RCOT

MSCANG · Mar 22, 2010

I will be there. I am not a nurse though, I am a MSC officer.

rghbsn, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2010

I'm leaving for RCOT [Reserve Commissioned Officer Training] for the good 'ole Air National Guard on April 25, 2010 thru May 9th...
Anyone one else joining me on here :)
Should be two weeks of mini-Air Force Basic Training all over again Hey, at least I know what to expect this time around!

No ma'am it isn't, and no ma'am you don't...BMT was easy. I went to Parris Island before I came down here...I thought I had it all figured out. And I was wrong.

Sleep as much as you can between now and April 25, because you won't get much until after May 9th.

It's awesome...but it's different and it's not easy. It'll be the most fun you've ever had doing something you never want to do again, lol.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2010

COT is much easier than BMT in a lot of ways - I went through AF BMT myself. What makes COT hard is there's no time to do anything - literally - and in BMT you were told to do something and then given the tools, while in COT you'll be told to do something without being told anything. It's disorganized, it's chaotic, and a lot of times you're scratching your head going, 'if we're officers, and this is the Air Force, never mind the training environment - why aren't they teaching how the Air Force does it?'. Because they don't, and for the life of me I can't figure out why not.

The other thing that makes COT hard for prior enlisteds is you're no longer enlisted. That sounds stupid, and I didn't believe it either, but it's true.

The no sleep thing? Totally accurate. You'll find out you actually CAN exist on only three hours of sleep a night for five nights straight...for five weeks....

And I love the line about "it's the most fun you've ever had doing something you never want to do again".

Az_RN_BSN · Mar 28, 2010

Thanks for your insight! It will certainly be an interesting experience. Can't say I look forward to it though...personally I think that it should be like back in the day and not required for those of us who are prior enlisted. Just send us to a leadership course! Just my two-cents! The Chief Nurse at my unit never went because that's how it used to be...aahh..oh well, time to just suck it up and endure two weeks of hell :)

rghbsn, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2010

COT is much easier than BMT in a lot of ways - I went through AF BMT myself. What makes COT hard is there's no time to do anything - literally - and in BMT you were told to do something and then given the tools, while in COT you'll be told to do something without being told anything. It's disorganized, it's chaotic, and a lot of times you're scratching your head going, 'if we're officers, and this is the Air Force, never mind the training environment - why aren't they teaching how the Air Force does it?'. Because they don't, and for the life of me I can't figure out why not.

This is what I've learned, being in one of the leadership positions...the idea is this: one day you will be deployed to the AOR. Let's just say that you hit the ground running with 100% of the required manpower and 40% of the equipment/resources...your mission does not change. You need to figure out how to work through the chaos, through the disorganization and use your (you and your team) critical thinking skills, your problem solving skills to come up with a way to a) get organized, b) bring order to the chaos, and c) complete the mission. Not necessarily in that order. We will be the ones the rest of our group will be looking at for direction.

The comment you made about BMT is exactly right: you were told to do something and then given the tools. That's why it's easy. Now the responsibility falls on you. You have to provide the direction and the tools for the personnel waiting to be told what to do and given the tools.

Think about it...in BMT you have 10 weeks (or 12 or 13 or whatever it is. It was 13 wks at Parris Island for me) to learn to be where you're told and do what you're ordered to do with the tools you're provided.

Now you have 2 weeks (RCOT) or 5 weeks (COT) to learn how to lead all of those people, to provide the tools and direction for 80% of the AF. And to be successful at it even if you don't have all the equipment and time that you think you should have. My recommendation is to share with your people what your goal is, and then let them surprise you with the ingenuity they use to come up with solutions to meet that goal.

Good luck, it's hard work. And it's well worth the time, even for us prior enlisted. And don't let the fact that you've served before keep you from learning. I've seen it happen...people think they already know what's what. It can be a crutch or a hindrance just as easily as it can be a tool for success.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

AF Basic in my day was only six weeks (well, seven if you count Zero Week). Now it's eight/nine.

It's chaos (COT). And it's bogus - it needs to be about eight weeks long in my opinion. It disturbs me that they're putting out officers (at your rank, sir - non-prior captains) who don't even know what PACAF is (I heard a COT captain ask this the other day at work - scared me somewhat). That's insane to me.

There's a whole bunch of little reasons why the five week thing bugs me.

I don't agree with a "leadership only" course. If you were prior enlisted going in as a line officer, you'd go to regular Officer Training School, which is thirteen weeks long regardless of how many years you were in as an enlisted troop. COTties get off easy - too easy, IMHO. Too many line officers don't think we're "real" officers - which is why I wear my prior enlisted function badge on my uniform, so they know I'm not your stereotypical medical officer. I do it to try and gain credibility for all of us.

It completely annoys me. Folks, if you're going in non-prior, that's great, I'm excited and very very pleased to serve with you - but learn a bit in class (for your troops if for no one else). You lose a lot of credibility with the enlisteds when there's simple stuff you don't know.

BTW, the captain I'm referencing has been in for FOUR YEARS.

PACAF is Pacific Air Force, the major command that's responsible for bases in Japan, Australia (yes, there's one small satellite relay in the middle of the Outback), Guam, Hawaii, Alaska, Korea, and anywhere else in the Pacific that I've missed.

A four year Capt should know that. They go over the MAJCOMs in COT, and obviously not enough.

Ask questions of your troops when you don't know (because they do) - they'll be more than happy to help you learn the ropes. I've gotten plenty of help from our four excellent NCOs and our many great airmen on my floor - what a sharp bunch I work with. They're great at helping me learn about the "non-line" side of the Air Force, and they're teaching me how to be an officer without even consciously trying. They won't think you "dumb" for not knowing, but they'll lose a whole lot of respect for you if you don't ask.

rghbsn, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

I could see it at 8 weeks, I think that would be a good length.

But I don't think it's bogus, per se. There will always be some people that squeek through that don't really know thier stuff...they either test well, passed by virtue of acedemic bulemia (regurgitated the knowledge, then forgot it), or just got lucky on the multiple guess exam. But to say that we're not real officers is not right. I know the BOT folks are here for 12 weeks...and I know they do more stuff than we do hands-on. The curriculum is very close, we start an hour earlier and end an hour later. We don't get to qualify with weapons and we don't do some of the field training they do...but we are also not line officers. We will never (no matter our rank) be able to lead combat troops.

I will never allow anyone to question my ability to be a leader and an officer. You get to wear your prior AFSC badge...and that's cool. It doesn't add credibility to anyone but yourself, though. I don't have any AFSC badges...and I can't wear my rifle expert or my pistol expert badges that I earned as an infantry Marine. But that doesn't matter to me. I can't wear the wings I've earned as a critical care flight nurse for the last years of my civilian nursing career, but the one set from the Air Force will be enough.

Badges and ribbons do not make an officer. Or a soldier, Airman or Marine. Character does. Integrity, honor, you know the things that make a great officer. You have them. If anyone around you doubts the validity of your officership because of the COT program, then they themselves are in question.

As far as non-prior captains, majors and lt. cols...I understand your frustration, and I wish that those folks in particular would take the time at COT to realize what it is they are really becoming a part of. They are the ones that the Airman's Creed should be absorbed by...so they can realize that they are no longer individuals. That they are a part of something larger than themselves or thier specialty. I share in your frustration of persons that cast doubt on us because of association...but even in the civilian world you have nurses that say things or do things that make you wonder how they passed NCLEX or graduated from nursing school. It's no different really. I've known people in the Marine Corps, the Navy, and the Air Force that made me wonder how, HOW the heck they made it into the operational military and didn't get weeded out in basic or OCS, etc.

It is what it is. But I don't think COT is bogus.

I do think 8 wks would be a good length.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

It's bogus because it doesn't even begin to give nonpriors enough to go on. It's bogus because it doesn't equip ANYONE, really, to do too much of anything.

THAT'S why it's bogus.

I'm not impugning the whole program; I'm impugning some of its (lack of) premise.

Perhaps if folks recognize that not everyone's straight from the medical corps, they'll give the captains that outrank me a bit more respect. I've heard what the line side says about medical officers - heck, I WAS the line side. It's infuriating to me - an officer should be an officer is an officer. And it's not, and it's obvious sometimes when you see what the line side says about the medical side. Disgraceful.

I don't think I made myself very clear. It works both ways and I didn't really address that. Shame on me.

You're completely right, though - it is what it is...

Az_RN_BSN · Apr 20, 2010

The day is almost here...I am off to RCOT this Friday. Should be fun :)

rghbsn, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2010

Make the best of it, you will be busy! Enjoy learning as much as you can...even if a lot of it is cram-and-forget...try to remember it. It will serve you well if you can.

Az_RN_BSN · May 15, 2010

So I got back from RCOT and managed to survive. It was a grueling experience to say the least. Biggest complaint was probably the lack of sleep....but all in all it was fine. If anyone has any questions on the experience let me know...:)