6 Forgotten Military Jobs That No Longer Exist In The U.S. Army
- Some U.S. Army jobs, like the 11H Heavy Anti-Armor Weapons Infantryman, have disappeared over the years due to restructuring and evolving military needs.
Some U.S. Army jobs have disappeared as technology, warfare, and military organization evolved. Others were folded into broader specialties, giving Soldiers more flexibility instead of keeping narrowly focused positions. A few of these military jobs lasted for decades, while others were created for specific conflicts. These six forgotten military jobs offer a fascinating look at how military careers have changed over the years.
1. 11H, Heavy Anti-Armor Weapons Infantryman
The 11H Heavy Anti-Armor Weapons Infantryman had a very specific job: operating heavy weapons designed to stop enemy armored vehicles. That included systems such as the TOW missile.
According to the U.S. Army Infantry School's Infantry Magazine , the Army eliminated the 11H specialty during an early-2000s restructuring of its infantry career fields. Its responsibilities were absorbed into the broader 11B Infantryman MOS. Army leaders wanted Soldiers to have a wider range of infantry skills rather than being locked into one narrow specialty, so the 11H designation fell into the forgotten military jobs category.
2. 11M, Fighting Vehicle Infantryman
Bradley Fighting Vehicle crews once had infantrymen trained under a dedicated MOS, known as 11M Fighting Vehicle Infantryman. It was the Army's specialized mechanized-infantry career field.
The U.S. Army shared that 11M was eliminated in 2001 when the Army merged it with the 11H specialty and the broader 11B Infantryman field. The move reflected a changing force structure and an effort to give infantrymen more comprehensive training. Instead of maintaining separate specialties for different battlefield roles, the Army wanted Soldiers who could perform a wider range of infantry duties.
3. 91B, Combat Medic
Today's Army uses 68W Healthcare Specialist for combat medics , but that wasn't always the case. Before the change, 91B was the Army's Combat Medic MOS.
According to the U.S. Army , an eight-year transformation began in 2001 to move the old 91B combat medic and 91C practical-nursing specialties into the credentialed 68W career field. The goal was more than a new number. Combat medics were being trained for expanded emergency medical responsibilities and professional credentials. By the end of the transition, the old 91B combat medic specialty was gone.
4. 09L, Translator/Interpreter
Created in 2003, the 09L Translator/Interpreter MOS was closely connected to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It recruited Arabic-, Dari- and Pashto-speaking native and heritage speakers to help the Army communicate in places where language skills were needed.
The U.S. Army Center of Military History shares that the specialty was eventually eliminated. Soldiers serving in 09L were given until April 30, 2022, to reclassify into another MOS. Its disappearance makes sense in America's post-9/11 military operations. As those particular language requirements changed, so did the Army's need for a dedicated specialty.
5. 25C, Radio Operator-Maintainer
Radio operators were once represented by their own Army specialty, 25C Radio Operator-Maintainer. That job eventually became part of a broader communications role.
The Army Communicator notes that, effective October 1, 2021, 25C was merged with 25U Signal Support System Specialist. The resulting 25U specialty was designed to give Soldiers broader communication responsibilities and reduce overlap between MOSs. The Army no longer needed separate fields built around overlapping communications tasks.
6. 25M, Multimedia Illustrator
Long before today's digital-first military communications world, the Army had a dedicated 25M Multimedia Illustrator specialty. The specialty involved creating visual materials used for military communication and information purposes.
Data from the Army Communicator shows that 25M was merged with 25V during the 2021 Signal MOS restructuring. The Army wanted broader specialties with less duplication between jobs, so the separate 25M designation disappeared. That doesn't mean visual communication became unimportant. Quite the opposite. The job adapted as military media became increasingly digital and technologically sophisticated.
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