# Entering Army as 68W/Combat Medic if already a civilian NREMT-Paramedic?



## fiddlestix

Hey all.  Just trying to get a feel of how this whole thing would work.

 I'm an NREMT-B, in Paramedic school. 

If I were to become a full fledged paramedic here and then enter the military with the goal of becoming a 68W combat medic, would I still have to go through allllll of the low level training that I'm already certified for?

From what I've gleaned from reading various things, it seems like 68W training is designed for if you have had NO prior experience or training at all. Its goal is to get you certified as a basic, right?

But as an already functioning civilian NREMT-Paramedic, I would already be leaps and bounds above where anyone else in that training program would be, w/ them just trying to get their basic cert. compared to me having my paramedic.


So where would that put me?

I'd still have to get through Basic training, but I would also have to go through all the 68W training or are there test out options or advanced entry options that let those with adequate or excessive prior training enter into the military faster? 

If anyone can give me some good detailed info about this, that would be great! Thanks.


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## medic109

*Do As You Are Told*

As a career paramedic ( clinician, manager & educator 35 years post) who started as a 91B20 ( the grandfather of 68W) a word of advice. If you wnt to be successful in the military go with the flow, yeas most training starts with the presumption that the candidate has no previous experience but has aptitude. Yes you might have a leg up in training but you have to learn the military model and though paradigm, often civilian/outside attitudes or approaches will be either problematic to the service or to you in succeeding. Go with the flow and use your background as a leg up and not as a chip on your shoulder. Your previous background should give your the chance to standout positively, which in the service if accomplished quietly by observation can reap real benifits, in the miklitary it really is more what you know versus who you know their are no sons or nephews in "_military companies"_


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## Sixteenfire

*68w*

The first month or so is about getting your nremt so if you are any level Basic and up you will bypass that and go right into whiskey phase which will teach you the TCCC concept and application for trauma.


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## Shishkabob

As an NREMT-B/I/P, you can skip the first half of 68W school, per a NG recruiter and NG website.

You still have to go through the last half, which is directed towards combat medicine.


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## Afflixion

You think that you would be leaps an bounds ahead of everyone else in the class but you most likely will not be I went through AIT already having my EMT and i thought the same thing and we had RNs in the class right along side the rest of us. Yes you can skip the first section of the class If your EMT doesn't expire within a years time. Though a lot of people opt to stay in the first section. mind you it is not the first "half" of class, it is maybe a quarter, you will be challenged in the whiskey phase if you have no prior military or LE experience.


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## FLEMTP

starting out you'd prolly get a bump to an E-2 or an E-3... when everyone else in your basic would be an E-1... higher rank and slightly more money for you!


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## ExpatMedic0

I was Infantry and NREMT-B at the time. They let me challenge the EFMB Expert Field Medical Badge course and I failed the written. It was asking me questions about trenches to defecate and urinate in, how wide and long they should be for how many soldiers... Lots of hygiene questions for soldiers on a BIVWACK Obviously I had no training as a NREMT-B in this subject and when it started asking about biological chemical attacks and tactical medical stuff I had no clue.

Although all the grunts where proud one of us got to take the test and I got props for that. lol

I am sure you will skip the basic EMT-B part of the class, but there is a lot more to it you do not learn at your NREMT-B program.


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## FLEMTP

something else to think about.. you're getting paid to be there either way.. and a good refresher is always a good thing, plus you can certainly learn a thing or two!  Enjoy the time.. and keep your eyes and ears open!


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## RescueYou

You can skip the first 4-8 weeks. I don't recommend you do though. The military does things their way and it's very different compared to the civilian way. Especially since you're like me and just getting ready to come out of EMT-P school, no offense, but our minds have been set to do things one way and one way only and the military wants to change that and it's a bit harder if you skip the first few weeks. I was told it'll be easier to understand things along the lines of "why" for the military in the whiskey stage if you've done their version of the basics.


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