Assignment restrictions for colorblind?

Capt MJ said:
Navy restricted line officers have stars on their service dress uniform sleeves. Star = Line (URL or RL). (do not mix up any stars on sleeve with stars on collars, which signify rank and another ballgame entirely)

They are usually indistinguishable from unrestricted line counterparts, since many of the RL officers have earned a warfare designation pin and then laterally transferred to RL. As noted before in other threads, URL officers are eligible to command at sea. RL officers may command ashore at commands in their restricted community.

Staff officers, such as Supply, Medical, Nurse, Medical Staff, Chaplain, JAG and other "corps" officers do not wear stars on their service dress uniform sleeves but the insignia of their corps.

There are flag officers (admirals) in ALL of the RL and Staff corps communities, and plenty of O-6's, just not as many, because the size of the RL and Staff communities is much smaller than unrestricted line communities (aviation, submarine, surface are the biggest). And, just one RL officer, say, the Oceanographic officer, might be assigned to a carrier or large shore command. You won't have whole clusters of RL officers at any one command, unless it's their own command, such as a METOC (meterological center) or similar command for other RL communities.

NOT true "they can't rise above O-5." You just don't see 'em out and about as much, especially the Intell and Crypto types who work in the buildings with no windows and have clearances "beyond black." Bless 'em, they can't tell us what they do but it's critical to national security.
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Thanks Captain, from an enlisted Marine.
 
In March of '86 I was stationed at Camp Muchuk Korea. I was with Lima 3/5.

We were training with the ROK Marines and were engaged in a double envelopment, base of fire needed to shift right on one color smoke and left on another color and back on a 3rd.

We had one Marine in the base element that was color blind and shifted his fire in the wrong direction, which of course is into the right enveloping flank.

Needless to say, color blindness could have cost lives that day, and it was only training.

Can you imagine if we call in fire support from the air wing and mark our position with one color and fire a color via mortar round into the enemy to mark the target and the pilot can't tell which color is which.

JB
 
Maximus, my pleasure. Semper Fi, and thank you for your service.
 
what would happen to person who fails the color vision test on i day? would they be dismissed or given the choice of marine/restricted line?
 
This is old information, as I haven't been involved with I-Day in many years (4 years). But in the 3 years I was at USNA, and the 5 years I was at DoDMERB working with USNA on I-Day I cannot recall them sending anyone home. I do know they would take the color blind folks (including those who had waivers) and give them a brief on what to expect in 4 years and give them the option to go home.

I do know that USCGA has sent people home who were found to be color blind on I-Day.

Hope this helps.
 
Had a classmate, knew a swab who was sent home day 1 for color blindness, all on R-day.
 
Pardon my ignorance, but how does someone get through the DODMERB physical without anyone knowing he/she is colorblind? If the answer is "cheating," that's a separate issue and, quite honestly, the person should be sent home. But if not, why doesn't DODMERB give the test up front that they'll give on I-Day? And if they do, how do you pass on the first try and then fail later? :confused:
 
usna1985 said:
Pardon my ignorance, but how does someone get through the DODMERB physical without anyone knowing he/she is colorblind? If the answer is "cheating," that's a separate issue and, quite honestly, the person should be sent home. But if not, why doesn't DODMERB give the test up front that they'll give on I-Day? And if they do, how do you pass on the first try and then fail later? :confused:
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usna1985 here is the answer I gave Bossf51 a couple of years ago: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showpost.php?p=908&postcount=2

Does this help?
 
Just out of curiosity, does USNA test AGAIN later in the 4 years before graduation and commisioning to see if anythings changed? Just curious, because I think I'm honestly just slightly ********, not colorblind :)

I'm listed as a red/green deficiency but can easily tell red and green apart on traffic lights, shirts, paper, walls, TV, etc....Just can't pass a fallant, don't think my eyes recognize stuff fast enough or something
 
hellerch said:
Just out of curiosity, does USNA test AGAIN later in the 4 years before graduation and commisioning to see if anythings changed? Just curious, because I think I'm honestly just slightly ********, not colorblind :)

I'm listed as a red/green deficiency but can easily tell red and green apart on traffic lights, shirts, paper, walls, TV, etc....Just can't pass a fallant, don't think my eyes recognize stuff fast enough or something
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You will have a commissioning physical exam before graduation which is much more in depth than the DoDMERB exam. So yes, you will be tested again.

A red/green dificency does not mean that you can't see vivid red and vivid green, it just means that if you place something red near something green you may have issues telling the colors apart, such as with the FALANT.

usna1985 said:
It does indeed. Thanks!

One other odd question -- just b/c I'm curious -- can females be red/green colorblind? I know it's a predomoninantly male condition but wondered if it is exclusively so.
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Women with color vision deficiencies (or color blindness) are less than 1% of the female population, while males are around 7%. Is it any wonder why women dress men and do the decorating? :thumb:

Here's a good link: http://www.hhmi.org/senses/b130.html

Its also why women make up names for colors.. Just what color is fuchsia anyway?? :biggrin:
 
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