68W
Encyclopedia
68W is the Military Occupational Specialty
(MOS) for the United States Army
's healthcare specialist, also known as the combat medic
. This specialty is open to males and females as well as allowing color vision deficient personnel.
s. Other nations and services also have similarly-trained personnel, but this discussion and the following details apply only to those within the United States Army. These medics serve as the basic or first tier of the Army medical system accompanying units as small as platoon
s (approximately 12-40 soldiers) during training and deployments. Medics provide initial emergency medical care
, evacuation, and supervision to other soldiers with medical training (such as Combat Lifesavers) as well as provide medical advice to unit chains of command.
In addition to first responder or combat medical support, medics provide paraprofessional care in medical treatment facilities—battalion aid stations, clinic
s, hospital
s, etc.--to soldiers, military dependents, and authorized civilian personnel. In this capacity, healthcare specialists work under the supervision and purview of physician assistant
s and physician
s and alongside other medical professionals.
Healthcare specialists are initially trained as Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technicians (at the EMT-B level) with additional training in trauma and Army specific techniques and procedures. Maintenance of civilian accreditation is currently required and further education is commonly offered including the opportunity to add additional skill training or—with acceptable civilian education—application to the Inter-service Physician Assistant Program.
Civilian equivalents are difficult to assess given the broad range of skills and training healthcare specialists may have but most healthcare specialists without additional specialized training are trained in or work in areas overlapping civilian EMT
s, medical assistants, patient administration personnel, office managers, schedulers, ambulance drivers, pharmacy technician
s, phlebotomist
s, patient care assistants, and others.
Advanced level healthcare specialists who have not specialized generally assume more administrative duties in medical sections or treatment facilities as well as training and supervisory duties while maintaining perishable treatment skills.
The Department of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel issued a notice for future change for the MOS 91B and 91C (Licensed Practical Nurse) in September 1999. The notice established the transition of personnel holding both MOS's to 91W to begin on 1 October 2001 and end on 30 September 2007. The 91W MOS required additional training and the maintenance of civilian EMT certification which was previously optional for soldiers. Army personnel holding MOS 91C would become 91W's (and later 68W's) with an additional skill identifier of M6. During the transitory period, all 91B and 91C classified soldiers were given the Y2 identifier until completion of additional training to become 91W, reclassification to a different MOS, or discharge from the US Army.
Later—as part of an ongoing administrative revision of Army Enlisted MOS's—MOS 91W was redesignated 68W.
, soldiers training for 68W10 ship to Fort Sam Houston
, Texas for Advanced Individual Training (AIT). The AIT or job training may last for 16 to 68 weeks, depending what additional skill training is completed. Training includes a combination of lecture, hands-on, and practical field exercises with many skills—including starting intravenous lines—practiced on each other. The first part of the course focuses on CPR and EMT-Basic training and concludes with certification tests for both skills. Further training is on Army specific tasks.
After assignment to a unit, 68Ws may, at the request of their unit's Physician Assistant (PA), attend any number of advanced topics. Topics are generally prescribed per each unit's functional role. For example, front-line combat medic (aka "line medic") may learn about advanced trauma treatments including venous cutdowns, placement of chest tubes, or use of specialty hemorrhage control methods such as Chitosan
patches (no longer in use by the United States Military). In the case of those attached to medical units, they may learn to administer medications which result in more definitive treatment than their civilian counterparts are allowed to.
Unlike civilian hospitals, field hospital units usually do not have a large number of 68WM6 (LPN), and instead use the combat medic who is readily available and partially trained. Some medics opt for EMT-I
or EMT-P certification or additional certifications through civilian education.
Medics completing the equivalent of an bachelor's degree with required science prerequisites may apply for the Inter-service Physician Assistant Program (IPAP). The intensive two-year program results in a civilian master's degree, an officer's commission, and the opportunity to sit for civilian certification.
Healthcare specialist also serve as the primary source for recruiting special operations medics including "18D" Special Forces
Medical Sergeant. Those completing the assessment course for Special Forces or assigned to specific units are trained as Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) course ("W1") or 18D's resulting in the opportunity to take the EMT-Paramedic certification. SOCM qualified medics are assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment
(Ranger Medic), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR Flight Medic), 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (CA-Med SGT), Special Operations Support Command, and in support positions of the special forces groups. The training is an intensive 8 month Special Operations Combat Medic Course/18D located at Ft.Bragg,NC to be awarded the W1 identifier. The SOCM 68W is currently the most independent-duty enlisted medical personnel in the CMF 68 field.
SOCM medics work independently within specific protocols; the scope of practice may be expanded during the absence of a medical officer. SOCM medics assigned to special operations units regularly attend advanced medical and military training after the SOCM course to maintain interoperability with special operations forces.
SOCM (W1's) Credentials include:
Health Care Specialists and their Medical and Nurse officers may be awarded the Combat Medical Badge
(CMB) and Expert Field Medical Badge
(EFMB), if they meet qualification requirements. The EFMB is awarded following successful completion of an extensive day-long test of field medical skills (Many excellent medics and even many physicians fail this test). The Combat Medic Badge is given only to those medical personnel who have provided direct support to infantry units in combat at certain levels of organisation. Simply the fact of being deployed in a combat zone, or even having been wounded in combat does not necessarily qualify a medic for the CMB (For example, Air Ambulance Medics are not qualified, since they are not assigned to infantry units, which recurrently causes much concern among the air ambulance community.) However they do qualify for crew member flight wings.
; however, the skills may be applied to soldiers in non-combat situations. The Combat Lifesaver is instructed in various techniques to treat and stabilize injuries related to combat. To include, but not limited to, blast injury
, amputation
, severe bleeding, penetrating chest injuries, simple airway management
, and evacuation techniques. The Combat Lifesaver doctrine was developed as an effort to increase survivability in combat environments where the combat medic
may not be readily available. The Combat Lifesaver is a bridge between self aid
or buddy aid, and the Combat Medic (68W). The Combat Lifesaver can augment the Combat Medic, as needed. The 68W trains the Combat Lifesaver.
United States military occupation code
A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code , is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used...
(MOS) for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's healthcare specialist, also known as the combat medic
Combat medic
Combat medics are trained military personnel who are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield. They are also responsible for providing continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injury...
. This specialty is open to males and females as well as allowing color vision deficient personnel.
Description
The primary role of 68W healthcare specialists in the U.S. Army is providing medical treatment to wounded soldierSoldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s. Other nations and services also have similarly-trained personnel, but this discussion and the following details apply only to those within the United States Army. These medics serve as the basic or first tier of the Army medical system accompanying units as small as platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
s (approximately 12-40 soldiers) during training and deployments. Medics provide initial emergency medical care
Emergency medicine
Emergency medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency medicine physicians diagnose a variety of illnesses and undertake acute...
, evacuation, and supervision to other soldiers with medical training (such as Combat Lifesavers) as well as provide medical advice to unit chains of command.
In addition to first responder or combat medical support, medics provide paraprofessional care in medical treatment facilities—battalion aid stations, clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
s, hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s, etc.--to soldiers, military dependents, and authorized civilian personnel. In this capacity, healthcare specialists work under the supervision and purview of physician assistant
Physician assistant
A physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
s and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s and alongside other medical professionals.
Healthcare specialists are initially trained as Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technicians (at the EMT-B level) with additional training in trauma and Army specific techniques and procedures. Maintenance of civilian accreditation is currently required and further education is commonly offered including the opportunity to add additional skill training or—with acceptable civilian education—application to the Inter-service Physician Assistant Program.
Civilian equivalents are difficult to assess given the broad range of skills and training healthcare specialists may have but most healthcare specialists without additional specialized training are trained in or work in areas overlapping civilian EMT
EMT
EMT may refer to:In education:* European Master's in Translation, a quality label for university programmes in translator trainingIn health and medicine:* Emergency medical technician, a healthcare workerIn music:...
s, medical assistants, patient administration personnel, office managers, schedulers, ambulance drivers, pharmacy technician
Pharmacy technician
A pharmacy technician, also sometimes known as a pharmaceutical technician, is a health care worker who performs pharmacy related functions, generally working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist or other health professional...
s, phlebotomist
Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists are individuals trained to draw blood from a live person or animal.Phlebotomists collect blood primarily by performing venipuncture and, for collection of minute quantities of blood, fingersticks. Blood may be collected from infants by means of a heel stick...
s, patient care assistants, and others.
Advanced level healthcare specialists who have not specialized generally assume more administrative duties in medical sections or treatment facilities as well as training and supervisory duties while maintaining perishable treatment skills.
Skill Levels
Skill levels are appended to the MOS to identify positions a soldier may be assigned to and are followed by a letter code, Special Qualification Identifier, identifying special skills such as parachute qualification ("P") or Airborne Ranger qualification ("V"). When no appropriate skill modifier is used, a letter "O", erroneously read as a zero "0". For example, a healthcare specialist would be awarded MOS 68W1O.- 0 is an untrained medic prior to school completion.
- 1 is the basic entry level medicMedicMedic is a general term for a person involved in medicine, especially emergency or first-response medicine, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a military member trained in battlefield medicine. Also the term is used toward a Nurse in pre-hospital care and/or emergency...
with ranks of PrivatePrivate (rank)A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
through SpecialistSpecialist (rank)Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...
/CorporalCorporalCorporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
(E-1 through E-4) - 2 is a medic with the rank of SergeantSergeantSergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
(E-5) - 3 is a medic with the rank of Staff SergeantStaff SergeantStaff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
(E-6) - 4 is a medic with the rank of Sergeant First ClassSergeant First ClassSergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
(E-7) - 5 is a medic with the rank of Master SergeantMaster SergeantA master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
/First SergeantFirst SergeantFirst sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
(E-8) or Sergeant MajorSergeant MajorSergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
(E-9)
Skill Identifiers
Skill identifiers are awarded to personnel with additional training in a particular specialty and affects what positions a soldier holding the skill identifier may be assigned to. Most require formal school training.- F3 is an Army Flight MedicFlight medicA Flight Medic is a generic term used to describe a Paramedic that functions in an aeromedical environment. Typically the Flight Medic will work with a registered nurse, physician, Respiratory Therapist, or another Paramedic. The Flight Paramedic is usually highly trained and has years of clinical...
- M6 is the Army's Licensed Practical NurseLicensed Practical NurseLicensed practical nurse is the term used in much of the United States and most Canadian provinces to refer to a nurse who cares for "people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. The term licensed vocational nurses is used in...
- P1 is an orthopedicsOrthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
specialist (clinical) - Y8 is an immunization-allergy specialist (clinical, lab)
- N3 is the Army's Occupational TherapyOccupational therapyOccupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
Assistant (clinical) - N9 is a physical therapyPhysical therapyPhysical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
technician (clinical) - Y2 is the code used to identify those who have not finished the upgrade classes
- W1 is a special operations combat medicCombat medicCombat medics are trained military personnel who are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield. They are also responsible for providing continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injury...
(SOCM) - P3 is an optometryOptometryOptometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
specialist (clinical) - Y6 is a cardiovascularCardiologyCardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
specialist (Cardiac Catheterization Technologist and Echocardiographer) - P2 is an Ear Nose and ThroatOtolaryngologyOtolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
specialist (ENT)
History
Currently known as 68W, the Army's basic medical MOS was changed, effective October 1, 2006. Formerly known by the MOS codes 91B (91 Bravo) and 91A (91 Alpha), both MOS's were employed during and after the Vietnam War.The Department of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel issued a notice for future change for the MOS 91B and 91C (Licensed Practical Nurse) in September 1999. The notice established the transition of personnel holding both MOS's to 91W to begin on 1 October 2001 and end on 30 September 2007. The 91W MOS required additional training and the maintenance of civilian EMT certification which was previously optional for soldiers. Army personnel holding MOS 91C would become 91W's (and later 68W's) with an additional skill identifier of M6. During the transitory period, all 91B and 91C classified soldiers were given the Y2 identifier until completion of additional training to become 91W, reclassification to a different MOS, or discharge from the US Army.
Later—as part of an ongoing administrative revision of Army Enlisted MOS's—MOS 91W was redesignated 68W.
Training
After completion of Basic Combat TrainingUnited States Army Basic Training
United States Army Basic Training is the program of physical and mental training required in order for an individual to become a soldier in the United States Army, United States Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. It is carried out at several different Army posts around the United States...
, soldiers training for 68W10 ship to Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
, Texas for Advanced Individual Training (AIT). The AIT or job training may last for 16 to 68 weeks, depending what additional skill training is completed. Training includes a combination of lecture, hands-on, and practical field exercises with many skills—including starting intravenous lines—practiced on each other. The first part of the course focuses on CPR and EMT-Basic training and concludes with certification tests for both skills. Further training is on Army specific tasks.
After assignment to a unit, 68Ws may, at the request of their unit's Physician Assistant (PA), attend any number of advanced topics. Topics are generally prescribed per each unit's functional role. For example, front-line combat medic (aka "line medic") may learn about advanced trauma treatments including venous cutdowns, placement of chest tubes, or use of specialty hemorrhage control methods such as Chitosan
Chitosan
Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed β--linked D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine...
patches (no longer in use by the United States Military). In the case of those attached to medical units, they may learn to administer medications which result in more definitive treatment than their civilian counterparts are allowed to.
Unlike civilian hospitals, field hospital units usually do not have a large number of 68WM6 (LPN), and instead use the combat medic who is readily available and partially trained. Some medics opt for EMT-I
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
or EMT-P certification or additional certifications through civilian education.
Medics completing the equivalent of an bachelor's degree with required science prerequisites may apply for the Inter-service Physician Assistant Program (IPAP). The intensive two-year program results in a civilian master's degree, an officer's commission, and the opportunity to sit for civilian certification.
Healthcare specialist also serve as the primary source for recruiting special operations medics including "18D" Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
Medical Sergeant. Those completing the assessment course for Special Forces or assigned to specific units are trained as Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) course ("W1") or 18D's resulting in the opportunity to take the EMT-Paramedic certification. SOCM qualified medics are assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment
75th Ranger Regiment (United States)
The 75th Ranger Regiment , also known as Rangers, is a Special Operations light infantry unit of the United States Army. The Regiment is headquartered in Fort Benning, Georgia with battalions in Fort Benning, Hunter Army Airfield and Joint Base Lewis-McChord...
(Ranger Medic), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR Flight Medic), 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (CA-Med SGT), Special Operations Support Command, and in support positions of the special forces groups. The training is an intensive 8 month Special Operations Combat Medic Course/18D located at Ft.Bragg,NC to be awarded the W1 identifier. The SOCM 68W is currently the most independent-duty enlisted medical personnel in the CMF 68 field.
SOCM medics work independently within specific protocols; the scope of practice may be expanded during the absence of a medical officer. SOCM medics assigned to special operations units regularly attend advanced medical and military training after the SOCM course to maintain interoperability with special operations forces.
SOCM (W1's) Credentials include:
- EMT BasicEmergency medical technicianEmergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
- EMT ParamedicEmergency medical technicianEmergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
- ATLSAdvanced Trauma Life SupportAdvanced Trauma Life Support is a training program for medical doctors in the management of acute trauma cases, developed by the American College of Surgeons. Similar programs exist for nurses and paramedics...
- BTLS/PHTLS (Basic Trauma Life Support/Prehospital Trauma Life Support)
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
- SOCOM ATP (Advanced Tactical Practitioner)
Recognition
Combat Medical Badge
The Combat Medical Badge is an award of the United States Army which was first created in January 1945. The badge is awarded to any member of the Army Medical Department, at the rank of Colonel or below, who are assigned or attached to a medical unit which provides medical support to a ground...
(CMB) and Expert Field Medical Badge
Expert Field Medical Badge
The Expert Field Medical Badge is a United States Army decoration first created on June 18, 1965. This badge is the non-combat equivalent of the Combat Medical Badge and is awarded to medical personnel of the US Military who successfully complete a set of qualification tests including both written...
(EFMB), if they meet qualification requirements. The EFMB is awarded following successful completion of an extensive day-long test of field medical skills (Many excellent medics and even many physicians fail this test). The Combat Medic Badge is given only to those medical personnel who have provided direct support to infantry units in combat at certain levels of organisation. Simply the fact of being deployed in a combat zone, or even having been wounded in combat does not necessarily qualify a medic for the CMB (For example, Air Ambulance Medics are not qualified, since they are not assigned to infantry units, which recurrently causes much concern among the air ambulance community.) However they do qualify for crew member flight wings.
Responsibilities
The Health Care Specialist is primarily responsible for providing emergency medical treatment, limited primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury or illness. Some of the duties as a Health Care Specialist may include:- Administering emergency medical treatment to battlefield casualties
- Assisting with outpatient and inpatient care and treatment
- Interviewing patients and recording their medical histories
- Taking patients' temperature, pulse and blood pressure
- Preparing blood samples for laboratory analysis
- Keeping health records and clinical files up-to-date
- Giving shots and medicines to patients
- Preparing patients, operating rooms, equipment and supplies for surgery
- Initial stabilizing treatment and triageTriageTriage or ) is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately. The term comes from the French verb trier, meaning to separate,...
- Plan and conduct Evacuation from the field of battle and en route life support
- Preventive medicine
- Field sanitation
- Clinical medicine
- Supportive Care in the event of delayed transport
- Plan and Provide instructions for unit Combat Lifesaver programs
Plan and conduct Combat Lifesaver training
A Combat Lifesaver (CLS) is non-medic soldier with moderate emergency medical training to provide care at the point of wounding. Combat Lifesaver skills are intended for use in combatCombat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
; however, the skills may be applied to soldiers in non-combat situations. The Combat Lifesaver is instructed in various techniques to treat and stabilize injuries related to combat. To include, but not limited to, blast injury
Blast injury
A blast injury is a complex type of physical trauma resulting from direct or indirect exposure to an explosion. Blast injuries occur with the detonation of high-order explosives as well as the deflagration of low order explosives...
, amputation
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
, severe bleeding, penetrating chest injuries, simple airway management
Airway management
In cardiopulmonary resuscitation, anaesthesia, emergency medicine, intensive care medicine and first aid, airway management is the process of ensuring that:# there is an open pathway between a patient’s lungs and the outside world, and...
, and evacuation techniques. The Combat Lifesaver doctrine was developed as an effort to increase survivability in combat environments where the combat medic
Combat medic
Combat medics are trained military personnel who are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield. They are also responsible for providing continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injury...
may not be readily available. The Combat Lifesaver is a bridge between self aid
Self Aid
Self Aid was a benefit concert held in Dublin, Ireland on 17 May 1986. The concert performances were primarily by Irish musicians, although Elvis Costello and Chris Rea were designated "honorary Irishmen" for the day; the event was promoted by Jim Aiken...
or buddy aid, and the Combat Medic (68W). The Combat Lifesaver can augment the Combat Medic, as needed. The 68W trains the Combat Lifesaver.
Skills of the Combat Lifesaver
- Basic casualty evaluation
- AirwayAirwayThe pulmonary airway comprises those parts of the respiratory system through which air flows, conceptually beginning at the nose and mouth, and terminating in the alveoli...
management - Chest injury and tension pneumothorax management
- Controlling BleedingBleedingBleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood or blood escape from the circulatory system...
- Requesting medical evacuationMEDEVACMedical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
See also
- Combat Medical TechnicianCombat Medical TechnicianA Combat Medical Technician CMT is a soldier with a specialist military trade within the Royal Army Medical Corps of the British Army and the Royal Air Force.-Role:The fully trained Combat Medical Technician is capable of:...
(British Army & Royal Air Force) - Enlisted Medic (U.S. Air Force)
- Hospital CorpsmanUnited States Navy Hospital CorpsmanA Hospital Corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist for the United States Navy who serves with Navy and United States Marine Corps units. The Hospital Corpsman works in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships,...
(U.S. Navy) - Hospital Corpsman Prayer
- List of United States Army MOS
- Army Medical Department (United States)Army Medical Department (United States)The Army Medical Department of the U.S. Army – known as the AMEDD – comprises the Army's six medical Special Branches of officers and medical enlisted soldiers. It was established as the "Army Hospital" in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the...
- Military medicineMilitary medicineThe term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean:*A medical specialty, specifically a branch of occupational medicine attending to the medical risks and needs of soldiers, sailors and other service members...
- Battlefield medicineBattlefield medicineBattlefield medicine, also called field surgery and later combat casualty care, is the treatment of wounded soldiers in or near an area of combat. Civilian medicine has been greatly advanced by procedures that were first developed to treat the wounds inflicted during combat...
- Medical assistant
- Ambulance#Military use