Countdown to May COT...

[midinphx]

May COT is quickly approaching. I know of only 3 of us here who are in. Who else is going?

I still haven't commissioned, should be soon obviously.

I can't get on base to get all my uniforms, but I have a friend who can take me to do it. Does everyone have their stuff?

As I organize to close up my house for my renter, I am stressing about it getting moved before I leave for COT. I can't get to TMO before my orders.... kind of freaking out about that. I know I can have someone else do it for me, but it would have to be a friend, as I have no family here.

So many questions and lists in my head!

I'm out running to make sure I can keep up once I get there; it's a great stress killer.

monica

[mt_nurse]

this might be a DUH kind of question, but how much luggage can we bring to COT? uniforms and a few days change of clothes?

and what do we actually need to get sewed on? just the name tapes for the ABU? and the rank on the hat?

[midinphx, BSN]

I'm bringing a huge rolling bag, a rolling garment bag, and the duffle as check in's. I have a black backpack as my carry on item. I may not fill all these up, but what if we end up having more stuff to come out with than when we go in?

sewn on.....Name tapes, AF tape, rank on ABU and hat, and the little nurse emblom. I relied on the aafes and the base alterations person to guide me (and I eyeballed all the other's uniforms. and got questions answered by the AD folks around who caught me looking them over! lol).

Getting all those sewn on and the rest of the uniforms altered cost me almost $100 more. I'm getting it done on base so I know it is right. I pick it all up this week.

20 days left! No orders yet here. lol

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

this might be a DUH kind of question, but how much luggage can we bring to COT? uniforms and a few days change of clothes?

and what do we actually need to get sewed on? just the name tapes for the ABU? and the rank on the hat?

You can bring whatever you want, really - especially if you drive. Your car becomes a closet for your personal crap.

I took a printer and made a couple of extra trips to the car, and I got some dirty looks from a couple of the instructors, but they don't say anything. They really don't care. As long as your crap's put up, they don't care - and you have a small walk-in closet (no, not kidding - it really is). So whatever you want to take - go for it.

Get EVERYTHING sewn on, because you'll need everything sewn on. Without your rank on your uniform, you're out of uniform.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I'm bringing a huge rolling bag, a rolling garment bag, and the duffle as check in's. I have a black backpack as my carry on item. I may not fill all these up, but what if we end up having more stuff to come out with than when we go in?

You're remembering Basic, aren't you - when you'd buy ANYTHING at the BX just because you could get out of the barracks? :) I remember that. I was remembering that the other day - they got some of that fake CK1 at our shoppette when I was here at BMT and the whole darned flight REEKED of it, just because we could buy something! At least we smelled good!

I can't smell CK1 to this day without being reminded of BMT.

You don't have the luxury of time, so you won't really be doing much shopping, unfortunately. I did finally get to Banana Republic (OMG I'm an ADDICT) one afternoon about a week before graduating and yes, I bought two things I didn't need just because I could! :)

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

oh goodie! I'm glad to see this is just my first experience with this level of frustration! lol

It does help knowing that it does eventually work out.

Good luck with your run around Ltlgreek.

I was at South Padre Island for my Tenth Anniversary and was surfing the web by the pool when I read your post, and for some reason I couldn't get a post up - so here's my experience with military SNAFUs.

It will work out, mid - you have to believe that.

If AFPC has actually caught a mistake (or your recruiter did or whoever it was did), let them fix it now. They screwed up my service record and it's still not right, actually - half my prior service record is missing, half my decorations are missing, it says my highest enlisted rank was E3 (WAY wrong), I have no college degree but I'm a clinical nurse (and an LT - how'd I do that with no school?), I've never been to professional military education (wrong again - went to Airman Leadership School). I have no record in the system for assignment choices (still trying to fix that - it's almost like I don't exist) and when I got to COT, I found out my name was wrong in MILPDS and everywhere else - they still had me under my maiden name with my old enlisted rank, even though I had a Reservist ID card with my MARRIED name on it, they had a copy of my marriage license scanned in from 2000, and I had a CAC BEFORE I got to COT, and my husband had a dependent ID card (the record also said I had no dependents)!

For the better part of two months, everywhere I signed in - including with TRICARE!!! - I had to re-prove who I was. I hold my breath every time I have to talk to Randolph or go to military personnel, because the other day I found out a couple records had MYSTERIOUSLY reverted BACK to the incorrect information. I literally keep a copy of my DD214 (THANK GOD I HAVE IT!!) at work, along with a copy of my husband's dependent ID and my marriage license. I'm not kidding. I truly don't know what someone might pull up when I need something.

What I'm being told - and it makes sense, SORT OF - is that in the year I separated, the records were in the process of being scanned permanently into the system. Somewhere along the line, my record got split - half of it is in Colorado, still with the AF Reserve (!!!!), and half of it is in Missouri, where all the military records are kept for prior members. Apparently I was one of the stopping points....it's done nothing but cause me grief from day one.

I found all this out at COT - I was attempting to log onto a government system and it said my social security number didn't match the name they had on record - you can imagine the panic THAT caused.

[midinphx, BSN]

I'm not planning on buying anything I don't need.... I'm broke! lol. I was thinking on the lines of papers and uniforms. I was told the military pays those baggage fees, I sure hope so.

I know they will eventually get it right. Just that there are now only 13 working days to do it in and get my house moved!!!

I did have the pleasure of handing in my resignation this morning. That was kinda fun. :)

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Resigning is always cool. :) Makes you feel cool, too.

I BELIEVE you can't be restricted on baggage by Federal Law if you're active duty military traveling on orders. You should be able to find that information on any airline website with a bit of digging. I'd do it now but I really need to be out the door to get to a pharmaceutical company freebie dinner here in San An....yum, Paesano's Italian and white wine....yum!

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

EVERY airline I just cruised - Delta, United, American, Continental, and Southwest - for ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL, whether you are on orders or not, you are NOT charged for up to two checked bags. If you are being deployed and have the customary four and sometimes five A-bags, you're not to be charged for any of them.

I thought I had heard the federal law had been changed.

Your orders and a government ID (like your DL) will prove who you are and that you're active duty military if you fly to COT.

[AF Nur]

Thanks Carolina........... VERY HELPFUL INFO.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Because the people at airline ticket counters are often not the brightest, I would print out a copy of the airline's policy (which is actually FAA regulation) and have it on my person. Seriously. I wouldn't trust them.

[midinphx, BSN]

Good idea. I'll find the policy when I know who/where/when flying.

I still have no orders. My recruiter asked if my sponsor has contacted me yet. I said "nothing". Big deep sigh!! This process is not easy on anal retentive organizer freaks!

[midinphx, BSN]

12 days to go. Got my orders today! We are setting up the move tomorrow for next week. So, yes, it will be done before I leave.

So I'm STILL debating drive vs fly. Either way positives and negatives. 26 hour drive to COT, then 12 to TX. Or... fly there and back with really crummy flight schedules, rush home to say goodbye again (which stinks the first time!), rush off to TX for a 17 h drive. I'm leaning towards the long drive to Alabama.

Any opinions? (ok, silly question) :)