C/O '26 parents - place to commiserate and share. Roller coaster for the next 3 years!

Ivy22 said:
It may have changed over the past couple years then because I’m in flight school right now and the Navy surgeon recommended and did LASIK on me, over PRK. It doesn’t DQ me from any of the platforms either, including ejection seat and pointy nose jets. No waiver required anymore for LASIK
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I knew the waiver was no longer required for LASIK, and it did seem to be gradually shifting. Enough time has passed that they have seen aviators who had the procedure done have full careers, as well as been able to review non-military data.
 
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DS just texted me that he found out he is color blind in his 2/c optometry appointment. Now has to go Marine Ground or restricted line. I don't know how he is doing - but was a pretty straight forward text. This is news to all of us. Not found on IDay or Dodmerb physical. So, how will it be determined about what he will be doing to commission? Is he voluntold or will he get to choose? Ah, the roller coaster continues!
 
Parent1stTimer said:
DS just texted me that he found out he is color blind in his 2/c optometry appointment. Now has to go Marine Ground or restricted line. I don't know how he is doing - but was a pretty straight forward text. This is news to all of us. Not found on IDay or Dodmerb physical. So, how will it be determined about what he will be doing to commission? Is he voluntold or will he get to choose? Ah, the roller coaster continues!
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He will get to list his preferences for anything he qualified for. They will now just be different. Remember that supply, intel, and other RL officers still can be on ships and subs. Good luck to your son as he processes this change and his future. But the good news, he has time to explore these options, talk to 1/C on this path, talk to officers across the yard in these communities. Also, if Marine Corps ends up being his preferred path there are certain MOSs he can’t select. It’s only a few like ATC, comms and a few others. They also don’t let color blind do the EOD side of Engineer Officer. They figure being able to discern red/green wires is important.
 
Parent1stTimer said:
DS just texted me that he found out he is color blind in his 2/c optometry appointment. Now has to go Marine Ground or restricted line. I don't know how he is doing - but was a pretty straight forward text. This is news to all of us. Not found on IDay or Dodmerb physical. So, how will it be determined about what he will be doing to commission? Is he voluntold or will he get to choose? Ah, the roller coaster continues!
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Many a course change has occurred at the 2/C pre-comm physical - but the best news is he will be graduating with a degree, a commission and a start on an officer specialty. Others may receive med-sep news.

He will be briefed on what’s available when it’s that time. There are usually officers on the Yard from that specialty from whom he can learn. He will indicate preferences the same as classmates and hope for the best.

Both Restricted Line and Staff Corps officers may find themselves on sea duty. If he wants to be a Marine (and they want him), he can learn about all the ground specialties. There will be interesting options.

One of our USNA sponsor sons wanted Navy air, and had something come up in his pre-comm physical (can’t recall), and he ended up commissioning into RL Oceanography. Gained the meteorology/weather-guesser skills, went to sea on carriers, M.S. at Naval Postgraduate School, got out at 8-9 years. Now works at a major U.S. airline Operations Center and is rising through the ranks. Continues to be USNR Reserve and is getting promoted there.


For a peek at the Navy communities - keep in mind not all of these will be available as a choice down the road, some never, some just a few spots - see link below. Note you can also look at Staff Corps and URL.

Unrestricted Line means the officer can command or be assigned within their specialty or without, at sea or ashore. In URL, being in command, and performance there in, is the driving force and a key factor in promotion after LCDR.

Restricted Line officers may command or have equivalent roles within their community. They work primarily within their community.

Staff Corps - the professional specialties - may command or have equivalent roles within their community. They work primarily within their community.

OCM = Officer Community Manager

Some roaming around the MyNavyHR site can produce descriptions and career paths for various communities.

 
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DS did PRK, docs said it was the best route for him. Something about retina/cornea slippage while in G forces? IDK, I don't remember the details. I do know he was in pretty solid pain. Roomies helped, two days later he was astounded at how clear his vision was. Follow instructions to the letter, wear sunglasses.

I did Lasik back when dinosaurs were roaming, quick recovery, annoying part was the first 48 hours, drops required like every 30 minutes around the clock. Those that I spoke to who complained about dry eye post recovery admitted to not doing the drops per the schedule.
 
Heatherg21 said:
DS did PRK, docs said it was the best route for him. Something about retina/cornea slippage while in G forces? IDK, I don't remember the details. I do know he was in pretty solid pain. Roomies helped, two days later he was astounded at how clear his vision was. Follow instructions to the letter, wear sunglasses.

I did Lasik back when dinosaurs were roaming, quick recovery, annoying part was the first 48 hours, drops required like every 30 minutes around the clock. Those that I spoke to who complained about dry eye post recovery admitted to not doing the drops per the schedule.
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PRK is preferred since there is a remote chance that the corneal flap created via LASIK could detach under high G-forces. This is of particular concern for all SNAs and SNFOs since you will pull some G's in the T-6. Obviously jet pilots and WSOs/EWOs will experience G's on a more regular basis and at higher loads.
 
Usnavy2019 said:
PRK is preferred since there is a remote chance that the corneal flap created via LASIK could detach under high G-forces. This is of particular concern for all SNAs and SNFOs since you will pull some G's in the T-6. Obviously jet pilots and WSOs/EWOs will experience G's on a more regular basis and at higher loads.
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LASIK without complications doesn’t DQ from jets, no waiver required. It’s recommended over PRK for some patients.

My surgeon (one of the ones at NAMI) told me the flap detach stuff is very rare lately with advancements in medical technology and new studies, he had only seen it when someone got punched or gouged in the eye in such a way that their eye would’ve been messed up with or without LASIK. Not from flying… He also said that the academy is one of the only places that still tries to do PRK over LASIK in the Navy
 
The grounding time for aircrew getting LASIK can be as little as 2 weeks post-surgery, while PRK is minimum 3 months

I was able to get my official SNA upchit from NAMI around a month after surgery as that was the earliest available appointment after the 2 weeks
 
Ivy22 said:
He also said that the academy is one of the only places that still tries to do PRK over LASIK in the Navy
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FYI, USNA does not have a hospital any more and as far as I know, they still send mids needing eye surgery to Bethesda.
 
OldRetSWO said:
FYI, USNA does not have a hospital any more and as far as I know, they still send mids needing eye surgery to Bethesda.
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Yep, the Naval Hospital with inpatient beds has been gone for 30 or more years, along with the former old-school Nurses’ Quarters. Those buildings have all been administratively re-purposed.The Navy Medical Health Clinic was there until they moved into a new building over near the “new” NEX and Commissary complex some years ago, creating a Branch (BMU) in Bancroft Hall.

Mids have been going to NNMC Bethesda, now the joint Walter Reed NMMC Bethesda for many years now.




Walter Reed is arguably the jewel in the crown of the Defense healthcare system, and refractive surgery policies would be expected to be consistent across all joint and service military treatment facilities offering eye surgery, which would likely be the big military full-service hospitals. No doubt criteria have been developed as to parameters for who can get the procedures and which one.
 
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Capt MJ said:
Walter Reed is arguably the jewel in the crown of the Defense healthcare system, and refractive surgery policies would be expected to be consistent across all joint and service military treatment facilities offering eye surgery, which would likely be the big military full-service hospitals. No doubt criteria have been developed as to parameters for who can get the procedures and which one.
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That was my (poorly explained) intent in what I posted regarding where USNA Mids got their eye surgeries done.

FWIW, I was actually inside the former hospital last weekend at what is now the Naval Institute's area for an event with the Supe, the Dant and some other folks. The building modifications were stunning.
 
OldRetSWO said:
That was my (poorly explained) intent in what I posted regarding where USNA Mids got their eye surgeries done.

FWIW, I was actually inside the former hospital last weekend at what is now the Naval Institute's area for an event with the Supe, the Dant and some other folks. The building modifications were stunning.
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I knew you knew how it worked, and I just loaded extra explanatory material into the cargo area to help general readership understand it’s not USNA driving the policy and current practice. I think extra care is paid to people in that age group who are not quite fully grown and of whom many might be expected to go aviation.

I have heard that it is very nice. I’ll have to go see. It was odd enough to go in that old building over the years and think that was where DH had an appendectomy and recuperated when it was a Hospital and staffed by Nurse Corps from across the street in the Quarters, corpsmen, surgeons and specialists, etc. Note from DH: as a matter of policy, no newly commissioned nurses (100% women at that time) were stationed there, only more senior (much older) ones. 🤣 I went to the Navy Medical Clinic for many years there, as well as the PSD for ID cards, and then to Alumni Assn offices housed there. The building has a lot of history, great bones and a wonderful view.
 
What, you meant there might have been concern that a bunch of, uh, "excited" young male midshipmen might perhaps take a liking to the young, highly motivated, newly stationed, female nurses?? ;)
 
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PRT passed this morning. Max/max/9:26. He's frustrated because his time has gotten slower each semester.

I was like, "Well, that's what happens when you only run for a month leading up to the test!"

Football game today.
 
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