Army Jobs for Color Deficient

[NavyXC939]

Hello everyone,

I tried to look for a list that contains the jobs one can do in the Army if they are red-green color deficient, but I couldn't find any definite answers. I was wondering if anyone could help me out. Thanks!

 

[GoCubbies]

I’ll tell you three jobs that WON’T be an option if you’re red/green deficient.

The obvious one is aviation.

The other ones are the only two MOS in the Army that require you to go to Airborne school. You can’t be red/green deficient to go to Airborne school.

The 2 jobs that require airborne school are 92R (Parachute Rigger) and 18-series (Special Forces).

Since you’re on this forum, I suspect you’re looking at a commissioning route. Quartermaster officers can go to rigger school. You won’t be able to do that because you need to pass an airborne physical. You can still branch QM and not go to rigger school. In fact, most QM officers I know didn’t go to rigger or airborne school.

18A is Special Forces Officer. You won’t be able to access into that branch because it requires passing an SF physical in which airborne school school standards are embedded.

 

[emwvmi01]

I’ll tell you three jobs that WON’T be an option if you’re red/green deficient.

The obvious one is aviation.

The other ones are the only two MOS in the Army that require you to go to Airborne school. You can’t be red/green deficient to go to Airborne school.

The 2 jobs that require airborne school are 92R (Parachute Rigger) and 18-series (Special Forces).

Since you’re on this forum, I suspect you’re looking at a commissioning route. Quartermaster officers can go to rigger school. You won’t be able to do that because you need to pass an airborne physical. You can still branch QM and not go to rigger school. In fact, most QM officers I know didn’t go to rigger or airborne school.

18A is Special Forces Officer. You won’t be able to access into that branch because it requires passing an SF physical in which airborne school school standards are embedded.

Not sure that is true anymore referring to Airborne. I have two colleagues both active officers and master rated (1 in 75thRR the other with multiple tours in 82d) and they are both red green CB. In fact one was dq from aviation because of it.

 

[GoCubbies]

I’ll tell you three jobs that WON’T be an option if you’re red/green deficient.

The obvious one is aviation.

The other ones are the only two MOS in the Army that require you to go to Airborne school. You can’t be red/green deficient to go to Airborne school.

The 2 jobs that require airborne school are 92R (Parachute Rigger) and 18-series (Special Forces).

Since you’re on this forum, I suspect you’re looking at a commissioning route. Quartermaster officers can go to rigger school. You won’t be able to do that because you need to pass an airborne physical. You can still branch QM and not go to rigger school. In fact, most QM officers I know didn’t go to rigger or airborne school.

18A is Special Forces Officer. You won’t be able to access into that branch because it requires passing an SF physical in which airborne school school standards are embedded.

Not sure that is true anymore referring to Airborne. I have two colleagues both active officers and master rated (1 in 75thRR the other with multiple tours in 82d) and they are both red green CB. In fact one was dq from aviation because of it.

Please accept my apologies for my long reply.

AR 40-501, 14 June 2017, states the following:


"5–3. Medical fitness standards for initial selection for Airborne training, Ranger training, and Special Forces training, and Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course training

(4) For Airborne and Special Forces training: Failure to pass the PIP set or FALANT test for color vision (see para 4–2a) unless the applicant is able to identify vivid red and/or vivid green as projected by the Ophthalmological Projector or the Stereoscope, Vision Testing (SVT). "

The paragraph tells me if you have color vision deficiency (PIP and FALANT should catch this population) and you cannot ID vivid red and/or vivid green, then you are DQ.

OP provided a scenario in which one is red/green deficient. I am assuming this person failed PIP and FALANT (reality is no one uses FALANT anymore) and cannot ID vivid red and/or vivid green.

I cannot tell you with any certainly how your colleagues passed the airborne physical exam. I don't know the conditions for granting a waiver for someone who fails color vision testing AND cannot ID vivid red/green.

However, I can tell you my experience with folks "passing" color vision testing. The color vision portion could have been pencil whipped. In the USN, there's this thing called "gundecking." Also, the healthcare provider may not have known the standards. There could have been an error with how the color vision testing was administered.

The services acknowledge all the above happens. That's why the Army and Navy does another flight physical for students prior to starting flight training even though they had an approved one earlier.

At Ft. Rucker, student pilots undergo the "Rucker physical." It is a mini-version of the initial flight physical they may have had and already approved. They don't repeat all the tests, but you can sure bet they repeat the full battery of vision tests. And yes, there are student pilots who fail the color vision exam at Ft. Rucker even though their initial flight physical has them missing 0 out of 14 plates on the PIP. We can only speculate on how that happened.

At NAS Pensacola, all student naval aviators (SNAs) undergo another exam at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI) even though they have a qualified one in the system. The vision portion is repeated closely. Those that get DQ'ed at NAS Pensacola get what's called the NAMI Whammy. It's a dream crusher let me tell you. You go to the Cradle of Aviation hoping to be the Tom Cruise of the class (and Top Gun) only to bolo the color vision at NAMI.

So, my post, I feel is still valid:

1) You cannot go into a job that requires you to go to Airborne school IF you at least cannot pass vivid red/green color vision testing (OP's scenario is red/green deficient)
2) The only 2 enlisted MOS that require airborne school are 92R (parachute rigger) and 18-series (special forces)
3) For officers, you cannot be an 18A (SF officer) because you are required to go to Airborne school PLUS AR 40-501 says you are also DQ for SF training for red/green deficiency
4) If you're a QM officer and want to go to rigger school, then that would be no-go if you are red/green deficient because rigger school requires airborne school. Most QM officers don't go to rigger school anyway

 

[Devil Doc]

Gun decking, a most official unofficial term. Not to be caught doing.

I was the leading CPO for aviation medicine and the aerospace physiology unit at NAS Cecil Field once and those standards are no joke. Whatever keeps objects in the air from falling on me is OK by me.