Color Vision

M

maxd950729

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Jan 24, 2016
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Hi everyone!

I'm currently a cadidate for class of 2021. I have finished everything on my application except for the medical exam. The issue is I am red/green color deficient but I can pass the vivid red/green test. I have read thread after thread saying how hard it is to get a waiver for it. I want to go Marines so red/green color deficiency shouldn't be a problem I believe. Is there anything I personally can do to help my chances of getting a waiver? I have wanted to attend the academy my whole life so I dont want to give up but I am also trying to be realistic with my chances.

Any thoughts?
 
This is something over which you have no control, so you put together your best application and hope for a waiver.

You should also be exploring NROTC Marine option, if your overall goal is to serve as a Marine officer.
 
It's complicated. A better application is always good to have, but it doesn't guarantee waivers. Remember that any recruited athlete with a medical problem (almost) automatically gets a waiver, so the available pool of medical waivers is not as large is it seems at first glance. It really depends on where you fit within their accession goals.

I knew a handful of people with color waivers, and surprisingly, most of them managed to squeak through the medical admissions process and get "caught" during I-Day medical exams. At that point, they were granted waivers on the spot--don't ask me how that worked, but somehow it did!

Best advice: work hard, be successful, and apply to as many backup programs as possible.
 
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Is NROTC as strict with waivers as well because I am applying to that and USAFA and USMA
 
DoDI 6130.03, April 28, 2010, the "DOD Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction into the Military Services" states, on page 14, in the section regarding vision:

"Color vision (368.5x) requirements shall be set by the individual Services."

Doing a little more digging, I found that its tough to really find an answer as to "what is acceptable and what isn't." Your best answer would come from a military physician at MEPS (or at the academy of your choice) or a current military physician/flight surgeon and even they might not know what is waiverable and what isn't. I had been told; again, don't accept this as "the answer", that if you pass a vivid RED/GREEN test that you were waiverable to enter the service, however your jobs would be restricted to those not requiring color vision.

So...more digging is required.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
If you are identified as color deficient and need a waiver be prepared for a rather long wait. USNA caps color waivers at 20/class because it limits your service selection options. They cap because as stated above more will be found along the way. Usually they wait until the end of the appointment period to rack and stack all those in this category. That is the norm, but every year we hear of someone with an LOA or an athlete or prior getting an appointment earlier in the process with a vision waiver.
 
Hello Everyone
I am applying to USNA this year, but I am pretty confident that I will fail the PIP Test. That being said, I am also confident that I can pass the FALANT. Is it true that upon failing the PIP for DoDMERB, you can take the FALANT as a remedial test and be considered medically qualified, i.e. not needing a waiver?
 
Hey everyone. I'm currently a plebe at USNA who is red/green colorblind. It is pretty difficult to get a waiver for color vision, but there were a few of us on I-Day. I failed the PIP test during the DODMERB trials, and they didn't send me to take the FALANT. I took the FALANT on I-Day and failed that too. I was pretty confident I would pass it, but it is definitely harder than it looks. The color blindness waiver specifically states your options are Navy Restricted Line and Marine Ground. Good luck, and I would be happy to answer any questions on color vision.
 
Hi ,
My son just got his Dodmerb results and it shows " does not meet standards" for being color deficienct D 156.10. How long did it take for you to get a waiver and did you have to take the Falant test before you were offered an appointment. The rest of his application is pretty strong and I was wondering if a waiver is even a possibility. Thank you.
 
Pkuchipu said:
Hi ,
My son just got his Dodmerb results and it shows " does not meet standards" for being color deficienct D 156.10. How long did it take for you to get a waiver and did you have to take the Falant test before you were offered an appointment. The rest of his application is pretty strong and I was wondering if a waiver is even a possibility. Thank you.
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My DS also failed the PIP test back in early August, no Falant test for remedial. DS status has been CPR ever since mid August with vision waiver requested. Not sure if the failed vision test has anything to do with the long CPR. I welcome any comments on this.
 
Pkuchipu said:
Hi ,
My son just got his Dodmerb results and it shows " does not meet standards" for being color deficienct D 156.10. How long did it take for you to get a waiver and did you have to take the Falant test before you were offered an appointment. The rest of his application is pretty strong and I was wondering if a waiver is even a possibility. Thank you.
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I got a principal nomination in late November, and I didn't get a color vision waiver until early March. I wouldn't really expect to hear anything back until early spring. I was considering finding a way to take the FALANT on my own to send to DODMERB, but they are very hard to find. I did not take the FALANT test until I-Day when I failed that too (it's a lot harder than it looks).
 
m2020 said:
I got a principal nomination in late November, and I didn't get a color vision waiver until early March. I wouldn't really expect to hear anything back until early spring. I was considering finding a way to take the FALANT on my own to send to DODMERB, but they are very hard to find. I did not take the FALANT test until I-Day when I failed that too (it's a lot harder than it looks).
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Thank you so much for responding. That helps us set our expectations . I am glad it worked out for you and wishing you the very best. Thank you.
 
M2020 stated what I have seen in past years. Most color waivers are not given until early spring. There are always exceptions, but expect to wait until March or April. Normally USNA waits until they get all the color waiver applicants before evaluating and deciding who gets appointments. It's not impossible as m2020 has shown, but recognize what it means for admissions and also for career choice selection. Good luck to all.
 
So is it possible to take a FALANT on your own dime and sent it to DoDMERB? I live near a naval air station so I think I'll be able to find one.
 
NavyHoops said:
M2020 stated what I have seen in past years. Most color waivers are not given until early spring. There are always exceptions, but expect to wait until March or April. Normally USNA waits until they get all the color waiver applicants before evaluating and deciding who gets appointments. It's not impossible as m2020 has shown, but recognize what it means for admissions and also for career choice selection. Good luck to all.
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Thank you. This is very helpful info.
 
SAhopeful123 said:
So is it possible to take a FALANT on your own dime and sent it to DoDMERB? I live near a naval air station so I think I'll be able to find one.
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Not necessarily. Naval aviation has gone away from FALANT as the backup test and now uses some computerized versions (e.g. ColorDX). The lanterns are quite difficult to find, and unless you have other access to military medicine it will be nearly impossible to actually get in for the test.
 
Okay good news....
I passed the PIP test at my DoDMERB exam earlier today, but it was a close one and I wasn't sure on a couple that I actually got right. I am worried that upon entering one of the academies (I am applying to all of them), I will fail their screening test and get immediately kicked out. Is there any course of action I can take now to prevent this? Are some academies more lenient than others on this specific issue? Thank you for all of your advice up until now, but this has me really worried.
 
Yes. Not 100% on this, but I think West Point has less stringent color vision requirements. Could be wrong. People do fail their vision tests on I Day and also at pre-commissioning physicals. It's not the end of the world, it just limits your service selection options at each school. At USNA it keeps you to restricted line or USMC ground. Bottom line is if you are close, understand the option restrictions for commissioning in each service.

Also USMC ground has its own color vision limitations. You won't be a communications officer, ATC officer and a few others. Something about being able to see colored lights on planes and colored wires seem to be important ;). What are your goals? What interests you from a service perspective? These types of questions (besides which service fits you best culturally, etc) can help drive best SA for you.
 
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I understand that my vision will place limitations on my service and I'm fine with that. What I'm really concerned about is if I miss a couple more on the PIP test (which would be failing) on I-Day. Since I barely passed it on DODMERB, I will not have a waiver and will be sent home.
 
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