Air Force October 2010

Specialties Government

Published

Just wondering who all has/is submitting their application for the October due date for the AF for the up and coming boards?

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Pediatrics.

I for one don't really believe what this recruiter is saying. Most, if not all, recruiters are not privileged to this type of information. Just like they do not know or get to know what the Chief Nurse said in regards to your interview. Only the board knows what they are looking for and how many they will select. A recruiter is not going to be told this information. They are only told if their recruits were selected. This particular recruiter, I don't believe anything he says! If it wasn't for him, my application would have been in last years board selection and I wouldn't have had to have a lot of paperwork replaced/redone! One thing you should all know is, don't believe everything a recruiter tells you.

The Chief Nurse I interviewed with said that there are many opportunities in OB/LDR!

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Specializes in OR/Trauma/Surgery/CriticalCare.

What is the expected date to report to COT if you are selected in the November review? I know some drop out prior and one can report earlier than expected. But can the November selectees expect to have all reported by a certain time frame? I'm hopeful also....

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Pediatrics.

When and if you are selected you will be given a COT date. You do not get to choose which COT you will attend. They give you a date and you either accept that date or let your recruiter know if you need a later date or if an earlier spot becomes available that you would like to go earlier. However, there are no guarantees that you will be able to get an earlier or later COT date! Everyone selected will not get the same COT dates, all selectees will be placed into COT slots based on availability and also based on Air Force need. If the Air Force needs a certain type of nurse right now (certain specialty), they may bump someone already selected and placed in a COT slot in order to fill their immediate need.

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Specializes in OR/Trauma/Surgery/CriticalCare.

Thanks, rnpic! Is there an average wait? How far advance can we expect to have before being assigned a COT date? With a home, kids and family to think of, it's nerve racking trying to prepare for an unknown date. rnpic, I think I read in your prior posts you were liking lackland afb. That was my first choice assignment because it's a bigger hospital, do you still like it? If you don't mind I'd like to pick your brain about the area and such.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Pediatrics.

I have not been selected yet, but Lackland was and is sort of my first choice. There are only 4 AF hospitals that have NICU: Lackland, Langley, Germany, and Japan. So Lackland is my first choice if I can get a NICU slot. If I am not selected for NICU but for OB/LDR, then Wright-Patterson would be my first choice.

As for your other questions, there is no typical or average wait time. We should know if we are selected some time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As for assigned COT dates, no one knows until they are told/given notice as to when they will go to COT. Could be as early as January if the AF needs to fill a specific position, or as late as Fall of next year. You really can't prepare for anything until you know what's going on: if you're selected, when you will go, and where you will be stationed. I know and completely understand that it is nerve wracking. Military is a hurry up and wait game! The reason why I know so much is because I am prior service and because I had done a lot of research. Where I am now in this process is where I should have been this time last year (no thanks to a recruiter who didn't do anything for me!).

Carolinapooh is a great person to get information from. Read through her posts. She went through COT last year and then posted her experience and info that she felt we should know when preparing to go to COT. She is stationed at Lackland and is full of information. Really a great help.

I am in the same boat as you now. I have a family and a home and a job, etc.. I am to the point now that I will take it as it comes. No point in getting stressed over something that I don't know is even going to happen and that I have no control over.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Med/Surg.

Just an update. My recruiter told me I was officially "board ready" for the November 2 board!

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Just an update. My recruiter told me I was officially "board ready" for the November 2 board!

:yeah:Awesome to hear. I am sure that you are excited to have the paperwork and interview process completed. I can't wait for all of my paperwork and interview process to completed. The feeling of having everything done and just sitting back and waiting will be nice........maybe not the wait I guess since you will want to know if you are selected.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Med/Surg.

I have been "in the process" since March of this year. It is a good feeling, but also a little scary. It has felt like such a pipe dream for the past several months, now the reality is setting in. November will be a long month, waiting to hear if I am selected or not. Where are you in the process?

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I have been "in the process" since March of this year. It is a good feeling, but also a little scary. It has felt like such a pipe dream for the past several months, now the reality is setting in. November will be a long month, waiting to hear if I am selected or not. Where are you in the process?

The last week of June 2010 I made contact with the recruiter. I completed MEPS and recommendations done in July. Completed most paperwork in August (workbook and 9 questions). Got a job the beginning if September as an RN at a hospital. This month I revised my turned in paperwork to reflect changes in address and job. Soon will be getting a new recommendation for place of employment. I will be meeting with the chief nursing officer in mid-November. In December I will wrap up my paperwork and whatever else to send on January 4th for the February board for fully qualified applicants. It has been 4 months as of now, by January it will be 6 months, February will be 7 (at which time I will have 6 months experience as an RN). If selected I am probably looking at a July 5, 2011 or August 22, 2011 COT Date, which would put the process at 12.5 and 13.5 months respectively.

In the meantime of waiting for everything to be put together, I have been creating a 3 ring binder of everything I have found in terms of Air force Nursing, such as Air Force Career Prospectus, Base Listings, Required Documentation for COT, Official COT class dates, Information for inbound trainees, and Fitness Assessment Requirements, articles about Air Force Nursing, copies of all the forms I have ever sent my recruiter, and finally copies of licenses, diploma, plus other documentation. It probably is a little overboard....but I like to try and get all my information into one place rather than have to look at multiple websites. The binder makes it easy for me to stay on top of things. I am also constantly thinking of things that I can add to it...so if you know of anything, let me know!

IowaRNBSN

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Med/Surg.

Sounds like you are right on track. I am hoping for July 2011 or August 2011 COT date. I am contractually bound to my current job until July. You might try for a certification while you are waiting. It will make your application more competitive.

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Hi! Mine is in the mix too! Last I heard there were about 200 applicants with 15 total slots for fully qualified nurses(including 3 critical care slots). Now my recruiter has informed me it is even less and only one critical care nurse. It seems like it will be really tough to get selected :-(. Has anyone heard how long the board meets, ie..are they there all week, month, etc. My recruiter said the release date for results is around Thanksgiving. Has anyone considered any plan B's? I had not until I heard how tough it is, now I am thinking I better make a plan B-lol

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Specializes in OR/Trauma/Surgery/CriticalCare.

There's definitely nothing wrong with a plan B. Although i cant imagine myself in any other branch other than the AF for some reason. So im prepping my psych for anything to happen! But i guess better a pleasant surprise than bitter disappointment, IMO. Thanksgiving seems so far after all this wait and preparation. Should we not be selected can we resubmit for the next review? The selection seems to be getting more competitive with less slots available. I'm hoping for May 11 myself. Good Luck to all!!

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