Army Combat Medic (68W) Requirements

The short answer. 68W is the Army Combat Medic Specialist: an entry-level enlisted job on Active Duty, the Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard. The GoArmy MOS card (read 2026-09-03) prints 101 ASVAB Score: Skilled Technical (ST), 17 to 42 Years Old, 10 weeks of Basic Training, and 16 weeks of Advanced Individual Training. That card does not name the AIT installation. An NCO Journal article dated July 27, 2026 prints that after basic training soldiers "arrive at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to begin 16 weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT)"; the same page says those are the author's views, not Army policy. The U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence describes itself as at "JBSA Ft. Sam Houston, Texas" (read 2026-09-03). GoArmy lists "Nationally Recognized Certifications Available" without naming NREMT. Confirm the live card and your recruiter before you sign a contract.

The 68W (pronounced "sixty-eight whiskey") is an Army enlisted medical MOS. Combat medics deliver emergency care in the field, in garrison, and during training. The MOS is a common bridge into civilian EMS and fire hiring. This page quotes the Army's own recruiting card for the score, the age band, and the week counts. It does not guess a headcount the card does not print.

ASVAB Score Requirements

The GoArmy Combat Medic Specialist card, read 2026-09-03, prints 101 ASVAB Score: Skilled Technical (ST). That is the number on the Army recruiting page for this MOS. An older copy of this article printed 107; 107 is not on the card opened this retrieval.

The card names the Skilled Technical composite. It does not list the subtests inside that composite. Use the official ASVAB program and a recruiter for how ST is scored on the test you will take.

Basic Eligibility

These lines are the Requirements block on the same GoArmy card (read 2026-09-03):

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a valid Green Card
• 17 to 42 years old
• High school diploma or GED
• Meet qualifications to work in a medical setting
• Meet tattoo guidelines
• No major law violations

The card marks the job Enlisted, Entry Level, and available on Active Duty, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard. It does not list a Secret clearance, AR 40-501, or a color-vision rule. GoArmy's own FAQ on that page says enlisted applicants do not have to meet a physical-fitness standard before joining, and that everyone must pass the Army Fitness Test (AFT) after joining.

Training Pipeline

Basic Training: 10 weeks. GoArmy prints "10 weeks of Basic Training" on the MOS card. Enlisted soldiers complete Basic Combat Training before the job course.

Advanced Individual Training: 16 weeks. GoArmy prints "16 weeks of Advanced Individual Training" on the MOS card. Ten plus sixteen is 26 weeks of those two blocks; that sum is arithmetic, not a third official total.

Where AIT is. The MOS card does not name a post. Two other Army pages do, and they should be read as themselves:

• Filling the Gap in Combat Medic Training, NCO Journal, July 27, 2026: "After Soldiers finish basic training, they arrive at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to begin 16 weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT)." The page states that the views are the author's, not Army policy.
• MEDCoE describes the command as "U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, JBSA Ft. Sam Houston, Texas." Its contact page prints JBSA Fort Sam Houston addresses and points 68W MOS questions to a CAC milSuite group. It does not reprint the 16-week figure.

If a recruiter names a different schoolhouse, treat the live orders as the thing you act on.

Certifications. GoArmy prints "Nationally Recognized Certifications Available" and does not name NREMT. The NCO Journal article describes the first eight weeks of AIT as emergency medical technician (EMT) basic training and says trainees who fail "this nationally recognized certification must pursue a new MOS." That is the author's description, not the MOS card. Do not treat an NREMT card as automatic. If you need the civilian credential for a fire or EMS application, plan to show it.

What the Job Looks Like

GoArmy: you "administer emergency medical care in the field in both combat and humanitarian situations, and train other soldiers first responder procedures." Assignment type still depends on the unit you land in: a line platoon, an aid station, a clinic, or a MEDEVAC crew. Confirm the contract and the unit with a recruiter. Ready to Serve is not an Army partner and does not place you.

Civilian Career Translation

68W medical time is a hiring story for fire and EMS. It is not a Texas Commission on Fire Protection seal and it is not a city offer. Because the MOS card does not name NREMT, treat civilian EMT or paramedic paperwork as something you still have to earn or produce. Start with how to become an EMT or paramedic and the military to firefighter transition.

Pay and Benefits

This page does not reprint an enlisted pay table. Open the live charts at militarypay.defense.gov and the Army's own pay and money page. Housing, food, and other allowances sit on those pages, not here.

Preparation Tips

Study for the Skilled Technical composite the MOS card names. Practice tests live at officialasvab.com.

GoArmy tells enlisted applicants they do not have to pass a fitness test to join, and that they will have to pass the Army Fitness Test after they are in. Train anyway. AIT is long, and the people who wash out of the medical block still owe the Army another MOS.

If you want flight medic or special-operations medic work later, those are later selections. They are not on the 68W recruiting card.

Next step

Read the live GoArmy 68W card, then talk to a recruiter. If the fire service is the reason you are looking at 68W, keep military vs civilian firefighter and the military pathway next to this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ASVAB score do I need for 68W?

The GoArmy Combat Medic Specialist card (read 2026-09-03) prints "101 ASVAB Score: Skilled Technical (ST)." That is the number on the Army recruiting page for this MOS. The card does not print 107.

How old do I have to be?

The same card prints 17 to 42 years old.

How long is 68W training?

GoArmy prints 10 weeks of Basic Training and 16 weeks of Advanced Individual Training. Ten plus sixteen is 26 weeks of those two blocks. That sum is arithmetic, not a third official total. The MOS card does not name the AIT installation.

Does 68W automatically give me an NREMT EMT card?

No. The MOS card lists "Nationally Recognized Certifications Available" and does not name NREMT. Treat the civilian card as something you still have to earn or produce.

What else does the MOS card require?

U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a valid Green Card; high school diploma or GED; meet qualifications to work in a medical setting. The card marks the job enlisted, entry-level, and available on Active Duty, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard.