U.S. Army · Medical

68W Combat Medic Specialist

To qualify for Army 68W Combat Medic Specialist, you need a Skilled Technical (ST) line score of 101 — built from Verbal Expression, General Science, Mathematics Knowledge, and Mechanical Comprehension — plus the Army AFQT enlistment floor of 31 (verified July 2026). The current Army MOS specification lists no separate GT requirement for initial award. 68W Soldiers provide emergency treatment, limited primary care, force health protection, and medical evacuation support.

last verified 2026-08-16

68W (Combat Medic Specialist), spoken “68 Whiskey”, is in the Army and requires a minimum AFQT of 31 and ST of at least 101. Last verified 2026-08-16 against Army DA Pam 611-21 Chapter 10C — MOS 68W specification (PDF).

Quick check

Can I qualify for this job?

Enter the scores you already know. Leave a box blank if you do not have that score yet.

AFQT minimum 31Enter AFQT
ST minimum 101Enter ST

Plain requirement

What you need.

  • Min AFQT31
  • Training~16 weeks
  • ST line score≥ 101

AFQT 31 is a percentile. The line score above is not — it is an Army composite, a weighted sum of your ASVAB subtest standard scores (ST = VE + GS + MK + MC — per goarmy.com (ASVAB line scores), verified 2026-07-31). Work yours out from your score sheet with the Army ASVAB line score calculator.

Source: Army DA Pam 611-21 Chapter 10C — MOS 68W specification (PDF) · last verified 2026-08-16.

Role brief

About 68W — Combat Medic Specialist.

To qualify for Army 68W Combat Medic Specialist, you need a Skilled Technical (ST) line score of 101 — built from Verbal Expression, General Science, Mathematics Knowledge, and Mechanical Comprehension — plus the Army AFQT enlistment floor of 31 (verified July 2026). The current Army MOS specification lists no separate GT requirement for initial award. 68W Soldiers provide emergency treatment, limited primary care, force health protection, and medical evacuation support.

Initial training

How 68W training works.

FormatBasic + AIT
LocationJBSA–Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Length~16 weeks

68W Soldiers complete ~10 weeks of Basic Combat Training, then attend Advanced Individual Training at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, JBSA–Fort Sam Houston, Texas — roughly 16 weeks of AIT that includes earning the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) certification plus combat trauma care.

Source: goarmy.com — Combat Medic Specialist (68W) · last verified 2026-07-12 · date retrieved 2026-07-12.

After training

Common 68W follow-on schools and paths.

  • Flight Medic (68WF2)Critical-care aeromedical evacuation on rotary-wing aircraft.
  • Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM)Advanced trauma care for special operations units.
  • Practical Nursing / 68CReclassification path toward Licensed Practical Nurse.
  • Airborne SchoolParachute qualification for airborne medical assignments.

Starting pay · 2026

What this job pays as a junior enlisted member.

Base pay is set by pay grade, not by job — every Army enlistee at the same grade earns the same monthly base pay. These are the 2026 active-duty rates (3.8% raise, effective 2026-01-01).

GradeRankMonthly base payService
E-1Private (PV1)$2,407after 4 months of service
E-2Private (PV2)$2,698under 2 years
E-3Private First Class (PFC)$2,837under 2 years
E-4Specialist / Corporal$3,142under 2 years
  • Plus food allowance (BAS)$460/moFlat enlisted rate, tax-free, paid on top of base pay.
  • Plus housing allowance (BAH)Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is paid on top of base pay and is tax-free, but it varies by duty-station ZIP code, pay grade, and whether you have dependents — there is no single nationwide figure. Use the official DoD BAH calculator for your assignment location.DoD BAH rate lookup →

Source: DFAS 2026 active-duty basic pay tables (3.8% raise, effective Jan 1 2026) · last verified 2026-05-23 · date retrieved 2026-05-23.

Eligibility notes

What 68W candidates should check.

  • The current Army MOS specification lists 68W as a Skilled Technical (ST) line-score target: candidates need ST 101, effective 9 October 2023. The same source does not list a separate GT requirement for initial award of MOS 68W.
  • The Army builds Skilled Technical from four ASVAB subtests: ST = Verbal Expression (VE) + General Science (GS) + Mathematics Knowledge (MK) + Mechanical Comprehension (MC). AFQT 31 is only the Army enlistment floor; meeting it does not by itself qualify a candidate for 68W.
  • The 68W specification lists a Significant (Gray) physical-demands rating, a 111121 physical profile, no aversion to blood, and finger dexterity in both hands among the initial-award qualifications.
  • To retain MOS 68W, Soldiers below the exempt senior grades must maintain a current, unrestricted National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) certification and current basic life support certification for healthcare providers.

What is the AFQT minimum for 68W Combat Medic Specialist?

68W requires a minimum AFQT of 31 for Army enlistment.

Which line score does 68W require?

68W requires ST of at least 101, per Army DA Pam 611-21 Chapter 10C — MOS 68W specification (PDF) (last verified 2026-08-16).

What is Army 68W called, and is it the same as "68 Whiskey"?

Yes — they are the same job. 68W is the Army Combat Medic Specialist MOS; "68 Whiskey" is how the code is said aloud, spelling the trailing "W" with the NATO phonetic alphabet. Whether you search "68W" or "68 Whiskey", the requirement on this page is the same: AFQT 31 and ST of at least 101.

What ASVAB score do you need for 68W Combat Medic?

For Army 68W Combat Medic Specialist, use the job line score rather than only the overall ASVAB percentile: ST must be at least 101, with the Army AFQT enlistment floor of 31. The current Army source was reviewed on 2026-07-12.

Is 68W based on ST or GT?

The current Army MOS specification reviewed on 2026-07-12 lists ST 101 for 68W and does not list GT as a separate initial-award line-score requirement. Some search results preserve an older GT 107 rule; confirm the requirement printed on your current recruiter score sheet or enlistment contract.

How is the Army 68W ST line score calculated?

The 68W Skilled Technical score is ST = Verbal Expression (VE) + General Science (GS) + Mathematics Knowledge (MK) + Mechanical Comprehension (MC). You need ST 101 for 68W, so science, math, and mechanical-comprehension prep can raise the job-qualifying score even after you clear AFQT 31.

Where do Army Combat Medics train, and do they get an EMT certification?

68W Soldiers train at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, JBSA–Fort Sam Houston, Texas, after Basic Combat Training. The ~16-week AIT includes earning the National Registry EMT (NREMT) certification plus combat trauma care.

How much does an Army 68W Combat Medic get paid?

Pay follows rank, not MOS. In 2026 an E-1 earns $2,407.20/month in base pay and an E-4 (under 2 years) earns $3,142/month, plus the $460.25/month enlisted food allowance (BAS) and a location-based housing allowance (BAH).

Why do 68W search results mention different ASVAB numbers?

Some results discuss the AFQT enlistment floor, while others preserve older Army line-score tables that add GT 107. The current Army MOS specification lists AFQT 31 as the branch floor and ST 101 as the 68W job-specific line-score requirement, with no separate GT score for initial award.

Does Army 68W require NREMT certification?

The 68W course includes the emergency-medical training needed for the role. After qualification, the Army MOS specification requires most 68W Soldiers to keep a current, unrestricted NREMT certification and a current basic life support card to remain qualified in the MOS.

What are the MOS requirements for 68W Combat Medic Specialist?

The Army Combat Medic Specialist MOS (68W) requires a minimum AFQT of 31 and ST of at least 101, with initial training of about 16 weeks. Those are the ASVAB-based entry requirements; a recruiter confirms the full enlistment picture (medical, background, and current openings). Source: Army DA Pam 611-21 Chapter 10C — MOS 68W specification (PDF), last verified 2026-08-16.

Source: Army DA Pam 611-21 Chapter 10C — MOS 68W specification (PDF) · last verified 2026-08-16 · date retrieved 2026-08-16.

Nearby targets

Related Army score targets.

Related

Practice AFQT plus 68W line-score subtests.

AFQT + ST practice targets

Compare Army ASVAB requirements

Plan the next step

Independent test-prep — not affiliated with DoD or the ASVAB program. See officialasvab.com for the test program.

Sources