Where do you go after COT Air Force

Guest374845 · Mar 17, 2019

You report to your first duty station. Many people at COT had their luggage in their cars.

Ancilla11 · Mar 17, 2019

9 hours ago, Euro_Sepsis said:
You report to your first duty station. Many people at COT had their luggage in their cars.

I was deciding if I wanted to drive or fly. Sounds like I am leaning to driving so I can have a vehicle at my first duty station. Thanks for the info....

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 17, 2019

It should say on your orders...

I assume you have prior civilian RN experience? New grads will typically go to NTP for 3 months and then to their first base.

Experienced nurses go directly to their first base. You should definitely drive. If you fly, you only get 1 travel day (regardless of the distance) and go without your car for weeks.

Fly-T-Nurse · Mar 17, 2019

So while my husband just got selected, he was prior enlisted and currently has several friends in the AF so not all of this is new to us. Your decision will also depend on where you are going. I know for us, overseas is an option so I’m sure in that case you’ll have to make arrangements for all your stuff, including your vehicle, to be shipped. That being said, I did a lot of reading about others who have been through COT and they were able to buy more of the required stuff ahead of time and had more space to take it with them in their vehicle v/s trying to fly with it all or having to wait and purchase it all there. Another point someone made was that you don’t get to drive or crank your vehicle while you are there so your battery could die in the meantime. Just a few things to consider.

Ancilla11 · Mar 17, 2019

3 hours ago, jfratian said:
It should say on your orders...
I assume you have prior civilian RN experience? New grads will typically go to NTP for 3 months and then to their first base.
Experienced nurses go directly to their first base. You should definitely drive. If you fly, you only get 1 travel day (regardless of the distance) and go without your car for weeks.

Yes, I am a civilian with experience. That is great advice, thank you. Also, do I get house hunting days when I arrive?

Ancilla11 · Mar 17, 2019

2 hours ago, Fly-T-Nurse said:
So while my husband just got selected, he was prior enlisted and currently has several friends in the AF so not all of this is new to us. Your decision will also depend on where you are going. I know for us, overseas is an option so I’m sure in that case you’ll have to make arrangements for all your stuff, including your vehicle, to be shipped. That being said, I did a lot of reading about others who have been through COT and they were able to buy more of the required stuff ahead of time and had more space to take it with them in their vehicle v/s trying to fly with it all or having to wait and purchase it all there. Another point someone made was that you don’t get to drive or crank your vehicle while you are there so your battery could die in the meantime. Just a few things to consider.

Ancilla11 · Mar 17, 2019

Thank you for the reply, all knowledge helps. Does your Husband have an idea when he thinks we will got to COT?

Fly-T-Nurse · Mar 18, 2019

3 hours ago, Ancilla11 said:
Thank you for the reply, all knowledge helps. Does your Husband have an idea when he thinks we will got to COT?

His recruiter told him there were only 2 dates left, June and August and that one way or another we would be gone fully to his duty station by Sept 30. I found a website (https://airforcejourney.com/schedules/fy2019-tfot-schedule/) that has official start dates. It’s more updated than the one I found a couple months ago and it makes it look like there isn’t an August one so who knows. This one is showing the TFOT and COT dates. I just hope he makes it in time to do COT before it’s phased out and combined with TFOT. The recruiter sent security clearance paperwork and said to have it done and returned NLT 2 weeks. So that’s where we’re sitting for now. Do you have a family that will be going with you? I know my job while he is gone is going to be contacting housing and setting up our move and such. I’m sure your recruiter should be able to help with all the logistical stuff. I know our recruiter was already mentioning that we would need to get on move.com (something that is new since my husband got out the first time) but we don’t even know where we are going yet and an enlisted friend of ours said every time he has done move.com he had to have his orders first. I’m no stranger to the hurry up and wait of the military, but it’s still so tough to be so excited about something, have so much to do, yet have so few details that it’s near impossible to get stuff started lol.

Ancilla11 · Mar 18, 2019

22 hours ago, Fly-T-Nurse said:
His recruiter told him there were only 2 dates left, June and August and that one way or another we would be gone fully to his duty station by Sept 30. I found a website (https://airforcejourney.com/schedules/fy2019-tfot-schedule/) that has official start dates. It’s more updated than the one I found a couple months ago and it makes it look like there isn’t an August one so who knows. This one is showing the TFOT and COT dates. I just hope he makes it in time to do COT before it’s phased out and combined with TFOT. The recruiter sent security clearance paperwork and said to have it done and returned NLT 2 weeks. So that’s where we’re sitting for now. Do you have a family that will be going with you? I know my job while he is gone is going to be contacting housing and setting up our move and such. I’m sure your recruiter should be able to help with all the logistical stuff. I know our recruiter was already mentioning that we would need to get on move.com (something that is new since my husband got out the first time) but we don’t even know where we are going yet and an enlisted friend of ours said every time he has done move.com he had to have his orders first. I’m no stranger to the hurry up and wait of the military, but it’s still so tough to be so excited about something, have so much to do, yet have so few details that it’s near impossible to get stuff started lol.

Thanks for the link. Yes I do have a family. My husband has been in the Air Force for 20 years now. He is helping me out a lot, but since he is on the enlisted side some things are different. It is nice to have him for guidance with all the abbreviations people talk about. It’s a lot to take in. I have been filling his head with all kinds of questions. I hope my scroll comes back in time for June. My husband said yes about the orders with move.com. I agree, so MUCH with little detail.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 19, 2019

You'll get 10 house hunting days shortly after you check-in to your first base. Make sure you don't sign a lease or make an offer on a house (or at least don't tell them) before the end of the 10 days. Otherwise, you lose the rest of your 10 days.

You additionally get 3 move-in days (called house hold good days) once you've found a place to live and your stuff arrives.

Ancilla11 · Mar 19, 2019

6 hours ago, jfratian said:
You'll get 10 house hunting days shortly after you check-in to your first base. Make sure you don't sign a lease or make an offer on a house (or at least don't tell them) before the end of the 10 days. Otherwise, you lose the rest of your 10 days.
You additionally get 3 move-in days (called house hold good days) once you've found a place to live and your stuff arrives.

Thanks again jfratian!