COT Here I Come!

Well, in 1 week from now, I'll be at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama for my Commissioned Officer Training. I've been waiting for more than a year to begin my career as an Air Force Officer in the JAG Corps, and the time has finally arrived for that to begin. I can honestly say that I am extremely excited, but also quite anxious at the same time. I know that the minute I walk onto base, everything will change. Here is what will happen in the next 3 months:

I have 5 weeks of COT followed by 2 months of JAG school. While I have made a lot of jokes about COT being "sissy boot camp", by no means will it be a walk in the park (COT, by the way, is for lawyers, doctors, and chaplains). Now, it is more relaxed than enlisted training (we have a maid for crying out loud), it will still be intense. I have received a packet of rules that I have to memorize that explains how everything will work (and I mean everything, since they tell you how to do EVERYTHING, such as how to arrange the food on your tray at dinner). Essentially, COT will involve getting up at 4:30 (woops, I mean o430), eating breakfast, going to class all day, doing homework, and going to bed at 2300, with marching in between everything. I have heard that it is pretty much a game full of tons of rules, and if you play the game, you'll be alright. The hardest part, I think, will be the sleep deprivation. We also get to do a deployment excercise as well as partake in the gas chamber (this is about the time when I'll be thinking of the plush law firm offices that my law school friends will be sitting in)!

JAG school should be much more laid back and enjoyable. Then, its off to Colorado Springs! I will have limited Internet access the next few months, but I will try to post when I can. Click here to see a short video of what COT is like. If you're really interested, click here to see some more.