mdeimel wrote:

SOCM medics receive some healthcare provider certification. Don't remember exactly what it's called, but this allows you to test for a Paramedic through the NREMT.

That is correct. The qual is called ATP (Advanced Tactical Practitioner). This is a licence that the military substituted for EMT-P because they did not want to deal with some of the national registry's training requirements that do not really apply to combat medics. This was because the SOCM course is already quite time compressed, and there are just not time slots for stuff like "safe lifting methods" etc. Therefore, the military invented their own qualification with their own test. The national registry does not recognize this qualification. Therefore SOCM medics are EMT-B in the civilian world, but ATPs in the military. There is one state that recognizes ATP card holders as paramedics, but of course then you are only licenced in that state, not with the national registry.
The question is: is there some accelerated course where you can make the jump between ATP and NR EMT-P. The scope of practice is basically the same (we actually do stuff the EMT-Ps are not allowed to do) but we don't know a lot of the civilian medical system admin/legal type stuff.

I don't know of a bridge program. The way I'm going around it is to just get my civilian EMT-P through a school. I'm using Percom Online. It's in Texas, mostly online, at your own pace, then you do your clinicals and ride alongs at the end. Take the school's final and then pay to take the NREMT. It's about $4000.