Respiratory Therapist
$77KHigh match
High demand
Live · Guide v1.068V · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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ARMY · 68VCareer Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.68V.R.04
68V · ARMY · EnlistedRespiratory
Respiratory
Therapist.
Army 68V (Respiratory Therapist). 1,400 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $45K–$82K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours1,400DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 30 semester hours recommended
Tech roles3mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage3/7direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 68V background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 68V training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have04
- 01Patient Assessment and Monitoring→ Data Analysis and Interpretation
- 02Procedural Compliance→ Adherence to Coding Standards and Regulations
- 03Rapid Prioritization→ Project Management and Incident Response
- 04Electronic Health Records (EHR) - MHS GENESIS→ Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems
To learn06
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+SQL for data extraction and manipulation+Data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI+HL7 standards for healthcare data exchange+HIPAA and other healthcare compliance regulations+Systems analysis and design methodologies+Database management basics
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Registered Nurse (RN)
$82KGood match
Very high demand
Skills to develop
- — Nursing degree (ADN or BSN)
- — NCLEX-RN exam
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Paramedic
$45KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — EMT or Paramedic certification
- — State licensure
Medical Equipment Repairer
$55KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Biomedical equipment training
- — Vendor certifications
Healthcare Administrator
$75KModerate match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Bachelor's or Master's degree in Healthcare Administration
- — Project management skills
- — Understanding of healthcare regulations
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 68V training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Rapid Prioritization
In emergency situations, 68Vs must quickly assess patients' respiratory distress, prioritize immediate interventions like administering oxygen or initiating CPR, and coordinate with other medical personnel to stabilize the patient efficiently.
Transfers to
This ability to rapidly assess and prioritize in high-pressure situations translates to civilian roles where quick decision-making is critical, such as project management or emergency response coordination.
Procedural Compliance
68Vs are trained to strictly adhere to medical protocols, safety guidelines, and regulatory requirements during patient care, equipment operation, and medication administration to ensure patient safety and maintain quality standards.
Transfers to
This commitment to following procedures precisely is valuable in civilian roles that require strict adherence to regulations, such as quality assurance, compliance management, or laboratory management.
Situational Awareness
68Vs must constantly monitor patients' conditions, anticipate potential complications, and adapt their treatment plans based on changing circumstances. This includes being aware of equipment malfunctions, environmental hazards, and the overall dynamics of the medical environment.
Transfers to
This heightened awareness of surroundings and the ability to anticipate problems is directly applicable to civilian roles in risk management, security coordination, or operations management, where predicting and mitigating potential issues is key.
Team Synchronization
As part of a medical team, 68Vs coordinate with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to deliver comprehensive patient care. They must effectively communicate, share information, and synchronize their actions to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
Transfers to
This skill in coordinating with diverse teams is valuable in any project-oriented environment in the civilian world. You can bring this to roles such as a construction project manager or a technical project manager, where managing all facets of a project with many contributors is critical.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 29-9099.03You've been trained to handle crises with precision and speed, coordinating resources and personnel under pressure. Your experience in assessing medical situations, adhering to protocols, and maintaining situational awareness makes you exceptionally well-prepared to develop and execute emergency response plans for communities and organizations.
Adjacent · MatchHealthcare Risk Manager
SOC 11-9111.00Your background in respiratory care has given you a deep understanding of medical procedures, potential hazards, and safety protocols. You're adept at identifying risks, implementing preventative measures, and ensuring compliance with regulations, which are all essential skills for managing risks within healthcare facilities.
Adjacent · MatchClinical Research Coordinator
SOC 13-1199.00You're experienced in conducting assessments, collecting data, and managing patient care within structured protocols. Your attention to detail, procedural compliance, and ability to work as part of a team make you an ideal candidate to coordinate clinical trials, ensuring data integrity and patient safety while advancing medical knowledge.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Medical Education and Training Campus
Fort Sam Houston1,400hHours
35wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 30 semester hours recommended
Topics · 8
- Respiratory Anatomy and Physiology
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Airway Management
- Pulmonary Function Testing
- Blood Gas Analysis
- Pharmacology for Respiratory Care
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Patient Assessment and Monitoring
Partial coverage · 3
- Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)70%
Advanced respiratory therapy techniques, specific disease management protocols, and the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) exam format.
- Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT)60%
In-depth knowledge of pulmonary function testing methodologies, interpretation of results, and quality control procedures specific to civilian standards.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor80%
Specific instructional techniques and any updates to the BLS guidelines as per the American Heart Association.
Recommended next · 04
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) InstructorAdjacent
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) InstructorAdjacent
- Certified Asthma Educator (CAE)Adjacent
- National Healthcare Disaster Certification (NHDC)Adjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Ventilators (Various Models: Dräger, Hamilton, etc.) | ICU Ventilator Systems (Dräger, Hamilton Medical, etc.) | Operations |
| Blood Gas Analyzers (e.g., Radiometer ABL90 FLEX) | Point-of-Care Blood Gas Analysis Systems (e.g., Radiometer, Roche) | Operations |
| Patient Transport Ventilators (e.g., Impact Instrumentation) | Portable Ventilators for EMS and Critical Care Transport (e.g., Zoll, Philips) | Operations |
| Spirometers (for Pulmonary Function Testing) | Clinical Spirometry Equipment (e.g., Vyaire Medical, COSMED) | Operations |
| Defibrillators (e.g., Zoll, Physio-Control) | Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and Manual Defibrillators (e.g., Zoll, Philips) | Operations |
| Electronic Health Records (EHR) - MHS GENESIS | Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems (e.g., Epic, Cerner) | Data |
| Sterilization Equipment (Autoclaves) | Medical Sterilization Equipment (e.g., Steris, Getinge) | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 68V into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.