Enlisting as 68W with NREMT certification - possible rank?

SPC Brionna V. — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 20:54:52 -0500

I've seen multiple answers stating anything from PVT to SPC - I have 9 hours of college credit from my original EMT school and I've submitted that as well as my NREMT certification to my recruiters. I've been told I'll likely go in as E-2 by my recruiter and I sign my contract next week when I head to MEPS for my physical/processing. Any tips on what to look for in the contract or where I may be at in terms of rank? It doesn't particularly matter to me - a boot's a boot's a boot, and that's what I'll be. Just trying to get this sorted so I don't get screwed.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2019 8:59 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 20:59:04 -0500

You will only come in with the rank they give you at MEPS. I came in as a PFC because of JRROTC in high school. The only thing NREMT will get you is, or was, 6 weeks off AIT. The first 6 weeks was EMT B school and of you are certified theybwont make you go through it again. The rest of AIT is required no matter how much experience you have. They want to teach you they ways of an Army medic.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2019 8:59 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 20:59:09 -0500

The ARMY has the Civilian Aquited Skills Program (CASP) which allows civilians with certain skills to enlist with the advanced rank of Specialist. Look it up and if your recruiter doesn’t get you hooked up then your recruiter isn’t doing his/her job.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2019 9:05 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:05:33 -0500

You should be a SPC. I'm currently at AIT for 68w at Fort Sam Houston. All the people who came in with an NREMT certification came in as "accelerants". Since the first 8ish weeks of AIT is just the EMT phase, they were able to skip that and just go straight to "whiskey phase" where you learn all your Army medicine. If your recruiter is telling you that you'll only be an E-2 he's either misinformed or lazy. You should be coming in as an E-4.

Response by SSG Michael Hathaway made Mar 1 at 2019 9:08 PM

SSG Michael Hathaway — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:08:17 -0500

One of my newest soldiers that reported to the unit a couple months ago was a certified paramedic and then went AIT 68W. I believe he enlisted and was able to get SPC right away.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2019 9:12 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:12:16 -0500

You will have your rank and pay entry in your contract. Promotion potential is not in contracts. Granted no adverse actions toward your promotion potential like bad conduct you will obtain PFC within your first year automatically. You will be promoted to SPC automatically at anywhere from 18-24 months time in service. You will bypass the EMT course portion of 68W course and go right to the Combat Medicine portion of the course granted you kept your NREMT cert.

In regards to your contract your pay, your initial rank, your school dates, and any potential bonus along with your years you’ve agreed to serve will be there, your GI bill benefit will also be there. That’s it nothing else. NREMT alone will not get your SPC, if you had a bachelors yes it would. I am the exact recruit as you are but I did it ten years ago

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2019 9:22 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:22:11 -0500

PFC, the only thing the NREMT will get you is a jump through to the Whiskey training. You will bypass the classroom.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2019 11:52 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 23:52:30 -0500

Practice expectation management. Everyone comes out of 68W AIT with EMT. You will be eight weeks ahead of your peers.

Response by CPL(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2019 12:05 PM

CPL(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 12:05:56 -0500

Talk to your recruiter about the Civilian Acquired Skills Program. If you're have your NREMT, you should be enlisted as an E4. Don't sign without it.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2019 3:30 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 15:30:17 -0500

On order to come in as a SPC you have to have a 4 year college degree. Having your NREMT license will only allow you to skip the first half of 68W school and move straight to the whiskey portion of the training.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2019 7:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 19:48:35 -0500

AR 600-8-19 is all about promotions. It’ll specify.

Do brush up on your EMT basic knowledge prior to shipping to basic and AIT if you aren’t working in EMS currently. Everyone in your class will be fresh out of taking NREMT and will be fresh in their minds and it will help “prime you” (academically) for the whiskey phase.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2019 11:00 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 23:00:58 -0500

I was going to do the same thing, but didn’t get my certification paperwork in before going to meps. I was told I’d be promoted to SPC, and actually had a friend who enlisted who did have her paperwork and she was automatically a SPC. Depends on your contract, and which branch(ARNG or Army/Reserves)

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2019 7:26 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 19:26:51 -0500

If you have submitted your NREMT Cert and your state Cert you
Should be going in as a SPC nothing less. And after basic you’ll pick up at part 2 of AIT. I would highly recommend doing that. It will save you a lot of time and stress

Response by SPC Brionna V. made Mar 4 at 2019 8:20 PM

SPC Brionna V. — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 20:20:14 -0500

UPDATE: Talked to my recruiter about ACASP and I’m slated to enlist as SPC with 9-10 weeks of AIT, down from 16. Thank you guys so much for the guidance!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2019 12:35 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 00:35:55 -0500

You only come in as a SPC if you have a bachelors degree. You’ll be a private (E1-E3). Enjoy it while you’re there. Stay out of trouble. Speak less than you listen. Keep your bearing.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2019 12:41 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 00:41:18 -0500

To clear this up even more: I went through as an accelerant as a PFC. When the school house found out I had my NREMT and that my recruiter screwed me, I immediately got orders to SPC and skipped the EMT portion of AIT. This is known as Army Civilian Acquired Skills Program, ACASP. With any civilian certification for your MOS, you can join as a SPC. Caveat: I have seen someone accelerate but not pick up rank. That was for multiple reasons; easiest explanation is that he did not have his NREMT when coming in and for some miracle he got to challenge the test. If you have your NREMT, you are NOT allowed to retake that portion. School house rules.
Last bits of advice, look online to fact check your recruiter and keep him or her on his or her toes. There are great ones and bad ones. Make sure you get everything in writing too. Once you have that in writing, keep it. Do not throw those things out.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2019 9:13 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 21:13:58 -0500

So havent read all the comments so I apologize if this has already been stated. So long as it works the same when I went through you'll have no rank through basic, pass basic and so long as your nremt is still valid and not expired you can talk to your PSG in whiskey school they will fast track you to whiskey phase cutting out about 6 to 8 weeks of training and you should get promoted to SPC

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2019 6:16 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 06:16:27 -0400

Google bonuses for 68W

Response by SGT David Reed made Apr 7 at 2019 4:44 PM

SGT David Reed — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 16:44:57 -0400

With 9 hours, I'm guessing E-3 (PFC).

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2019 10:45 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:45:09 -0400

You will most likely get PFC, to get SPC you normally need 60 college credits. You will however skip the emt course at fort sam and go directly to the battlefield medicine portion of the course following a short skills day with a company that has just completed the emt portion. That about all you’ll get from having NREMT already

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2019 10:45 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:45:27 -0400

I was the exact same recruit as you are but ten years ago

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2019 10:46 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:46:52 -0400

Sorry 60 college credits get you to PFC not SPC a bachelors gets you to SPC right away: you get pv2 right away if you complete jrotc or some type of future soldier training

Response by SFC James Thurman made Apr 24 at 2020 10:56 AM

SFC James Thurman — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:56:44 -0400

Yep go get your NREMT-P