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Army MOS · Medical

68W Combat Medic 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

A Combat Medic Specialist provides emergency medical treatment, limited primary care, force health protection, and evacuation in operational and clinical settings. The specialist treats battle and non-battle casualties from the point of injury or illness through the military health care continuum.

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

  • Platoon medical readiness and supply oversight
  • Supervised inpatient and outpatient care support
  • Combat Lifesaver instruction and annual recertification
  • Casualty evacuation across operational care settings

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.

Emergency Medical Technicians

Emergency treatment at the point of injury and casualty evacuation provide directly relevant experience for prehospital patient care.

How to prepare: Ask your intended State EMS Office to review your training and current certification status and identify any remaining education, examination, or skills competency steps.

What the civilian work involves
  • Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
  • Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
  • Communicate with dispatchers or treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of survivors, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Informed EMS Field Guide
  • MEDITECH software

Paramedics

Battlefield emergency treatment and evacuation experience provide a foundation for further education in advanced prehospital care.

How to prepare: Arrange a transcript and certification review with a CAAHEP-accredited paramedic program to plan the additional education needed.

What the civilian work involves
  • Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.
  • Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
  • Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • MEDITECH software

Medical Assistants

Assisting with supervised outpatient and inpatient treatment provides relevant experience for clinical support in medical offices.

How to prepare: Compare your formal medical training record with AMT's RMA military route before applying for certification.

What the civilian work involves
  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Epic Systems
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software

Training & Development

Choose credentials for your target role. COOL funding markers describe program listings, not a guarantee of eligibility or funding.

Getting Started

  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) · Funded · Promotion points · STAR

    Establish National Registry EMT certification through the full education pathway when needed for the EMT transition.

    Eligibility and preparation: Complete a state-approved EMT course within the past two years, with program director verification, and pass the National Registry EMT examination and a State EMS Office approved BLS skills competency requirement.

    For: Emergency Medical Technicians

  • Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

    Use AMT's military training route to pursue a clinical medical assistant credential.

    Eligibility and preparation: For the military route, be a graduate within the last four years or scheduled to graduate from a formal U.S. Armed Forces medical services training program; provide a Joint Services Transcript or DD214 documenting graduation and pass the AMT RMA examination.

    For: Medical Assistants

Career Growth

  • National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

    Support progression from EMT-level preparation to advanced prehospital practice.

    Eligibility and preparation: Hold current National Registry certification or a state license at EMT level or higher; complete a CAAHEP-accredited paramedic program or one with a CoAEMSP Letter of Review within the past two years, with program director verification and required Student Minimum Competency documentation; and pass the National Registry Paramedic Certification Examination.

    For: Paramedics

Notes & Sources

  • For EMT and paramedic practice, National Registry certification alone does not authorize practice; state authorization is required.
Evidence for this guidance (10 documents)
  1. Smartbook DA PAM 611-21, Chapter 10C, MOS 68W

    [1] Section 10-68W a and a(1); cached text lines 10744-10761

    Supports: Platoon medical readiness and supply oversight, Supervised inpatient and outpatient care support, Combat Lifesaver instruction and annual recertification, Casualty evacuation across operational care settings, Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00), Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00), Medical Assistants (O*NET 31-9092.00)

  2. O*NET: Emergency Medical Technicians

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00)

  3. National Registry : EMT Full Education Program Pathway

    [3] Opening requirements list

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

  4. National Registry : Legal Differences Between Certification and Licensure

    [4] What if my state certifies, not licenses, EMS professionals?

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00), Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00)

  5. O*NET: Paramedics

    [5] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00)

  6. National Registry : Paramedic Full Education Program Pathway

    [6] Opening requirements list

    Supports: Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00), National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

  7. O*NET: Medical Assistants

    [7] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Medical Assistants (O*NET 31-9092.00)

  8. American Medical Technologists : Medical Assistant (RMA)

    [8] Check Eligibility and RMA Military Route

    Supports: Medical Assistants (O*NET 31-9092.00), Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

    [11]COOL credential mapping: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) · 68W cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

  9. COOL credential mapping: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

    [9] 68W cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

  10. COOL credential mapping: National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

    [10] 68W cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

Defense contractor jobs for 68W

Predecessor codes

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

91W3Health Care Specialist91W4Health Care Specialist91W5Health Care Specialist

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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