Color Vision

[TrueAce]

I've basically read that people with a color deficiency are not allowed to become a SEAL. Why on the official Navy SEAL/SWCC website does it say color deficiencies (meaning people without perfect color vision I would think) require BUMED approval? Does this mean they even grant waivers to people who fail the plates and the falant on a limited basis? Do any real SEALs know the deal on this or know someone they could ask? I know I can pass a vivid red/green test (which is really all you need) but I've yet to find the FALANT anywhere.

I also had another problem that might keep me from SCUBA anyways even if the color vision gets me. I posted about it before but no one really knows for sure, so I'm going to see an ENT tomorrow about the surgery I had on my ear when I was younger. I'm about 1.5 years away from finishing college and need to know if I should start busting my *** really hard or just keep a decent level of fitness. It sucks to know they're are probably hundreds of guys who would die to have a shot at BUD/S but can't because of a small color deficiency or whatever else. So it's not true that you can be whatever you want to be....at least for some people.

I swear no one would ever know I was colorblind unless it was mentioned. That's what happened at my job working at an FBO doing line service. After about a year into the job they decided perfect color vision was needed which was some corporate bs. They were like OMG John you're colorblind....I'm like ya I knew before even looking at the plates I would fail. Then I was like how many accidents have I had where I couldn't tell the difference between the aircraft fuel types or lights etc. Secondly, how many jets have I ever wrecked into the wall, another jet and so on? They thought about it and were like none. Then I asked some of the guys who had just passed the test how many accidents they've had. Some were zero others were like 2 or 3 etc.

My point being is I bet there are plenty of guys who are color deficient that wouldn't ever screw up on the teams but aren't allowed a shot. I guess it's true there might be a situation where you're ordered to take out the red insurgent and not the green lol. JK I couldn't help it because I'm sure everyone will say map reading yada yada, but anyways hopefully I can pass the falant and my ear test comes through so I don't have to worry. Thanks for the help.


http://www.sealchallenge.navy.mil/seal/contractinstructions.aspx

[snow85]

i've posted a link to the medical req's.

do a site search to find it.

[TrueAce]

Ok I'll search for it. I think it's going to say PIP or FALANT no exceptions. If you read the link I posted though you might see why I was wondering. It seems to state color deficiencies require BUMED approval which would mean people who can't pass either I would think.

"Ten percent of the male population and around 0.5% of the female population in Canada and the USA are said to be colour blind. Now unlike other disabilities, people with colour blindness sometimes find themselves in demand for certain roles in life. For example, many hunting scouts and some specialized military roles are best suited by a person who is not fooled by colour camouflage. I have corresponded with many people who over the years due to their colour blindness were the first ones to bag the deer in a hunting party."

Why do I always read that people with color deficiencies can be better scouts than people with normal color vision is some cases. Does anyone know if this is really true? I read in Lone Survivor the Afghans were very efficient in that they used scouts, a guy who carried the ammo, one for the food/water I think and the rest just AK's to keep them light. Maybe they'll let me be a SEAL scout helping to detect camo'd enemies if I can't pass the falant. ;)

"As a child and to this day as an adult I have a terrible time in full bright sunlight. I almost never go outside on a sunny day without sunglasses as I find the bright light too unbearable. as a child, before I knew all this, I used to always walk with my head pointed down to the ground and I squinted all the time outside. Teachers and other concerned adults always assumed I suffered form low self esteem or some other techo-babble psychological condition, when all it was in the first place was the inability to walk in bright sunlight without experiencing pain in my eyes. To me, the full midday sun is like having a camera flash go on and stay on in my face. Not everyone is the same as me, but if you have child with aversion to bright light, it might be an indication of some form of colour blindness. Again, this is not such a bad thing, as when darkness falls, I move around very easily with minimal light. When out observing with my telescope or on dimly lit beach, I can move around a lot easier than most of my friends and/or family, so there are circumstances when color blindness can be an advantage."

This kind of makes sense to me cause I play quite a bit of tennis and usually do outdoor activities with sunglasses all the time. Secondly, while playing night matches my friends always complain they can't see the ball as well at night which would make sense. I actually think I see the ball better at night even though obviously there is some artificial lighting. Wouldn't this be of benefit say for instance in Afghanistan while trying to navigate the steep terrain at night? I know when there's absolutely no light from the moon or anything at all it's not helpful, but otherwise it may be. Don't SEALs operate and move around at night a lot of the time when color vision is useless? Finally, when operating NVG's how important is color vision? I always figured it would be useless from the ones I looked through, therefore making the guy without perfect color vision have the advantage or at least be equal in detecting things.

My conclusion is that we should have dusk till dawn color deficient, yet night vision superb SEALs!!!!!!!!!! Hooyah!!!!!!!

http://www.start.ca/users/joneil/colour2.htm