My son is 16 and has dreamt of flying for the USAFA since he was a little boy. He is doing everything 'right' to achieve his goal of an appt. Great student, dual credit classes, community service, CAP C/Capt working towards that Spaatz, staffed 3 encampments, COS, CTEP instructor.....every single thing this child does is with an eye on those service academy apps and has been for years.
he went to PFA this summer and when he had his FAA physical we found out that he is green deficient. We never had any idea because in real life color differentiation has never been a problem. He can get maybe 2 PIP plates. We took him to an opthamologist for in-depth testing...everything under the sun BUT the FALANT. He passed one test. I think it was the D-15 but failed everything else including the anomaloscope. We know his chances of flying anything in the military are now very slim but is there any hope? Any pilot training available in any service for someone who can pass the FALANT? We are fairly sure he can pass that. He'll be taking the FAA signal light test sometime soon too. I was also wondering what the order of appointment/acceptance and DODMERB exam is? If he gets in to say the USAFA and the USMA does he have to pick one before he goes before the DODMERB or after? Flying is his first love but he understands that due to this vision issue it may be out of his reach and he has pretty much accepted that but he wants to exhaust every possibility before he gives up on it. He wants the AF but if his only option is to fly *anything* for another service, he is open to that. If he can't fly for anyone than he'd rather serve in the USAF in another capacity. He also likes meteorology and wouldn't mind doing that in the service instead but I read somewhere that his color vision would even keep him out of that. Information on the net is conflicting and even talking to active duty personnel I am not getting a clear picture of his options. We live in San Antonio but don't really have access to Brooks until he goes for his DODMERB should he get an appointment.
Thanks for any help or clarification you can give us.
Karen
he went to PFA this summer and when he had his FAA physical we found out that he is green deficient. We never had any idea because in real life color differentiation has never been a problem. He can get maybe 2 PIP plates. We took him to an opthamologist for in-depth testing...everything under the sun BUT the FALANT. He passed one test. I think it was the D-15 but failed everything else including the anomaloscope. We know his chances of flying anything in the military are now very slim but is there any hope? Any pilot training available in any service for someone who can pass the FALANT? We are fairly sure he can pass that. He'll be taking the FAA signal light test sometime soon too. I was also wondering what the order of appointment/acceptance and DODMERB exam is? If he gets in to say the USAFA and the USMA does he have to pick one before he goes before the DODMERB or after? Flying is his first love but he understands that due to this vision issue it may be out of his reach and he has pretty much accepted that but he wants to exhaust every possibility before he gives up on it. He wants the AF but if his only option is to fly *anything* for another service, he is open to that. If he can't fly for anyone than he'd rather serve in the USAF in another capacity. He also likes meteorology and wouldn't mind doing that in the service instead but I read somewhere that his color vision would even keep him out of that. Information on the net is conflicting and even talking to active duty personnel I am not getting a clear picture of his options. We live in San Antonio but don't really have access to Brooks until he goes for his DODMERB should he get an appointment.
Thanks for any help or clarification you can give us.
Karen
