and with that got our TMO pickup date set up. I kept going on milconnect to check if she was registered in DEERS yet so that we could go on base to get our reserve ID's and get myself and our son put in DEERS before she left as I was about to head out here to Cali to start my new job. After we got her ID we were able to go to the uniform store and get all her uniforms which were roughly over 2k. She got her mess dress at COT, but when she got there all her uniforms had been taylored and ready to go! It's not a must but it was one less thing for her to worry about. We thought COT was only 4 weeks but turns out to be a bit more as she got there Jan 7 and grads Feb 8.

For PT she took her final PT test on Monday and got over a 90% score, for her the hardest part was the pushups but before she left she started a running program, and did pushups and situps twice a day. You can look up the PT req online, depends on your age and sex. I think for her she had to do like 22 pushups and over 30 situps and do her 1.5 mile in 14:30.

ljv84 · Jan 31, 2013

from what she told me it's a normal ropes course nothing crazy.

kdazzle · Jan 31, 2013

ljv84,

thanks for all of the great information. that sucks that you didnt get anything on your wish list of places to be stationed. I hope that if I am selected that I at least get one of my picks but as long as I get in thats all that matters. talk to you soon.

kdazzle · Jan 31, 2013

ljv84,

this might be silly, but I wonder how hard the academic tests are in cot. i am a horrible test taker. from what i have heard, you cant fail COT nor has anyone failed COT. it seems intimidating. i think the fear of the unknown is what can drive you crazy. LOL.

Mamakellyd · Jan 31, 2013

kdazzle- I agree with you that it is the fear of the unknown that gets me. I'm used to planning a lot- we have 4 kids so I have to plan! I started working on running and the situps/pushups this week. Because of my age I don't have to do as many, but because of my age (and past history of laziness!) it is a struggle!

ljv84 · Jan 31, 2013

Well from what she said people did fail tests but my wife studied and took it serious and did really well on them. Trust me she stressed out just like you guys before going. Your right it's just the unkown of everything!

JillyRN · Jan 31, 2013

Thank you so much ljv for answering all that. Congrats to your wife, she sounds like she'll make an awesome Nurse Corps Officer. Two weeks doesn't sound too bad to wait for orders for COT and your first duty station (even though I'm sure it felt like months!). I'm trying to stay chill about the whole thing since we've got a solid back up plan but it's still pretty nerve wrecking. How do you like the Sacramento area? Our wish list was mostly east coast just to be a little closer to family after 4 years away, but I'm not opposed getting somewhere random. You said you were prior service right? How has the adjustment been for you? My husband will be in the same situation if I am selected and the jokes from his buddies are endless (they envision him heading up the FRG and causing a ruckus...). Congrats again to you both :)

Mamakellyd · Feb 1, 2013

Can you wife share what types of things are on the tests? Is it customs and courtesies type information?

MBRN74 · Feb 1, 2013

Hey Carlily,

I didn't know you could go from the ANG to active duty AF? Is it because you switched over to a CCU specialty and that is one of their needs? Let me know about that? If it's easier to get picked up by ANG and then switch over, well, that sounds like an option? Thanks so much.

bigsick_littlesick · Feb 1, 2013

Is this whole topic related to applying for active duty? I've been following this thread for a while and I eat up all the info! I am thinking about joining the Reserve later on in my career. I am close to Beale and Travis in Northern California.

I'm sure by the questions I am asking, you can all tell I am super green to anything military related. No one in my family has ever served save for my fiancee's father who was a Marine.

I found this website: Air Force Reserve: Benefits and it says, "Don't Move, When you join the Air Force Reserve, you can continue to live at home and serve, or you can move and serve in the city of your choice."

I think my fiancee's only hang up with my joining is the possibility of moving around. When I did my preceptorship in the ER, I become friends with an Air Force Reserve nurse and I would love to do what she does. She can work at her civilian hospital yet still be able to serve her country.

Would the above timeline be similar for Reservists? Are there less spots available for Reservists? Thanks for the info. Good luck to you all!