Initial MOS selection, advice?

Nathan Coon — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 16:54:28 -0400

Having trouble picking an initial MOS. In civilian life I have been a Paramedic and EMT going on 10 years now and have worked in urban and rural areas. I was initially looking to enlist as a 68W and continue my career on the military side. The problem, however, is that there are currently no openings in this MOS. I can’t decide whether to wait a bit for some openings or select a different MOS. I’ve already been through MEPS and just waiting on a waiver. ASVAB of 93 so I’m not exactly limited in my choices. I would also like an MOS that presents fairly stable family life when not deployed or in the field since I have children.

My other top choices that I have narrowed it down to are:
1. Military Police; however after working 10 years of nights and weekends I’m not sure if I want to select an MOS that could be patrolling on a shift work schedule.
2. Air Missile Defense: Haven’t been able to find a ton of information on this MOS but what I have found make it seem like I could really enjoy this MOS just nothing on the civilian side if I decide to get out later in life.
3. Infantry or Calvary Scout

Any advice or thoughts based on your experience?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 4:59 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 16:59:33 -0400

If you're already medical, why not look at 68C?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 5:05 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 17:05:04 -0400

Not sure on the other MOS’s but this is the advice I’ll give you: if you want something, go get get.
If you really want to be a medic, I would hold out and wait till a slot opens up. With your experience, the army could use you as a great future NCO to lead and teach others.
If you are in a point where you need to enlist ASAP, then pick a job you can live with till your reenlistment window opens up (35 or 36 months into a 4 year contract).
The choice is yours, but I would say wait and choose medic since it would be easier for you to grasp the knowledge and you would be a better asset to the army.

P.S. No one likes MPs besides MPs (good people, but the job you would have to do gets you on people’s bad side), but again, your call.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 5:16 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 17:16:04 -0400

Short Answer. Go Air Denfense. Better potential for tech schools certs. that will transfer over to gov and civilian jobs.

Everyone who I know went to a CAV Unit hated it. And every medic I know who went to MP Unit hated it.

Long Answer: Consider 18D special forces medical sergeant or Ranger Medic for 75thRGT.

You will have to get it in your contract once you successful go through AIT to go to selection. The downside is if you go to selection, you’ll only have 68W qualifications. BUT, you can always try again for selection. So it’s a win, win. You flunk out, you get to be a Whiskey (68W). You make it and your on to bigger and better things.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Aug 25 at 2019 5:16 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 17:16:48 -0400

I recommend holding out for the MOS you really want. Think long term.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 5:49 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 17:49:27 -0400

With your all of your experience thus far, I would not choose 68W only because it would be a slight downgrade from what you're doing already has a paramedic. With that said, you still get to do some pretty cool s*** that civilian EMTs can't do. I would recommend 68C if you like medical and you can come home with an LPN and still make a decent living on the civilian side or upgrade to RN with another year of education and really start making bank.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 5:51 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 17:51:39 -0400

You could try being a flight medic. I’m sure being an EMT you know how lucrative that is in the civilian world.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 6:17 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 18:17:35 -0400

A couple of things...
1. 68W is the second largest MOS in the Army. If you really want it, it won't take very long to get a slot. The same exact thing happened to me when I came back as prior service. I only wanted 68W, they didn't have it. I told them I would wait for a slot. The counselor made a phone call and came back with a class date. It turns out that they overbooked the class I went to, but when there are 330 people in a class, one more isn't a big deal. That won't work with a smaller class like dental or radiology where there are very limited class seats.
68W is a great MOS for a starting point into Military Medicine. As a paramedic, you might be interested in enhancing your skill set as a flight medic, or special operations combat medic. It's a good launching pad for the Army's PA, RN, PT and MD programs. It's a large MOS with great promotion potential, and you can reasonably expect to reach E8 or E9 prior to retiring. It branches into special operations, hospitals, clinics, Airborne units, ambulance units, and just about everywhere in the Army. It will also provide you with an opportunity to get all the fun schools you would get as Infantry or Cav. Ranger School, Airborne, Jumpmaster, Air Assault, and anything else. As a medic you are very likely going to be assigned to an infantry platoon for your first assignment and you will do everything they do when you're training with them.
2. Military Police is nothing like being a cop, however you will definitely have the odd hours, weekend and night shift work.
3. Don't focus on what the MOS will bring with you to the civilian side. Every MOS has the ability to get hired on the civilian side if you have the skill and contacts. You could be a 14P and be hired to work for Raytheon after you retire. You could be Infantry and be hired to teach at other organizations. Focus on a job you will enjoy. If you don't enjoy the job then you will leave and never want to do it again. If you like it, you will usually stay and when you separate you are much more valuable as a leader than those entry level skills you gained.
4. If possible, identify how long you plan on staying in the Army. If you want to retire, Infantry and Medic are great for promotion in the long run. The Army is run by the Infantry; everything is designed and arranged to support the Infantry. Sure, those Special Operations and attack helicopters sound cool, but in the end they all support the goal of putting Infantry on the ground in bad places. Therefore, Infantry is the premier branch, the best promoting, and the one with the most upward mobility.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 7:04 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 19:04:15 -0400

Plan on staying 20 and want to be promoted on a regular basis ? Go infantry. 11B.
Looking to your initial enlistment, get out and hit the ground running in an occupation where you’ll make decent money, opportunity to advance and not work weekends ? Look up 68A.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2019 7:40 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 19:40:03 -0400

You could be a 68C. We are short right now. The school is long but you get a license out of it. I’ve also heard across the board from other tha it sets you up for RN, PA pretty well too.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Aug 25 at 2019 8:07 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 20:07:38 -0400

Think logistics. Supply, maintenance, transportation, logistics management, finance, contracting. All of these fields can take a medical direction, such as medical supply. Also all translate well to civilian careers. May offer opportunities for 7:30 to 4:30 jobs.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Aug 26 at 2019 10:23 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 10:23:31 -0400

Stand by for what you enjoy. No MOS’s have any guaranteed stability. A medics is as good as any. Good luck.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 26 at 2019 1:51 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 13:51:19 -0400

What is your GT score?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2019 2:57 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 14:57:16 -0400

Just wait until its available alot of recruiters will tell you that a job isnt available so they can get you into a higher demand mos, stand your ground with your decision and youll make it just fine

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2019 6:23 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 18:23:16 -0400

Disclaimer: I am VERY new to the Army (6-7 months lol). I am a prior service (10 yrs) Navy Corpsman (green side) and civilian paramedic/flight paramedic.

One other thing to consider, National Guard... They have AGR slots (Active Duty) and you could try and find yourself an AGR 68W billet... that might lend itself to a fairly routine home life....? You also might have better say over a duty assignment as part of the enlistment negotiation...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2019 4:46 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:46:14 -0400

Look at all the medical MOSs. 68A, 68W, 68X, 68y, 68N, 68R. I am a medic and I am a 68N (cardiovascular specialist). Most importantly, look into how you can come into the Army as an Officer. There are a lot of ways to do it. There is so much that can be discussed, but please put some efforts towards determining what you need to do to enter the Army as an Officer. If not possible, you can come in as enlisted and there are still plenty of opportunities to transition into the Officer side. Please don’t come in with just a plan to retire as enlisted. Do everything you can to be an Officer, but if you come in as enlisted, always strive to be competitive. 68N is a great job in and outside of the Army. It’s non deployable and you are pretty much untouchable for anything Army related. All of my deployments were all as a medic, prior to 68N and after 68N. On the downside, the promotion rate is much, much slower than 68W. Always set your goals to aim for the stars; if you don’t reach the stars, at least you will land on the moon. So, aim for Officer.

Response by SPC Sean Kennedy made Aug 29 at 2019 3:19 PM

SPC Sean Kennedy — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:19:21 -0400

Go intel, having the TS clearance when you leave the military is golden and the opportunities are very good as well, you can work on a computer science type degree while in, then you’ll have your TS clearance and you can get really good paying jobs, if not then go intel, wait for medic school to open up then change MOS

Response by SFC John Mandrioli made Sep 3 at 2019 10:53 AM

SFC John Mandrioli — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 10:53:41 -0400

Id suggest Civil Affairs.medical training can go a long way there. I found it very rewarding

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2019 3:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 15:10:06 -0400

Look into 68C (It's an LPN technically, but they're much more trained than civilian LPNs). Here is a link to a list of 68 series MOS options: http://www.army-portal.com/jobs/medical-service/index.html

I would definitely wait for what you want though. 68W slots open quite frequently. Just tell your recruiter you only want to join for a 68W contract. I'm reservist, but that's exactly what I did to get what I wanted. They magically found a slot and a 15k bonus, weird how that worked lol!

I would look into coming in as an officer if I were you though, just to know all of your options. Good luck :)

Army-Portal.com - Medical Service Corps Jobs / Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) List

Army jobs (military occupational specialties) in the Medical Service Corps are listed, with duty descriptions, required ASVAB scores, physical ratings, and available enlistment bonuses detailed for each MOS.