Writing NCOER bullets for 68W Combat Medics shouldn't feel like pulling teeth, but for a lot of NCOs it does. The challenge is translating clinical tasks and patient care into the impact-driven, quantified language the Army evaluation system rewards — and doing it without sounding like a medical report or a vague mission statement.
What Makes a Strong 68W NCOER Bullet
The Army expects NCOER bullets to follow the standard format: Action — Task — Result. For medics, that means leading with what the Soldier did clinically or administratively, describing the scope of that task, and landing on a measurable outcome. Generic bullets like "provided medical care to unit personnel" don't cut it. Senior raters and promotion boards want specifics: how many patients, what conditions, what impact on readiness or mission success.
Key Areas to Cover for 68W Evaluations
When building out a medic's NCOER, focus on performance across these core areas:
- Patient care statistics: Total patient encounters, sick call volume managed, CASEVAC/MEDEVAC missions supported, and preventive medicine actions taken
- Medical readiness: Immunization rates maintained, PHA completion rates, SRP support, and medical records management
- Training contributions: Combat Lifesaver (CLS) courses taught, TCCC refresher training conducted, and medical simulation support provided
- Leadership and initiative: Mentorship of junior medics, cross-training with non-medical NCOs, and additional duties performed above the Soldier's primary MOS
Real NCOER Bullet Examples for 68W
Here's what a strong 68W NCOER bullet looks like in practice — note how every element earns its place:
This bullet works because it opens with a concrete task (managed sick call), anchors it to unit size (450 Soldiers), and delivers two measurable outcomes (reduced profile rates and a specific medical readiness percentage). Anyone reading it — medical or not — instantly understands what this Soldier did and why it mattered to the mission.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common error when writing 68W NCOER bullets is leaving out the numbers. "Maintained medical readiness" means nothing without a percentage or context. A second mistake is writing to the task rather than the impact — documenting what happened instead of why it mattered. For example, "conducted sick call daily" tells the rater nothing about outcome. Finally, avoid dense medical jargon that non-medical raters won't follow; your battalion commander signs this form, so write for a general Army audience while still using correct clinical terminology where it adds credibility. If you use an acronym, make sure it's one a non-medic would recognize.
Final Thoughts
Strong 68W NCOER bullets start with honest tracking throughout the rating period — keep a running log of patient encounters, training events led, and readiness metrics so you're not guessing at numbers when the deadline hits. If you need a head start, NCO Kit's free NCOER bullet builder can generate MOS-specific bullets in seconds, giving you a solid draft to customize with your Soldier's actual performance data.