For some, the fact that I am a veteran is surprising. I get it. Before I joined the Air Force I had a pretty interesting picture of what a “military” type is. Now having spent six years on active duty, I have a very different picture.
Help me, Google!
I’ll start by saying I jumped in to this adventure knowing less than little about the military. Quite honestly I didn’t even know there was an actual different between the different branches like Army vs Air Force. Isn’t it all the same?? (yikes, I know) Nevertheless, about half way through my senior year in college I decided I needed OUT of Florida. (Middle of the winter in Kansas I was cursing myself daily for ever thinking that.)
I started researching (googling) different options for what I could do with my nursing career. I kept hearing about this military thing. Mind you it was 2008 and the war was in full swing. I really thought this could be a way to use my skills and give to my country, and *cough*hope for a Pearl Harbor-ish adventure*cough*. So I contacted a few of my google finds and lo and behold a few months later I was swearing in at a recruiter’s office.
Off to COT I go
The order of events for a nurse to join the military with NO prior training whatsoever goes like this: get your Bachelor of Science in Nursing, pass your licensing test the NCLEX, fill out a bunch of paperwork, raise your right hand and solemnly swear, then head off to Commissioned Officer Training or COT for short (military lesson #1, EVERYTHING is an acronym). So you see, you head off to COT (essentially boot camp for nurses, doctors, lawyers, chaplains, etc.) with zero prior military training. This might be ok for someone who has a clue what the military even is, but for me it was a bit of a shock.
My recruiters exact words:
Oh COT is totally not a big deal at all, pretty casual actually. You will start pretty early in the morning with a workout and then spend lots of time in the classroom, but that’s about it. I’ve heard it’s lots of fun!
UN. TRUE.
Disclaimer for anyone in the military who did anything besides COT: I realize this is literally the EASIEST military bootcamp/training probably in the world. I was just NOT prepared whatsoever. And yes, I’m ready for you to get your tiny violin right now and start playing it for me! haha!
COT is based in Montgomery Alabama and only about an eleven hour drive from my home in Florida. Naturally, I decided to get up super early and drive myself there. (Cut back to the recruiter saying “you really won’t do anything your first day.”) Eleven or so hours later I pull into the parking lot by the “COT” sign and can’t wait to check in so I can take a nap. I started dragging my suitcase across the lot to where I can see some bags and people [in uniform] congregating. While I was still about fifty feet away the yelling began.
What do you think you’re doing?!
Take those flip flops off your feet and get some real shoes on!
Why is your hair down?!
Tuck that shirt in!!
None of these words really settled in because the only thought racing through my mind was, what have I done? As they kept scream/yelling them at me I eventually started to come to and realize I should probably do what they said. Not very gracefully, I was able to find some acceptable shoes in my bag, and get them on. Eventually I even figured out how to get my almost-belly-shirt tucked in to my low rise jeans and my hair up into terrible bun.
You want me to stand at what?
Finally I was led over to another area where the rest of the “students” were gathered then once again, fifty feet away the yelling started. This time they were saying something that despite some of the shock dissipating, I definitely didn’t understand.
You need to be standing at attention, airman!
Why aren’t you in this line and standing at attention yet?!
I’m sorry, what? Stand at attention?? After taking a good thirty seconds to scan the people around me I figured the best thing to do was to copy them. I came to the conclusion that standing “at attention” meant to stand there as still as possible not speaking or moving a muscle until someone starts yelling at you for something else you’re not doing correctly. For the next twelve hours that day I, stood in lines at attention, was yelled at for blinking too quickly, was yelled at for smiling, was yelled at for crying, and was yelled at for a myriad of other things I’ve since blocked out of my memory. In my mind, THIS was the Air Force. For the next six years I wouldn’t be able to smile, move my hands when I talked (impossible for us Italians), or make a single decision for myself.
That night I called my mom and I told her I was driving right back home in the morning. Her response?
I don’t think that’s an option, honey
Slowly but surely
The first two weeks of training were pretty much a big blur. It was a blur of tears, blisters, marching, three-thirty in the morning workouts, and information overload. Little by little, I started to realize that this was actually just training. This wasn’t what my entire time in the Air Force would look like. I would be able to have fun, and normal conversation with friends, and I would be able to interact with superiors without getting yelled at.
After a while, I actually started to *gasp* have fun!
Eventually the blisters callused over and I got the marching down. I got used to the MRE’s and was able to do a few less things to sparked rage from the instructors. It’s funny looking back to my very first experience with the Air Force as a six year veteran. In those years of active duty, I became a stronger, more confident person than I ever would have dreamed. There were definitely some challenging times (maybe I’ll tell a few of those stories soon), but I wouldn’t trade my time in the Air Force for anything.
