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Navy NEC · Medical

L12A Preventive Medicine Technician

Current service use not established

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

A Navy Enlisted Classification: a skill designation sailors hold in addition to their rating.

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Overview

A Preventive Medicine Technician assists with preventive medicine and occupational health programs by inspecting facilities and systems, analyzing food and water samples, and investigating communicable diseases. The technician administers immunization and infection control programs, controls disease vectors, supports field sanitation and workplace health surveillance, and instructs personnel in preventive medicine, environmental health, industrial hygiene, and occupational health.

Minimum clearance: Secret

Core Skills

  • Bacteriological testing of food and water
  • Communicable disease investigation and contact counseling
  • Disease vector identification and control
  • Workplace hazard and exposed-personnel surveillance

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 Health and Safety Technicians

Workplace and exposed-personnel surveillance under occupational health professionals transfers directly to supporting civilian workplace hazard testing and documentation.

How to prepare: Take a course in civilian safety regulations and workplace inspection methods to build on NAVOSH-based experience.

What the civilian work involves
  • Maintain all required environmental records and documentation.
  • Test workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemical or biological hazards, or excessive noise.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word

Community Health Workers

Interviewing and counseling communicable disease patients and contacts provides relevant experience for targeted community outreach and client follow-up.

How to prepare: Prepare a de-identified example showing how you contacted, counseled, and followed up with a patient or contact for use in public health outreach applications.

What the civilian work involves
  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
  • Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Outlook

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. NAVPERS 18068F Vol II (NEOCS, Jul 2026 edition): NEC L12A

    [1] NEC entry "L12A - Preventive Medicine Technician"; cached text line 7624; NAVPERS 18068F Vol II, 2026-07 edition

    Supports: Bacteriological testing of food and water, Communicable disease investigation and contact counseling, Disease vector identification and control, Workplace hazard and exposed-personnel surveillance, Occupational Health and Safety Technicians (O*NET 19-5012.00), Community Health Workers (O*NET 21-1094.00)

  2. O*NET: Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Occupational Health and Safety Technicians (O*NET 19-5012.00)

  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians

    [3] How to Become One: Education, Training, Work Experience; page dated 2026-08-27, retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: Occupational Health and Safety Technicians (O*NET 19-5012.00)

  4. O*NET: Community Health Workers

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Community Health Workers (O*NET 21-1094.00)

Defense contractor jobs for L12A

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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