Posted on May 16, 2016
Is combat required to be called a Combat medic?
72.1K
395
203
22
22
0
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
3
3
0
3
3
0
In 1996 it was called Medic Specialist. I don't think we ever used the Combat medic designation but instead where called Medic. Eventually we got called "Doc" by the unit. That was a real compliment.
If you saw combat you had CMB.
I never consider myself a combat medic as I never saw combat but made sure that I knew my skills as the lives of my friend would depend on it. I think all medic have a lot of responsibility to stay current. I was bless to have an senior NCO that had seen action and made us constantly train for such scenario.
If you saw combat you had CMB.
I never consider myself a combat medic as I never saw combat but made sure that I knew my skills as the lives of my friend would depend on it. I think all medic have a lot of responsibility to stay current. I was bless to have an senior NCO that had seen action and made us constantly train for such scenario.
(3)
(0)
3
3
0
Well now that the MOS title has changed, we're all combat medics, regardless of your feelings about it
(3)
(0)
3
3
0
Combat Medic, or even Medic for that matter, is not the name of any current MOS in the Army. Army "Medics" are officially titled "Health Care Specialist" (68W). Most of them identify as "Medic", regardless of skill level or combat experience.
That said, I have seen 68Ws assigned or attached to "Combat Arms" Units identify themselves as "Combat Medics".
Personally, I wouldn't identify myself as a "Combat Medic" at any point, because "Combat Medicine" is only a part of my job as a Health Care Specialist ("Medic").
I do believe however, that if a "Medic" wanted to identify as a "Combat Medic", they should only do so after receiving their Combat Medical Badge.
That said, I have seen 68Ws assigned or attached to "Combat Arms" Units identify themselves as "Combat Medics".
Personally, I wouldn't identify myself as a "Combat Medic" at any point, because "Combat Medicine" is only a part of my job as a Health Care Specialist ("Medic").
I do believe however, that if a "Medic" wanted to identify as a "Combat Medic", they should only do so after receiving their Combat Medical Badge.
(3)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
SSG John Sutter - I don't disagree. Like I said, most identify as Medic. I do as well. My only caveat was that I believe that any medic who wants to say they are a combat medic should first have qualified for and been awarded a CMB.
(0)
(0)
SGT Charles W.
When I was in, it was originally 91A (Combat Medical Specialist) and then changed to 91B (Combat Medic).
(1)
(0)
SGT (Join to see)
On the ERB it lists duty position as "combat medic" if assigned to a line unit. that's what it says in my ERB, that and "ambulance attendant" when I had a different assignment
(0)
(0)
3
3
0
3
3
0
Well I haven't been to combat, so I call myself a medic. Also officially we are healthcare specialists. I'd call line medics who've deployed to a combat zone and earned their CMB "combat medic" over a medic who is assigned to a hospital unit. However I am at Ft Sam reclassing and they do have "home of the combat medic" all over the place. We are all trained in combat medicine. But I find it to be a misnomer as it didn't feel right to call myself combat medic when I did range converge for BCT at Benning.
(3)
(0)
2
2
0
I was slotted as a combat photographer at the last 2 duty stations I was at. Korea and FT Sam Houston.
(2)
(0)
1
1
0
91B in the 80s thats the mos you train for..
all other schools you go to are just an adjundt
to your training to be more proficient at your job in garrison and for promo points.. but the army i know nn....you graduate combat medic school at the academy ....your a combat medic...
all other schools you go to are just an adjundt
to your training to be more proficient at your job in garrison and for promo points.. but the army i know nn....you graduate combat medic school at the academy ....your a combat medic...
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google