Air Force COT questions

Specialties Government

Published

First of many questions:

How much time is there before the end of COT and the beginning of your new nursing job? I should be heading to COT on June 29. If COT runs for four weeks, and ends on (for example) a Friday, do I start work at Wilford Hall three days later, on that Monday? I am just wondering if I have to set up my housing/apartment whatever *before* COT starts, or if I will have a few days to do that after COT.

Second question:

Is there a ribbon that is automatically granted once COT has been successfully completed, such as the Air Force Training Ribbon? I think the only other two you can earn at COT are Small Arms Expert Marksmanship and USAF Basic Military Training Honor Graduate, correct?

Third question:

Is there any source for getting study materials ahead of time, or are they not available before COT. If not, any suggestions for study?

Thanks in advance for any help!

M Metzler, RN, BSN....soon to be 2nd Lt.

Thank you SO MUCH! I guess I shouldn't quit my job....yet :) People at work have been asking about my acceptance and I'm not sure what to say. My wife and I are going a little crazy trying to figure out what the future could be, and if I will get my first station I selected. Thanks for the quick response.

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Don't do anything until you find out your selection status. I submitted my package in February and was selected in June for the October class (10-01).

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Definitely no marksman ribbon for nurses, UNLESS you are training for the transport team, not sure what that all entails or what exactly the job is but us nurses don't get issued a weapon unless they are on the special team.

If you are feeling shafted: call your local weapon retailer, take the safety course and apply for a License to Carry. Target training is actually quite fun. I proudly wear my Smith & Wesson "Yeah, so, I shoot like a girl" T-Shirt.

J

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Try this link it will explain most things about COT and you can download the operating instructions (which will be what your 1st test is on). http://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/OTS/COT-RCOT/index.asp

I think you get 7-10d between COT and arriving to your duty station depending on where your 1st duty station is and where you are coming from. It should be in your orders when you get them exactly what day you have to report to your new duty station.

Ribbons: You should get AF training ribbon and GWOT ribbon sometime during/or at the end of COT. You won't be doing firearm training at COT unless things have changed.

You only get 7-14 days if you have leave accrued OR if you want to go in the hole with leave (which you really should never do). On my orders I have three travel days from Montgomery, AL to San Antonio, TX, but I'm going to burn off one day's leave since we'll have just shy of 2.5 days when we graduate. I won't be in the hole and I'll get an extra day in New Orleans. :) I'm actually given 11 days to get to San Antonio - but they're in excess of the allowed travel time and are therefore chargeable leave.

But since I'll be getting there the day before Thanksgiving....

We will also qualify for the National Defense Ribbon.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

For those that want to live on base is that an option? Someone that I know in the Air Force said she went to COT, NTP and then back to her 'home' base, none of which were the same location!

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cot is at maxwell af base. ntp training is at af base that offers your nursing specialty. not every base offers ntp in curtain nursing areas. my base doesn’t have an icu. recruiters have a worksheet that shows which base and the ntp they provide. very few bases teach for flight nursing program for example. hope that makes sense.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
For those that want to live on base is that an option? Someone that I know in the Air Force said she went to COT, NTP and then back to her 'home' base, none of which were the same location!

You can live on base at your permanent duty station. You won't be able to be assigned to on base housing until you get to your permanent duty station, if you are lucky enough to get your NTP training at the same base as your permanent duty station you can apply for housing during NTP. The biggest problem with on base housing is that there is usually a waiting list of anywhere from 3mo-1yr to get on base housing.

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I got to COT next week. Should I sign up for GI Bill even if I plan to stay in for 20 and retire?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I got to COT next week. Should I sign up for GI Bill even if I plan to stay in for 20 and retire?

Absolutely!!!! You can transfer it to your spouse or children and you may later decide to get your graduate education on your own time. Tution assistance doesn't cover all costs at the vast majority of schools.

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thank you wtbcrna,

do you think it is very likely that i could get my np through the air force

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
thank you wtbcrna,

do you think it is very likely that i could get my np through the air force

getting your np through afit is by competitive selection process, so it is hard to say from one year to another how competitive your package will be compared to everyone else. now saying all that there are a lot of times where there isn't enough qualified applicants. a lot of nurses choose to do their np on their on time, and avoid the mandatory 4yr payback.

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Getting your NP through AFIT is by competitive selection process, so it is hard to say from one year to another how competitive your package will be compared to everyone else. Now saying all that there are a lot of times where there isn't enough qualified applicants. A lot of nurses choose to do their NP on their on time, and avoid the mandatory 4yr payback.

Do they no longer have tuition reimbursement? If not, that's ridiculous.

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