January COT

Specialties Government

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So I just got my COT date - January 10! This is a little sooner than expected, but I'm glad to be getting on the ball with things. Any other nurses heading to Maxwell in January?

In other news, my first assignment is to Travis AFB as a mental health nurse. My top picks were all in overseas, so I'm more than a little disappointed. But hey, this is the career I'm choosing, and I'm not going to let this little bump hold me back. And better Cali than Minot, ND, right? :D

if you're going to have a sponsor you should know who it is during COT- they should contact you before, hopefully, but maybe not. i'm currently at keesler and went through ntp in april of this year and never had a sponsor. no one else did that i went through ntp with either. just sayin'...you might not get one but you'll make it out alright anyway!

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That's fine if I don't have a sponsor. I just wasn't sure how the whole thing works. My recruiter doesn't have a lot of info for me, so I have to find out a lot of answers on my own. I am sure everything will work out the way it supposed to.

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Does anyone know if the dress mess is required? I went to the nearby base to buy uniforms and they were not at all helpful. My recruiter had told me to hand them the list and a staff member would help. I handed them the list and they handed it back and said you are on your own. Very frustrating experience.

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I am so sorry that they treated you that way and didn't want to help. Buying uniforms is a very overwhelming task, when you have no idea what every little doohickey is. In terms of Mess Dress I am waiting for them to update the COT site for our class. I am thinking we will have to get it since we are a summer surge. But, lets all keep our fingers crossed that we don't, it is not worn very often and is pretty darn expensive.

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Specializes in all.

I so don't have the money for mess dress. The darn blues jacket was $179 ouch!! The boots are pretty cool but was another $125. These expenses are really piling up.

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Specializes in Critical care.

From what I hear, it will cost about $3,000 just to get most of your uniforms. I also asked my friend who's in the af and she said the mess dress is required (even thought it's only worn about 1-2 times a yr if that).

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Specializes in all.

Received orders today! Wow, it all seems to be happening now

When exactly is it too late to back out. A little nervous all of the sudden.

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Specializes in Critical care.

Hnella,

Dont be nervous.... I wish I was in your place and had orders to go to COT. Your going to feel nervous being that its so near but at the end of COT your going to feel so different but your going to be apart of a new family.... and soon, I'll be apart of that family with you... With that said, I'll see you once I cross over to the blue (I have to speak life into my future although I'm still waiting to hear my status).. Good Luck and Congrats.....

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

I think it is normal to freak out a little. It is a major life change. Think of it as cold feet before getting married. lol.

Though on a serious note, I had talked to a nurse on here before we went to COT. He expressed he had doubts, but I encouraged him and told him he was accepted and had a date, and to live it through! After all, it's only 4 years during which you'll get amazing experiences. He stayed and crazy as it was, he was in my flight at COT. He was miserable. He is still struggling with it. He told me he wished he'd followed that doubt. I have been very sad for him. However, I saw him in the hall at the hospital the other day and he was smiling! He was going to PALS. And I was so glad to see him smiling and really seem cheerful. Maybe the adjustment just took him longer. It can be a shock even when expecting it. I had days at COT where I was so upset and wondered why the heck I had walked away from my life for "this". But I've been in almost 7 months now. I've had great opportunities already! And I got my wish to deploy. I'm really happy with this choice. It was my dream. But it was still a hard adjustment. Expect that.

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i dread the ropes..god I dread the ropes.. I am scared to death of heights! Strip me down naked in the middle of church and I will be okay, but do not put me 40 ft in the air on my own., COT will be what it is and I will endur...let me at all the educational experiences they offer... in two years I will apply to crna school or go overseas...bring it all on!! The unknown is my best frieend!! Lets rock!!

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

You will not believe what you can do!!

I put on my ABU's and I can do things I never thought I could. I climbed up on a building without a ladder and scaled a wall I said I couldn't. But I tried and I did it. :)

Choose your attitude!!! You can do it.

Besides, the ropes course is simply one afternoon out of your life. and if you have tried your best and really can't do it, those instructors will either talk you through it or help you down. :)

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what are the silver name tags for?

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