COT Pay (AF HPSP)

[gingerhulking]

I go to COT this June and am trying to budget my expensive between now, when I leave to Alabama, and the gap of time from when COT finishes to when I start medical school.

My recruiter told me I would be collecting 35 days of pay + BAH for those 35 days (even though we are staying on campus) + given a per diem rate for food. He did not give me an exact total but he said it should be anywhere from 5-6k. I am not joining HPSP for the money but desperately need to know how and when I will be paying for my bills during my time from COT to when I start medical school.

Cliff notes: how much do I collect in COT? (does this include my O1 pay + BAH + per diem for food and uniform allowance?).

Thanks in advance!

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[gingerhulking]

bump

 

[gingerhulking]

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

 

[backrow]

Is there something more that you need other than what your recruiter already told you (between 5-6k)?

 

[deuist]

Depending on how bad the Air Force screws up your finances, you may not get paid anything during COT. I got my first paycheck weeks after I completed boot camp.

 

[gingerhulking]

Is there something more that you need other than what your recruiter already told you (between 5-6k)?

Yes...is it actually 5-6k? I’m attempting to figure this out so that I know my bills will be paid while I’m in COT. I’ve heard 3500 from some people & 5-6k from others. I know we don’t get a uniform allowance and these cost ~$1500

 

[gingerhulking]

Depending on how bad the Air Force screws up your finances, you may not get paid anything during COT. I got my first paycheck weeks after I completed boot camp.

I’ve heard stories like this. Even if it’s late I’m okay with that. I’m just trying to get a realistic number because I’ve heard things all over the place. I’m actually surprised this is this difficult to find out

 

[deleted480308]

Then budget on the lower number.

In fact budget on your money being 3 months late. You almost always get it eventually but the military is bad at large dumb delays

 

[gingerhulking]

Then budget on the lower number.

In fact budget on your money being 3 months late. You almost always get it eventually but the military is bad at large dumb delays

I hope I'm not being forward but this does nothing to answer my question. Yes, I am planning for the worst but hoping for the best. Looking for those who have been to COT recently to shed more light on this

 

[deleted480308]

I hope I'm not being forward but this does nothing to answer my question. Yes, I am planning for the worst but hoping for the best. Looking for those who have been to COT recently to shed more light on this

If you constantly budget on military payments to be timely you will unfortunately realize eventually how useful the advice was

Good luck with everything

 

[987656]

accepted to hpsp, waiting to be commisioned and they were saying that when i am commissioned my paper will say my money, etc. and my recruiter was retired and a new recruiter is on my file, and he told me hpsp stipend is 3k each month, i thought it is 2300 or 1900? how much do yall receive? it is soooo frustrating

 

[USArmyHPSP]

I have attached the 2019 stipend amount before taxes. Now, I must say that if you are so frustrated that you are publically stating as much, you may want to reconsider your decision to join the military. Getting appointed is the very least of the frustrations ahead of you. The money issues will continue for the rest of your career, starting now. What I tell the Army students who are now looking at June without being commissioned is to loan out the first semester. If the scholarship comes through on time, you can pay back the loan with little or no interest, but in any case it is better to have the money and not need it than to need it and not have it. The recruiters don't know what the scholarship pays for and what it doesn't. They are handed a standard line that "the scholarship pays 100%". Which is not true. There is some equipment, books and fees that the scholarship does not pay for. There are many things that you will pay out of pocket, and then ask to be reimbursed.

Again, give some serious consideration before accepting this scholarship.

 

[987656]

I have attached the 2019 stipend amount before taxes. Now, I must say that if you are so frustrated that you are publically stating as much, you may want to reconsider your decision to join the military. Getting appointed is the very least of the frustrations ahead of you. The money issues will continue for the rest of your career, starting now. What I tell the Army students who are now looking at June without being commissioned is to loan out the first semester. If the scholarship comes through on time, you can pay back the loan with little or no interest, but in any case it is better to have the money and not need it than to need it and not have it. The recruiters don't know what the scholarship pays for and what it doesn't. They are handed a standard line that "the scholarship pays 100%". Which is not true. There is some equipment, books and fees that the scholarship does not pay for. There are many things that you will pay out of pocket, and then ask to be reimbursed.

Again, give some serious consideration before accepting this scholarship.

thank you!! so is "increase from $2,330.78 per month to $2,391.60 per month." pretax? i was frustrated because everyone else in class has started to buy their stuff and i am sitting here and thinking to hold off until i have some money...

 

[BunsenBeaker]

Do you need “stuff” now before COT? Is your budget extremely tight?

In the future, I strongly recommend preparing financially to be paid “late.” Every time you PCS, BAH might get screwed up. Every time you get promoted, your base pay might not look right (I often forget that if you get a promotion or time in service raise part way through the month, you’ll only get the higher pay rate for those days after you hit whatever date). If you ever become a reservist, your pay may get held up or there might be issues. Someone will teach you to “read” your LES (Leave and Earning Statement) and you’ll know what to expect to see. If you don’t learn in COT, please ask a prior service person to help you so you know how to calculate things.

 

[987656]

Do you need “stuff” now before COT? Is your budget extremely tight?

In the future, I strongly recommend preparing financially to be paid “late.” Every time you PCS, BAH might get screwed up. Every time you get promoted, your base pay might not look right (I often forget that if you get a promotion or time in service raise part way through the month, you’ll only get the higher pay rate for those days after you hit whatever date). If you ever become a reservist, your pay may get held up or there might be issues. Someone will teach you to “read” your LES (Leave and Earning Statement) and you’ll know what to expect to see. If you don’t learn in COT, please ask a prior service person to help you so you know how to calculate things.

i am starting med school in a month...my cot is in the summer next year... by "stuff" i meant deposit for apartment, textbooks, tools etc. to prepare for school

 

[BunsenBeaker]

i am starting med school in a month...my cot is in the summer next year... by "stuff" i meant deposit for apartment, textbooks, tools etc. to prepare for school

Oh ok, I’m tracking now. Good luck with school!

 

[987656]

i heard air gives most deferrals... so how does it work? if i get a civilian deferred residency of 5 years and had HPSP of 4 years, how many years do i pay back? how easy is it to get a civilian deferred residency?

for example i am not going for derm, but i heard derm has 1 spot per year so people who wanna be dermatologists go to deferred residency, right?