When is determination of restricted line made?

williamsdr3

williamsdr3

Parent of USNA Mid '24
5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2018
Messages
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My son is an appointee for Class of 2024 with USNA. He had a pretty tough medical waiver to overcome due to an artificial lens in one eye caused by a childhood injury. I am pretty sure he meets the vision standards though and certainly is not color-blind. When will he find out if he is able to go unrestricted line or not assuming no other health changes between now and commissioning? I thought maybe this would be mentioned in some kind of waiver approval letter but he didn't get anything from USNA unlike USAFA and USMA which sent lots of official letters in the mail through the application process.

Any other things to know? I searched the forum on restricted line but there wasn't that much information. He is open to a lot of different communities so it is not a deal-breaker but just more along lines of what to expect.
 
You’ll get plenty of briefs on all available career paths in good to know what’s available.
 
Agree with above. For some they know coming in (height, color blind, hearing loss). Other it’s injuries they sustain while Mids (cancer, orthopedic injuries, etc). And others it’s when they do their 2/C pre-commissioning physical and they make a final determination. The 2/C pre-commissioning physical is a tip of the head to toes physical that is pretty in depth. They even do measurements to see if you are flight qualified... this isn’t just height, but things like various sitting measurements. It’s usually done fairly early 2/C year and they will schedule follow ons if they want to review certain things with specialists.
 
NavyHoops said:
Agree with above. For some they know coming in (height, color blind, hearing loss). Other it’s injuries they sustain while Mids (cancer, orthopedic injuries, etc). And others it’s when they do their 2/C pre-commissioning physical and they make a final determination. The 2/C pre-commissioning physical is a tip of the head to toes physical that is pretty in depth. They even do measurements to see if you are flight qualified... this isn’t just height, but things like various sitting measurements. It’s usually done fairly early 2/C year and they will schedule follow ons if they want to review certain things with specialists.
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Thanks, everyone, for the helpful info. So if they know coming in, how do they know? Perhaps this artificial lens already puts him to restricted line but he has no information to say either way.
 
I wouldn’t assume he is NPQ or not. It will play out with time. He may be fine to be a SWO or subs, but maybe not pilot. It will all depend on what his tests show and the physical standards for that career designation.
 
I had two separate roommates that signed on I-day a contract of sorts stating they understood they were restricted to certain assignments (marine ground or restricted line due to colorblindness). Yet I had someone in my major who came in with an issue that ended up leading to a golden handshake the week of graduation. As much as I hate to say it, it could be at any point at the academy due to “needs of the navy”. However, restricted line is a great gig and they will have several briefs a year, all four years there on the routes they can go.
 
I understand your "concern" -- what if DS falls in love with a particular service and then is told he can't do it? Well, it happens to a lot of folks for a lot of reasons. Knew a recent grad who wanted to be an NFO. Measurements killed that idea. Went on to be happy in another community.

That's why BGOs and others counsel candidates to be flexible about commissioning options. If you go to USNA ONLY to fly (or ONLY to be a SEAL), you're setting yourself up for disappointment. It's fine to have a goal but you also need to realize that, in some cases, that goal may be out of reach for reasons beyond your control.
 
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