DQ for color blindness`

faststreet

5-Year Member
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Aug 24, 2013
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My son checked the DoDmerb site yesterday and it said a DQ letter was going out for color blindness. When I asked him about the test he said he got 3 or 4 wrong. He said he sees all the colors and the numbers, but focuses in on only parts of them. We had him do the plates 3 times and he got through all of them. There we a couple he found difficult, but he could trace out the numbers. He has never had any trouble seeing any colors and has taken this type of test when he was younger and passed. What does this mean and what are the next steps? He has gone to NASS and just got an invite for a candidate visit weekend at USNA. We are visiting USGA on Monday. I view this site often and love the advice and knowledge that is shared. Thanks
 
I am sorry to hear that. I am no expert on the issue, but from what I have read, color blindness could be a deal killer for any of the sea going services or aviation. Many have mentioned not being able to get a waiver. I think he may be ok for USMA, but not sure about that. Don't give up the fight!

Good luck!
 
I am sorry to hear that. I am no expert on the issue, but from what I have read, color blindness could be a deal killer for any of the sea going services or aviation. Many have mentioned not being able to get a waiver. I think he may be ok for USMA, but not sure about that. Don't give up the fight!

Good luck!

grevar is correct. I do know some folks have gotten waivers in the past. I suggest you look for prior threads on color blindness and also those that discuss the FALANT test (I think I spelled that correctly). I'm not certain but I don't think Navy requests a FALANT test anymore. You might have to do that on your own dime. As I recall there was a thread last year that discussed this. (I would like to point out my memory ain't what it used to be, so do the research).
 
while at Iday watching my plebe screaming his rates (too slowly and not loud enough) from the top of the midstore I bumped into a mom who was there just watching. Her son was not a plebe, he was a 2nd yr and she was there to help buy her son a car. We got onto the topic of colorblind and color deficient (one of my 'favorite' topics because son #2 is color deficient and is applying) she said that her son was colorblind and told me how it all works (it was one of her favorite topics too, God works in mysterious ways)

She said they allow ~3 plebes in per yr. They first go to very high valued plebes. (I think one of this yrs plebes was a baseball recruit she said). In fact this mom's son was not given the Blue Binder until the end because they were saving those colorblind spots for the very top contenders. She did say the scary thing was that on Iday a couple more kids always show up that passed during Dodmerb, and that all colorblind kids (new ones and those who were waived) leave the Iday line and are retested which can take all day-and freaks the plebes out. The kids who were not originally waivered can get sent home.

If you follow this board this did happen at USCGA last year (sent home on report day). I think his forum name was trumpetsomething.

I would have a non-water back up plan.--son #2 is applying only for ROTC scholarship-and I am quite worried about this as well

good luck

i feel you colorblind deficiency pain
 
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Thanks for all the info. My son had is BGO interview last night and all his paperwork is now completed for both USNA and NROTC. He had an interview with the NROTC recruiter last Thurs and the recruiter told him he was being recommended for an ISR. Hadn't heard of them before and was not sure how that process worked. He has eye doc apt scheduled for next Mon to retake test. Does being in waiver status affect the application process with either USNA or NROTC? IE: do they take him out of one pile for immediate consideration and put him in another "hold" pile? thx
 
Thanks for all the info. My son had is BGO interview last night and all his paperwork is now completed for both USNA and NROTC. He had an interview with the NROTC recruiter last Thurs and the recruiter told him he was being recommended for an ISR. Hadn't heard of them before and was not sure how that process worked. He has eye doc apt scheduled for next Mon to retake test. Does being in waiver status affect the application process with either USNA or NROTC? IE: do they take him out of one pile for immediate consideration and put him in another "hold" pile? thx

I don't think it changes anything. All offers are made with the contingency that DoDMERB is successful (which includes getting a waiver). So he should still be in the same pile. He still may, or may not, get the ISR. Keep in mind he was only being recommended. Hope it all works out for your DS. :thumb:
 
Thanks again. DoDMERB says he is already qualified for both USMA and USAFA. USNA and USCG are first two choices, but he would be honored to go to any SA and if not will go ROTC route if he can. We are trying to find a FALANT testing site which is proving very difficult. Any suggestions?
 
I googled 'FALANT testing locations' and 'Farnsworth Lantern Test' and found some lists of sites. You might try doing the same. However, I would think your best bet might be to contact your eye doctor. I would expect they would know of some sites in your region. If not, you can always fall back on google.
 
I started with google. I have spoken to a number of eye doctors and eye surgeons in our area and none of them know much about the test or where a machine is. I have found one in NYC, we live in Upstate NY, and will make the 6 hour trip if need be. I have also sent out inquiries to a site for pilots as the FAA also accepts the FALANT. We saw a doc last week who said he had one, but it turned out to be the Farnsworth D15 bottle cap test. My son got a perfect score on it. Will keep working on it. Thanks
 
Hmmm.... not sure where in upstate NY you are (I grew up in Utica) but you gotta believe that there is one somewhere in Syracuse, Rochester, or even Albany. Maybe some calls to Syracuse Med Center or the airport might yield some results. Lord, you think it wouldn't be this hard to find one! Good luck. Wish I could be of more help.
 
DS went 14/14 on PIP test today. Should he copy USNA admissions in on his letter to DoDMERB with the passed test? NROTC?
 
"Qualified"

After a lot of running around, we were able to get the color deficiency removed and my DS is now medically qualified. Thanks to everyone for your timely advice. Next item, the nomination.
 
After a lot of running around, we were able to get the color deficiency removed and my DS is now medically qualified. Thanks to everyone for your timely advice. Next item, the nomination.

No, no, no. You don't get off that easy! :biggrin:
Can you give a short summary of what you did to accomplish this for the future benefit of other folks. :confused:
And by the way, CONGRATULATIONS! :cool:
 
Most of what we did to get DS cleared was based on advice from a previous poster whose DS also had a color vision deficiency show up on his DoDMERB exam. Like that poster we went and got another PIP test done and also had a D15 test done as well. Our goal was to have a Farnsworth Lantern test done, but we found it very difficult to locate a doc who has the machine. (FYI - there is a FAA medical examiner in Rochester, NY that does the tests) Once passing tests were complete, we emailed them into DoDMERB and then followed up, which is the key. They sent initial receipt back and said they would be forwarded onto the waiver board for further consideration. Upon hearing this I called for clarification since you do not need a waiver if you pass the test. They agreed and "re-examined" his scores and cleared him. This whole process took about two weeks, but as any DS/parent knows it is stressful. I was DQ'd at my commissioning physical upon completion of 4 yrs of ROTC and did not want my DS to have to go through similar fate. Hope this helps and as the previous poster stated, persistence pays off.
 
Most of what we did to get DS cleared was based on advice from a previous poster whose DS also had a color vision deficiency show up on his DoDMERB exam. Like that poster we went and got another PIP test done and also had a D15 test done as well. Our goal was to have a Farnsworth Lantern test done, but we found it very difficult to locate a doc who has the machine. (FYI - there is a FAA medical examiner in Rochester, NY that does the tests) Once passing tests were complete, we emailed them into DoDMERB and then followed up, which is the key. They sent initial receipt back and said they would be forwarded onto the waiver board for further consideration. Upon hearing this I called for clarification since you do not need a waiver if you pass the test. They agreed and "re-examined" his scores and cleared him. This whole process took about two weeks, but as any DS/parent knows it is stressful. I was DQ'd at my commissioning physical upon completion of 4 yrs of ROTC and did not want my DS to have to go through similar fate. Hope this helps and as the previous poster stated, persistence pays off.

Thanks for sharing that. I'm sure many folks will find it useful. You're a good Dad, faststreet! Hope the rest of the process goes much much smoother for you and DS. :thumb:
 
Most of what we did to get DS cleared was based on advice from a previous poster whose DS also had a color vision deficiency show up on his DoDMERB exam. Like that poster we went and got another PIP test done and also had a D15 test done as well. Our goal was to have a Farnsworth Lantern test done, but we found it very difficult to locate a doc who has the machine. (FYI - there is a FAA medical examiner in Rochester, NY that does the tests) Once passing tests were complete, we emailed them into DoDMERB and then followed up, which is the key. They sent initial receipt back and said they would be forwarded onto the waiver board for further consideration. Upon hearing this I called for clarification since you do not need a waiver if you pass the test. They agreed and "re-examined" his scores and cleared him. This whole process took about two weeks, but as any DS/parent knows it is stressful. I was DQ'd at my commissioning physical upon completion of 4 yrs of ROTC and did not want my DS to have to go through similar fate. Hope this helps and as the previous poster stated, persistence pays off.
My son will be in the same situation soon case they anticipate DQ to vision. so let me clarify something. You didnt have the Farnsworth Lantern test done. instead you went and got another PIP test done and also had a D15 test done which they then accepted for waiver?
 
My son checked the DoDmerb site yesterday and it said a DQ letter was going out for color blindness. He has never had any trouble seeing any colors and has taken this type of test when he was younger and passed.



Angel72, be careful you are not comparing apples to orangutans. Is this similar to your son, where the failure on the PIP was an error, or do you know your son is color deficient? In other words faststreet was surprised that his son failed at the initial dodmerb exam and had no history of color deficiency. He subsequently simply passed on retaking the same PIP exam. A very different situation from my son who failed at the initial dodmerb exam and would not ever have passed on retake. We knew since preschool that my son was color deficient. (damn that genetics!). If you think the PIP failure was an error there is nothing stopping you from going privately to your family eye doctor, retaking the exam and faxing the results in. (we did that exact thing with regards to depth perception and dodmerb took our eye dr's results)
 
We had no knowledge of him having a coolor dificiency. This was a surprize to us. Can you please give a description on step by step measures to take. What is PIP? Does it mean Picture in Picture? I asked his Opthomologist and he has the Farnsworth exam but its not the Farnsworth Lantern exam. Ive researched online and cant find anyone who has it. If DQ'ed and the Waiver process begins does NROTC help set up location for additional testing or is there a location they refer us to? What other tests are acceptable?
 
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