On March 1, 2022, the Army Enlisted Medical Corps celebrated the 135th anniversary of its founding. The 17 Military Occupational Specialties that comprised the Enlisted Medical Corps all trace their origins to the position of Hospital Steward, which was first suggested by the Surgeon General of the Army in 1847. Despite repeated refusals by Congress to create such positions (much less authorize expenditures to train personnel to work in them), the Army moved ahead with the concept by creating a “half chevron” made up of a green background, yellow trim, and a caduceus indicating the rank of Hospital Steward. Five years later, Congress gave the Secretary of War approval to establish as many Hospital Steward positions as deemed necessary and designate those appointed to them as NCOs. The Hospital Corps was finally established in 1887.
Today, the Enlisted Medical Corps has more than 36,000 Soldiers serving in a breathtaking array of medical-related specialties that go far beyond the familiar combat medic (MOS 68W). Not counting the Chief Medical NCO specialty, there are twenty-two medical fields in which enlisted personnel serve, ranging from administrative and technical duties to well-known fields such as ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat), Behavioral Health, Dental, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, and Occupational Therapy, to name just a few.
Related Army Medical Department Items Although only a small handful of these specialties serve as “feeder” MOS’s for the two Warrant Officer positions in Army Medicine, enlisted personnel do have paths available for them to advance in their studies and acquire the degrees necessary to eventually be commissioned in one of the six Medical Department Corps. What’s more, many of the skills these enlisted personnel will prove invaluable if and when they decide to move into the civilian job market.