Posted on May 16, 2016
Is combat required to be called a Combat medic?
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When I was in Germany in the early '80s, a fellow medic wrote on a form "Combat Medic" for his MOS. When our Platoon Sargent(a Vietnam veteran) saw that, he made the private change it, and told him that he has never seen combat, and therefore, is not a "Combat Medic". So, does one have to have seen actual combat to take the title Combat Medic, or Combat Engineer or anything else you can put 'Combat' in front of? Or is it enough to simply have served in a combat zone?
68W: Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
Combat Medic
Awards
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 89
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For all of you who came in after we were changed from 91A/B to 68W, the original title of a medic as a 91A was Combat Medic... then we got all PC and changed it to Healthcare Specialist... I came in the Army in 1984 as a 91A-Combat Medic... then I went to Super B school(what was grandfathered two years later into BNCOC). Going from 91A to 91B was an actual change of MOS back then.. And we went from being Combat Medics to Super B's. Now we're "Healthcare Specialist" Thank you, to all you politically correct wussies who didn't want to hear anything about combat in a designation. And yes, I went to combat, but I was called it before I got there. It was actually the title... still have schoolhouse books/modules with the title on it in my attic...
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SGT Edward Wilcox
I think you are a little confused. I came in in 1984 and the official title was Medical Specialist, not Combat Medic. Way to romanticize, though.
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SSG Darrell Peters
SGT Edward Wilcox - I came in in 82 it was "Combat Medic" the School was named the Combat Medic Academy PC changes occurred in 84.
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Actually, it's the job description I signed up for, so as far as I'm concerned, that's what I put on my resume.
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I make it simple, if I'm in the BAS I'm a healthcare specialist. When I'm out on the range or somewhere where I'm carrying arms(m9 or m4 according to Geneva convention) I'm the combat medic or "doc" whatever they call me at that point.
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CPL Wesley Keyser
Every doc, vs bas health care specialist has done both for the most part. I carried both an m4 and an m9. I know that there are people who never set foot on foreign soil, but they stood ready; I presume anyway. I have known many that wanted to go but the numbers never came up. My life just sucked so much at home that I would have rather been overseas. So I went and they didn't.
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I would have to say it depends on what the Official Description of the MOS/NEC says. If it says Combat Medic, Once you completed the school technically you can claim it.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
In my case the semantics of the title don't quite give it away but the 2nd NEC does. CTO1 but with a TACINTEL NEC. What is Tactical Intelligence sitting so close to your target that they know you are there.
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I was assigned to the 82nd Combat Engineers, we were combat engineers.. during my time we were protecting the Fulda Gap... Maybe we should have just been engineers since there was no fighting going on.. but our Vietman vets in the unit could be? But, that is not what the MOS name said... 12B Combat Engineer, never heard it brought up once about the name.
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SPC Thomas Clark
Two things caught my eye when I was scrolling through your post. The first was "combat engineer" and the second was being stationed in the Fulda Gap. My Pop rarely talked about his military experience EXCEPT when he was correcting terminology used to define his military occupation: COMBAT Engineer (he took umbrage with being referred to as "engineer"). His rationale was that a combat engineers received specialized training in demolitions and fortifications while an "engineer" did not. My second reason for benaging on the keyboard is your reference to the Fulda Gap. I recall many stories of my Pop's experiences while stationed in "the gap". Those who served in the freezing cold of winter in the gap staring down Soviet tank brigades have really been lost to history. Respects 'n take care out there. =) Tom
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SGT Kyle Johnson
SPC Thomas Clark Your Pop was correct, we spent much of our time handling live demolition material. We would go from the Gap to Graf or Hohensfeld to spend 30 days setting off shape charges, C4, Bagledor (sp), cutting down trees with det cord.. (really tele poles, lol). We did get in trouble with Range control, end of the day, lots of explosives left, so we decided on one big bang, so we could go in for the day, and next day convoy home. Well.. lets just say it was well over range load limit, and we had to stay an extra week with our heavy junk to fill in the hole, and wait for replacement windows for all our vehicles. Plus, we had to haul the dirt from the other side of the training area.. Good training they figured.. just glad nobody got a court-martial
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To me, having served as a medic in Afghanistan, i don't care if they refer to themselves as combat medics. However, if they call themselves Doc, they better have earned it, just as I did. And every single day, they should make sure they keep earning it!! Anyone can refer to themselves as a combat medic, but there's nothing like hearing your guys call you Doc for the first time. Then you know you've done your job!!
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In 1983 when I graduated from AIT at Ft. Sam, My diploma stated I had successfully completed the 91B Combat Medical specialist course....
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Oh sweet Jesus and the semantics - so 12B Combat Engineers are not Combat if they don't serve in combat. It's the f@#$ing MOS for the position a Soldier (service member) is in, if and when they they deploy is irrelevant. I've deployed 3 times, but I don't tell my guys who are 12Bs nope you're just an engineer until you deploy.
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I don't think here is an ASI that delineates a medic from a combat medic. What is your MOS? Do you have an ASI of "combat" medic?
That sounds like the question that comes up even though leadership tries to down play it; the question is this, were you wounded, or "combat" wounded. Is your injury from tripping in the shower? Or from being blown up while clearing a route.
Did I totally confuse you? In my own humble opinion, because I saw what my medic did on a near daily occurrence, Yes, there is a difference between a medic and a combat medic. Does it differentiate when one medic has the CMB and another doesn't?
That sounds like the question that comes up even though leadership tries to down play it; the question is this, were you wounded, or "combat" wounded. Is your injury from tripping in the shower? Or from being blown up while clearing a route.
Did I totally confuse you? In my own humble opinion, because I saw what my medic did on a near daily occurrence, Yes, there is a difference between a medic and a combat medic. Does it differentiate when one medic has the CMB and another doesn't?
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MSG David Johnson
SGT Bryan Stanley - Where were you awarded your first CMB? Just asking due to the fact that the CIB and CAB were not authorized a second award during the Global War on Terror. The next time frame to be awarded a 2nd award would be after the end date of GWOT.
Just curious
Just curious
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MSG David Johnson
SGT Bryan Stanley - Sorry, should have looked at your profile. I assume your first award was ODS?
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MSgt Paul Brown
IMHO, not one grunt ever questioned my ability to save their ass after they took a hit.....playing in the weeds of Laos and Cambodia in 67 and 68 was no fun.....nobody care if I had the word "combat" in front of my name......and the ones that were lost still haunt me to this day!
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The "Combat" in the term Combat Medic refers to someone who is expected to be able to perform medical treatments in a combat environment, I believe this is mostly geared towards ensuring recruits have a better understanding of the expectations for the MOS.
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