colors: USCGA and USAFA

[Packer]

Originally Posted by Pima

Packer, I agree it is already on file, what I was stating is if he goes AFROTC, he will not contract until the very least Sept 2013. If his 1st exam was last Aug (2011) it would not be valid because it would be over 2 yrs old.

Do the math. He goes AF/AROTC this fall, not contracted. Applies for an ISSP, is awarded. School starts 9/5, contracting is 9/12... 2013. If he took the exam 9/12/11 it is now invalid! He can't even contract, instead he will need to start the entire DoDMERB process over again. If he goes AFA the exam would be valid using my dates.

Gotcha!

[Luigi59]

Originally Posted by TrumpetTennis

Hello. I am being disenrolled medically for the USCGA for color deficiency.

Sorry to hear that. You've been on this site since you were a sophomore, and I know you were very enthusiastic about joining the USCG and the USCGA.

Did you take (and pass) a color deficiency screening at your DODMERB physical?

Was the test at USCGA different somehow? I believe they use the PIP plates / Ishihara plates to do the initial screening, were you offered the chance to take (or did you take) the Farnsworth Lantern (FALANT) test?

[TrumpetTennis]

Yes I took both. I apparently failed both. I'm still at the academy now on outprocessing. However, I'd like to move on and set my sights on USMA/USAFA which Ive been told grant waivers for mild color blindness which I have. I'm going to Rutgers University this fall and will be taking similar classes I took here. Im looking to join AFROTC or AROTC. I can pass the vivid test, which apparently is a go for USMA. Some advice to my chances of getting a non-pilot comissioning slot at USAFA would help settle my stomach now and give me hope. The site says they grant waivers, and other threads say you can get a non-pilot appt. Please someone tell me a waiver is possible for USAFA or if any were given this year. Thanks

[Pima]

Nobody here can or should say a waiver will be granted. Nobody knows your exact condition, but more importantly nobody sits on the waiver board!

Waivers when supply(ROTC Cadets) is low, and demand (AF) is high occur more frequently than when the supply is high and demand is low.

You have yet to understand how AFSC works for AFROTC. Yes, they have rated and non-rated slots. HOWEVER, AFROTC cadets that want rated meet boards before the non-rated board meets. If they are not picked up on the rated board, they live another day and compete on the non-rated board. In other words there are PPQ (Potentially Pilot Qual) that go non-rated, it is not reserved for those that are not PPQ.

Not to divert this thread, but you need to do some investigating regarding AFROTC. AFROTC is not like AROTC. Your concerns if granted a waiver arr completely moot until you graduate from SFT (rising jr yr in college), scholarship or not.


You need to understand that it is 4 yrs after graduation you will live that military life. 40/50/60 hrs a week, 365 days a yr. If you don't want to be in a tank, don't go Army. If you don't want to be in Maintenance for jets, don't go AF.

I don't think this is really now about DoDMERB issues, I think it is more about which branch will give you a better chance. Problem is 4 yrs AD does not equal happiness if you hate the branch.

I am a jersey girl, exit 9. Married an AF officer, 1st base I moved to was Holloman AFB, http://www.holloman.af.mil/ 2nd was Mt. Home, ID http://www.mountainhome.af.mil/ That was within the 1st yr of my marriage. Mt Home is the hub of Elmore County, 10K people, Boise is the closest city, 50 miles away!
It could have been worse, he could have been assigned to Minot, ND. In his 20 yrs ADAF, @ 7 yrs was at Goldsboro, NC. Goldsboro is the hub of Wayne County with 45K people. NJ you don't know when you leave a town because the next town is right there. Goldsboro you know you left it because all you have is stretches of road with nothing. Again, look at Holloman, Mt. Home, and Minot.

Same is true for the Army.

The only reason life was out the door great, was because Bullet loved being an AF officer.

You have to want to be in that branch, joining because they were the only branch to give you a waiver is just not enough!

[Packer]

TrumpetTennis, you might want to take a look at this it is a few years old but may provide some guidance.
http://aviationmedicine.com/resource...uide%20PDF.pdf

The AF is not as strict with regards to vision/color vision as the CG is. I would not assume that your condition is a disqualifier. It may or may not be. I believe the AF uses the PIP test and you do not have to get 14/14 to be qualified. I believe the CG requires perfect color vision.

[TrumpetTennis]

I read over pages 126-127. It states that waivers are not granted and it is automatically disqualifying FOR PILOTS, but it says nothing about non-pilot slots. "“This document primarily provides guidance for waivers on trained flying class II and III personnel,
and where specifically stated applies to flying class I/IA applicants and other special duty personnel.
This waiver guide does not cover general military entrance, commissioning, or enlistment.”" So does this not inhibit commissioning through either AFROTC/USAFA??

Further, are there separate pools, or is competition for USAF ROTC/USAFA commission more difficult for people who are not pilot qualified?

[Pima]

AFA will classify you as PPQ(Potentially Pilot Qual) or PQ (Pilot Qual).

AFROTC AFSC holds 2 boards, 1 for rated and 1 for non-rated, due to fact that you have a vision issue you would go to the non-rated board only. The reason they hold 2 boards is not only for medical issues, but also those that are not picked up for rated, than live another day and fight for a non-rated AFSC.

[TrumpetTennis]

will afa consider me "commission qualified" ?

[Pima]

I don't know.

I mean this with kindness, but an SA education is not like AD. It is not 52 weeks a yr, 24/7, deployed at any given time for 5 yrs in your career field.

I think you are spending more time wanting to attend an SA without understanding you will spend more time AD.

Take a deep breath and research career fields. Notice the s after field. You are not ever guaranteed your 1st choice, you might want Intel, and get stuck with Public Affairs. To attend an SA because it is an SA is not the wisest decision.

Don't go down this path if you are not ready to take the bad (AFSC/assignment ---Minot ND) with the good (Qualified).

They own you for yrs. Attending an SA over another SA or ROTC is not smart IMPO just because they will commission you. Look deeper in this forum. AF/AROTC also waive when AFA and USMA didn't. AFROTC you are still on the hook AD no matter what, AROTC they have levels!

I know people think as an AFROTC Mom I am pushing ROTC. I am not! I am pushing the fact that AD life is not SA or collegiate life. Don't commit to any branch unless you are willing to do a yr in Iraq, Korea, Saudi Arabia, as a remote in a job you never thought you would be stuck with the Q is not worth it when they make you the PAO and you wanted Intel or SP.