Assignment restrictions for colorblind?

hellerch

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
5
I'm colorblind and am going to need a waiver for the academy. I was wondering if anyone knew specifically what fields I would be restricted from entering. Obviously aviation but to be a surface warfare officer or marine corps officer? Anyone know?
 
I am pretty sure you are restricted from Navy and must commission Marine Corps. Waivers for colorblindness are very few and far between. They do happen but very rarely.
 
I am pretty sure you are restricted from Navy and must commission Marine Corps. Waivers for colorblindness are very few and far between. They do happen but very rarely.

My son is in the same boat for Class of 2013, waiting for a color blind waiver and they are as rare as hen's teeth we were told! If you're a recruited athlete you might have a chance and you will have to commission as a Marine. That's not a problem for my son as that was what he wanted anyway.

For restrictions, yes Flight is definitely out and so is Surface Warfare. I read an article where an Admiral was found to be color blind later in his career and had to switch over to supply. You can of course join the Navy any day of the week as a Color Blind ~enlisted person. I was told that the Officer has to be able to stand watch and being color blind would hinder that in Surface Warfare. I guess they forgot that enlisted men have to stand watch also....
 
Last edited:
Why does colour blindness affect Naval careers but not MC careers?
Not that I am colour blind, just interested in being a Marine
 
Why does colour blindness affect Naval careers but not MC careers?
Not that I am colour blind, just interested in being a Marine

It's claimed that the color coding of sea navigation could be at risk with someone with even limited color vision deficiency. Only about 2% to 8% of white males with European descendants have a color vision problem. It's usually not present in women and extremely rare. Even with limited color vision (able to see vivid red and vivid green) you're disqualified.

There is a benefit to color vision deficiency in the Army or Marine Corps, some studies claim that camouflage is easier to see as a color blind person.

 
Larry Mullen is the expert on all things DODMERB, but from what I know, USNA rarely, rarely waives for colorblindness.

Red/green colorblindness is disqualifying for pilot/NFO at least in part b/c the landing lights are red & green. In the surface/sub world, buoys are red/green and there is also need to differentiate lights, signs, etc.

The good news is that a higher percentage of USNA grads than ever is going USMC. However, admitting someone who can ONLY go USMC is very limiting -- and what if the person doesn't want to go USMC or, more importantly, USMC doesn't want him/her?

As a general rule, USNA wants to admit as many students as possible who can medically go into any available service selection, recognizing that some mids will lose eligibility over the course of their 4 yrs at USNA. Every person who enters USNA already limited by a waiver makes the service selection process more complex. That's why waivers are tough to get and, the more a waiver will limit service selection options, the less likely it is to be granted.

But again, check with L. Mullen for details.:thumb:
 
Quick question: If a candidate were to pass that FALANT-test thing successfully 100%, would their service assignment still be limited?
 
Restricted Line Officer

My son is currently attending USNA class of 2012 with a color vision waiver. He will be able to choose Marine Officer although pilot is not an option.

When he accepted his offer of appointment he had to sign a form stating that he knew that he would have to go Restricted Line if he chose Navy over Marine. Restricted Line Officers are not eligible for Command at Sea. There are many different types and communities, including Engineering Duty Officers, Aerospace Engineering Duty Officers, Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officers, Naval Intelligence Officers, Information Warfare Officers, Information Operations Officers, Public Affairs Officers, Naval Oceanographers, Information Professionals, and Human Resources.

Also, staff corps is an option which includes Medical (Doctor and Nursing), Dental, Chaplain, Civil Engineering, Supply and JAG (law). It is very very tough to get a service selection for medical school and law school from USNA.

He says he is happy with his choice to attend USNA and pursue his dream which was a long and arduous course of getting the waiver. He says he is where he belongs. He was told by many that this waiver is rarely given but did not give up. He did have a plan B in case the waiver did not come through. I suggest that all candidates do.
 
Last edited:
^^^^^

Unless things have changed, you can't go directly from USNA to JAG/law school. You must first serve some time on active duty and then apply for the program.
 
My son is currently attending USNA class of 2012 with a color vision waiver. He will be able to choose Marine Officer although pilot is not an option.

When he accepted his offer of appointment he had to sign a form stating that he knew that he would have to go Restricted Line if he chose Navy over Marine. Restricted Line Officers are not eligible for Command at Sea. There are many different types and communities, including Engineering Duty Officers, Aerospace Engineering Duty Officers, Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officers, Naval Intelligence Officers, Information Warfare Officers, Information Operations Officers, Public Affairs Officers, Naval Oceanographers, Information Professionals, and Human Resources.

Also, staff corps is an option which includes Medical (Doctor and Nursing), Dental, Chaplain, Civil Engineering, Supply and JAG (law). It is very very tough to get a service selection for medical school and law school from USNA.

He says he is happy with his choice to attend USNA and pursue his dream which was a long and arduous course of getting the waiver. He says he is where he belongs. He was told by many that this waiver is rarely given but did not give up. He did have a plan B in case the waiver did not come through. I suggest that all candidates do.

My son has a plan B and C waiting but really wants the USNA.

What is the long and arduous course that your son took to get the waiver? So far my son had to go to NAS JAX for a Farnsworth Lantern test (failed it) and was told to just wait for a waiver.
I'd really like to know if there's something else he can do to help his chances. He has a Nomination to the USNA now (NJROTC SNSI) but, has his MOC interview with our Congressman (he's AROTC Alum and pushed Army to my Son) this weekend and the MOC has him down as a USNA applicant....but he's planning on changing it over to his Plan B (USMA) school because he has a better chance of getting an appointment at West Point since his DoDMERB USNA DQ. The reason he's in a quandary is he knows the NJROTC Nom might be less than competitive with the number of them given out and the space they have.

Any suggestions out there? My son realizes the color vision waiver is a very slim chance so should he use his Nomination for the USMA? For a little more background, he's already taken an AROTC 4 year scholarship to the Citadel and is waiting for a wavier for the NROTC Marine Corps option at the Citadel. He really wants to become a Career Marine Officer since his hopes of commanding a ship or flying are out.
 
Last edited:
I called admissions yesterday and found out the actual number and how the Candidates are picked. 2% or roughly 20 +/- candidates will get a waiver for color vision each year. They will be picked out according to (obviously) their competitiveness and yes, recruited athletes. They keep it low because some people are found to "become" color blind as they age. They need room down the road for billets in the Restricted Line and Marine Corps option for Midns. that fail the Ishahara (and Farnsworth Lantern) later on in their college career.
 
Do they waiver the 20+/- at one time or is it a rolling waiver? If it is all at one time, do you know when?
 
I am a color blind candidate as well and my regional director said they are offering 24 this year.
 
As far was waiting until March or April, I checked my DODMERB profile. i've been granted a waiver to the academy as of Feb 11th. As far as the restricted line staff, can any of them still be stationed on ships or overseas? anyone know?
 
Yup

As far as the restricted line staff, can any of them still be stationed on ships or overseas? anyone know?

Yes, for example Supply Corps officers serve on virtually every Navy ship, and they are restricted line.
 
Mr. Larry Mullen explained to me that the DoDMERB had nothing to do with the waiver for color blindness. The USNA eye doctor also expressed the same and that the Naval Academy Superintendent was the source of waiver for color blindness. The Doctor also said the Superintendent would make his decision on all color blind applicants around April. I guess he must have moved his schedule up?
 
Yes, for example Supply Corps officers serve on virtually every Navy ship, and they are restricted line.

Do restricted line officers have a star on their sleeve and is it true that they usually can't rise above O-5?
 
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.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top