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Army MOS · Medical

68L Occupational Therapy Specialist

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

An Occupational Therapy Specialist interviews and tests patients, plans treatment programs, and teaches or assists patients under the direction of a registered military occupational therapist. This specialist helps patients reduce physical and mental disabilities caused by illness or trauma, prevent injury, modify their lifestyles, and improve fitness.

Minimum ASVAB: ST 101

ASVAB policy: Not policy-reviewed · coverage unknown · as of 2026-10-19

Program scope has not been reviewed.

Policy applicability and coverage of the program's score routes have not been reviewed. Shown-route arithmetic is not an eligibility decision.

Source: smartbook-611-21-ch10c-fy2025 (source date 2025-12). Policy applicability has not been established.

See if you would hit this score: free ASVAB practice test

Core Skills

  • Patient interviewing and testing under therapist direction
  • Treatment planning for physical and mental recovery
  • Injury prevention and lifestyle modification education

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Occupational Therapy Assistants

Military experience interviewing, testing, planning treatment, and teaching patients under an occupational therapist's direction closely overlaps with civilian occupational therapy assistance.

How to prepare: Have an accredited occupational therapy assistant program and the intended state licensing board assess your documented military education and fieldwork to identify remaining gaps. Entry typically requires an accredited associate's degree program, although bachelor's programs exist, plus fieldwork; state licensure is usually required and involves accredited education, fieldwork, and passing an exam, with some states adding requirements such as a background check.

What the civilian work involves
  • Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
  • Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
  • Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software

Occupational Therapy Aides

Military experience assisting patients recovering from illness or trauma transfers directly to patient support in an occupational therapy setting.

How to prepare: Apply to occupational therapy aide openings that provide on-the-job training, using examples of your supervised patient assistance; entry typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent.

What the civilian work involves
  • Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
  • Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • MEDITECH software

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. Army COOL MOC feed: 68L Occupational Therapy Specialist

    [1] data/authority/army-codes.json entry 68L (OSD COOL feed, fetched 2026-07-25); DB rank enlisted, authority codeType enlisted

    Supports: Patient interviewing and testing under therapist direction, Treatment planning for physical and mental recovery, Injury prevention and lifestyle modification education, Occupational Therapy Assistants (O*NET 31-2011.00), Occupational Therapy Aides (O*NET 31-2012.00)

  2. O*NET: Occupational Therapy Assistants

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Occupational Therapy Assistants (O*NET 31-2011.00)

  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides

    [3] How to Become; Education and Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations; updated August 27, 2026, checked September 23, 2026

    Supports: Occupational Therapy Assistants (O*NET 31-2011.00), Occupational Therapy Aides (O*NET 31-2012.00)

  4. O*NET: Occupational Therapy Aides

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Occupational Therapy Aides (O*NET 31-2012.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 68L

Predecessor codes

Historical codes with documented links to 68L. Each history page explains the change.

35LAvionic Communications Equipment Repairer35PAvionic Equipment Maintenance Supervisor

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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