(DoD) A military occupational specialty selected from among the combat arms in the Army or equivalent military specialties in the Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps. Equivalent military specialties are those engaged in operational art in order to attain strategic goals in an operational area through the design, organization, and conduct of campaigns and major operations. Critical occupational specialties are designated by the Secretary of Defense. Also called COS.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). critical occupational specialty. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/critical_occupational_specialty/definitions/1961166 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "critical occupational specialty" http://smartdefine.org/critical_occupational_specialty/definitions/1961166 (accessed September 24, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, critical occupational specialty, Smart Define, viewed 24 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/critical_occupational_specialty/definitions/1961166>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "critical occupational specialty" 4 April 2011. Web. 24 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/critical_occupational_specialty/definitions/1961166> |