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Combat Medic: Same job, different worlds

Pre-hospital trauma care on the battlefield — the role that keeps soldiers alive. Civilian qualification value varies dramatically by country.

Why this comparison exists

The US has FOIA, congressional oversight, and open pay scales — so US MOS data is comparable. Most other militaries here are less transparent than that, not more. Putting the same job side-by-side across countries surfaces what no single ministry of defence will tell you: that training length, housing, civilian conversion value, and career ceilings vary wildly for what is nominally the same role. Nothing structured like this exists in any single language. That's why this page is here.

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United States · Army
68WCombat Medic Specialist
0 reviews on Honest MOS
Basic TrainingBCT — 10 weeks
AdvancedAIT / OSUT — varies by MOS
HousingBAH / on-post family housing
FitnessACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test)
PensionBRS / Legacy after 20 years
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United Kingdom · British Army
Combat Medical Technician
No reviews
Basic TrainingPhase 1 — 14 weeks (Army) · 10 weeks (RN) · 10 weeks (RAF)
AdvancedPhase 2
HousingSFA (Service Families Accommodation)
FitnessRFT (Role Fitness Test)
PensionAFPS 15 (or legacy AFPS 75)
What the recruiter won't tell you

SFA is a lottery, and you're probably losingA 2023 Defence Committee report found 60% of Service Families Accommodation is not fit for purpose. Mould, damp, broken

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Canada · Canadian Army
Medical Technician871
No reviews
Basic TrainingBMQ — 13 weeks
AdvancedDP1 / DP2
HousingPMQ / RHU (Residential Housing Unit)
FitnessFORCE Evaluation
PensionCFSA (Canadian Forces Superannuation Act)
What the recruiter won't tell you

PMQ waitlists are years long — and it's getting worseAs of 2025 there are 3,700+ families on waitlists against only 205 available units. The federal government announced $1.

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Australia · Australian Army
Medical Technician — ArmyRAAMC
No reviews
Basic TrainingKapooka (Army) / recruit training — 10–11 weeks (Army) · varies by service
AdvancedIET (Initial Employment Training)
HousingDHA housing (Defence Housing Australia)
FitnessAPFA (Army Physical Fitness Assessment)
PensionADF Super / MSBS (Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme)
What the recruiter won't tell you

The $50K bonus tells you everything about how bad retention gotThe ADF introduced a $50,000 continuation bonus in 2023 for a 3-year commitment. 85% of eligible members took it. That's

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New Zealand · New Zealand Army
Medical Technician — NZ Army
No reviews
Basic TrainingBWC (Basic Warrior Course) — 16 weeks (Regular Force Recruit Course)
AdvancedCorps training / specialist qualification
HousingDefence housing
FitnessBWPT (Battle Warrior Physical Test)
PensionNZDF Super / KiwiSaver military scheme
What the recruiter won't tell you

Small force means nowhere to hide — and limited upward mobilityWith 10,000 regular force personnel, the NZDF is tiny. Everyone knows everyone. One bad posting relationship can follow

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Germany · Sanitätsdienst
Sanitätssoldat
No reviews
Basic TrainingGrundausbildung (GA) — 3 months
AdvancedSpezialausbildung / Fachausbildung
HousingBundeswehr-Unterkunft / Kasernenunterkunft
FitnessBasis-Fitness-Test (BFT)
PensionBundeswehr-Versorgung / Pension
What the recruiter won't tell you

Ausrüstungsmangel ist nicht Vergangenheit — nur weniger schlimmDas Sondervermögen läuft. Aber Beschaffung dauert. Feldwebel berichten weiterhin von Helmen, die nicht passen, oder Fahr

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France · Armée de Terre
Infirmier militaire
No reviews
Basic TrainingCFIM / formation initiale — 4 to 6 months
Advancedformation de spécialité
Housinglogement militaire / logement de fonction
Fitnesstest d'aptitude physique (TAP)
Pensionretraite militaire (17–27 ans selon grade)
What the recruiter won't tell you

Le système de paie Louvois a versé n'importe quoi pendant des annéesLe système informatique Louvois a produit des erreurs massives — trop-perçus réclamés des mois plus tard, sous-perçus ja

🇮🇱
Israel · Heyl HaYabasha (Ground Forces)
Katzin Refui (Medical Officer / Medic)
No reviews
Basic TrainingTironut (basic training) — Men: 32 months total (inc. tironut) · Women: 24 months total
AdvancedKurs (specialist course)
HousingDira (apartment) — most soldiers live at home or in civilian apartments (IDF doesn't generally provide family housing)
FitnessProfile 97 (combat fitness) / Profile 64 (standard fitness)
PensionKeren Hishtalmut (development fund) + military pension after career service
What the recruiter won't tell you

Reserve duty never really ends — and your employer pays the priceIsraeli men can be called up for reserve duty until age 40-45. The law provides employer compensation, but the career im

🇰🇷
South Korea · Yuk-gun — Republic of Korea Army
Uimu Jangyo (Medical NCO — 의무장교)
No reviews
Basic Training기본군사훈련 (Gibon Gunsa Hunryeon) — 5 weeks basic; 18-21 months total mandatory service for men
Advanced특기훈련 (Teukgi Hunryeon)
Housing군관사 (Gungwansa)
Fitness체력검정 (Cheryeok Geomjeong)
Pension군인연금 (Gunin Yeongeun)
What the recruiter won't tell you

You serve whether you want to or not — and the system knows itKorean men's service is involuntary with very limited deferments (students can defer until 28, graduate students to 30).

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India · Indian Army (थलसेना)
Army Medical Corps (AMC)
No reviews
Basic TrainingBasic Military Training (BMT) — Approximately 44 weeks for Agniveers; 6 months at IMA Dehradun or OTA Chennai for officers
AdvancedArms / Corps Training
HousingArmy/Navy/Air Force quarters — allotted by rank and availability at station
FitnessPhysical Fitness Test (PFT) — Army: 1.6km run, push-ups, sit-ups, beam; specifics vary by arm
PensionPre-Agnipath: pension after 15+ years of qualifying service. Agnipath: Seva Nidhi corpus (~INR 11.71 lakh) paid at end of 4-year term; no pension for the 75% not retained
What the recruiter won't tell you

Four years and a check — the pension that no longer exists for 75%The Agnipath Scheme replaced the career military path with a 4-year contract. Before 2022, enlisting meant a 15-year min

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Japan · Rikuji — Ground Self-Defense Force
Boueichutai Ishi (Medical officer — 防衛衛生)
No reviews
Basic TrainingSho Kyoiku (初等教育) — 3 months initial education
AdvancedSenmon Kyoiku (専門教育)
HousingJieitai Jutaku (自衛隊住宅)
FitnessTairen Kentei (体力検定)
PensionJieitai Kyuufu (退職手当)
What the recruiter won't tell you

JSDF pay is below comparable civilian technical roles — and the gap is wideningA GSDF sergeant earns roughly ¥280,000/month (~$1,900). A comparably-skilled engineer at Toyota or Sony earns 1.5-2x thi

🇳🇴
Norway · Hæren
Sanitetsssoldat
No reviews
Basic TrainingGSU (Grunnleggende soldatutdanning) — 12 months
AdvancedFagutdanning
HousingTjenestebolig
FitnessFysisk test (testprofil)
PensionStatens pensjonskasse (SPK)
What the recruiter won't tell you

Conscript daily rate is 170 NOK — and that is not a misprint170 NOK per day is approximately €15. It is deliberately low: the system assumes conscripts are housed, fed, and equippe

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Netherlands · Koninklijke Landmacht
Militair Verpleegkundige
No reviews
Basic TrainingBasisopleiding — 10 weeks
AdvancedFunctie-opleiding
HousingDefensiewoning / dienstwoning
FitnessIPPT (Individual Physical Performance Test)
PensionABP militair pensioen
What the recruiter won't tell you

Frequente inzet in Mali/Sahel — slecht uitgelegd bij wervingNederland heeft over een langere periode troepen in Mali ingezet als onderdeel van MINUSMA en EU-missies. De operationel

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Spain · Ejército de Tierra
Sanidad Militar
No reviews
Basic TrainingInstrucción inicial — 3 months
AdvancedFormación específica
HousingVivienda militar
FitnessPruebas físicas militares
PensionPensión militar (ISFAS)
What the recruiter won't tell you

La paga de entrada es inferior a la anunciadaLa remuneración inicial se presenta de forma optimista en los procesos de selección. El primer período contractual de tr

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Italy · Esercito Italiano
Medico Militare
No reviews
Basic TrainingCorso Reclute — 3 months
AdvancedCorso specialistico
HousingAlloggio militare
FitnessTest di efficienza fisica (TEF)
PensionPensione militare
What the recruiter won't tell you

La paga all'ingresso è inferiore a quanto prospettatoLa remunerazione iniziale viene spesso presentata in termini ottimistici al concorso. Le trattenute, il primo periodo di

🌐
Turkey · Kara Kuvvetleri
Saglik eri
No reviews
Basic TrainingTemel askerlik eğitimi — 6 months mandatory (or 1 month bedelli)
AdvancedBranş eğitimi
HousingAskeri lojman
FitnessFiziki yeterlilik testi
PensionAskeri emeklilik (OYAK)
What the recruiter won't tell you

Bedelli tutarı her yıl artıyor — ve yarattığı toplumsal sürtüşme devam ediyorBedelli askerlik seçeneği yasal, ancak erişilebilirliği ekonomik duruma bağlı. Altı ay hizmet edenlerle bir ay bedelli y

What actually differs across countries
Training length

UK Phase 1 is 14 weeks vs. US BCT at 10. Australia's Kapooka is 10 weeks. Canada's BMQ is 13. Germany's GA is 12. Same job, different ramp-up.

Housing system

Every country runs a different housing lottery. UK SFA is famously underfunded. Canada's PMQ waitlist is 3,700+ families. Australia's DHA moves 15k personnel a year.

Civilian conversion

Some trades are worth more in the civilian market depending on which country you served in. UK CMT → NHS paramedic. Canadian 871 → provincial ACP. German Sanitätssoldat → Rettungssanitäter.

Career ceilings

The promotion system in each country has unique chokepoints. UK AGAI 67. Canada's bilingual wall. Australia's separation rate crisis. Germany's dienstaltersgeprägte Beförderung.

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