Does being color blind keep you out of the military?????

[illini]

We have a new chicken hawk employee who claims they would not take him because he is color blind. My friend is color blind but served several years ago. So, unless the rules have changed he is a liar.

[veteran_for_peace]

1. No!!

You just can't do some jobs.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

4. correct...I could be a gunner...but not a pilot

or something to that effect. My colorblindness is more a nuisance than anything else...

theProdigal

[Kanary]

2. If "they would take him", then he isn't lying.......

Did you mean to spell that "wouldn't"?

Kanary

[Longhorn]

3. I don't believe it keeps you out of the military --

just limits what jobs you can do in the military.

[Brewman_Jax]

5. Not necessarily

Color blindness doesn't automatically disqualify anyone from serving. There are certain Navy rates (MOS's in the other services) that he wouldn't be eligible for because he is color blind, like Fire Control Technician, where seeing colors is critical to the job.

[illini]

6. thanks to all!!!!

[Chef]

7. Red Green

Sure as hell didn't stop them from drafting my ass in 1969. Made me take the test twice to prove I wasn't faking it. In some jobs it was considered a plus; camouflage identification, etc.

[markdd]

8. Only for specalized functions

College buddy of mine was rejected for Navy nuclear officer candidate because he was color blind. I said you're in a sub, what do you need to see? Turns out subs have a couple of million miles of color coded wires on board, hook up the wrong two and its not a pretty story.

[jgardner]

9. Nope...

My dad is color blind and he was drafted during Vietnam.

[BOHICA06]

10. Don't think you can go Airborne ...

.... if you are RED/Green color blind. Something about waiting for that "Green" light to jump is of concern.

[IrateCitizen]

11. I am color blind and they didn't have any problem with me...

If you're color blind, there are certain jobs you can't perform in the military (i.e. electrician, special forces, pilot, etc.). If you're severely color blind, I think you might be disqualified from being an officer. But the line must be a pretty low one, because I'm pretty much screwed on reds and greens, and I was an officer.

You say your employee is a chicken hawk, and he's a liar? It seems you're repeating yourself....

[HootieMcBoob]

12. Nope not a chance

When I was being tested for the Army I had to look through one of those books with all of the different colored circle thingys with a word hidden inside. After a few pages I couldn't see the word anymore, just colored circles. It limited the kinds of jobs I was eligible for (wasn't able to get the medical specialty I wanted) but didn't make a bit of difference as to whether or not they would take me. I think if he wanted to be in the infantry for example he would have no problem at all. Just tell him all he has to do is go enlist...I'm sure he'll pass the physical with flying colors :)

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. They will take whoever is breathing this time.

INCLUDING your chickenhawk employee. Hehe...They're finally getting a taste of their own medicine. He gets to go fight in Iraq...probably by next June he'll be getting a nice loooong vacation in Iraq. Tell him to pack his bags...the Draft IS coming.

[johnnie]

14. "So, unless the rules have changed he is a liar."

Well, of course he is a liar, he's backing bush isn't he?
Tell the chickenhawk to just go to try to enlist and when they give him his ineligibility papers he can prove to you he is correct. If he doesn't want to enlist, tell him he is a chickenshit chickenhawk and he should be ashamed of himself for not having the balls to fight for what he believes in.

[BrotherBuzz]

15. Not this draftee

Although being color blind did prevent me from being assigned to the MPs, which was just fine with me. They also discovered I was severely afflicted with night blindness and told me I was excluded from the Infantry, this was fine with me, too.

Send your lying chickenhawk employee down to the enlistment office, I guarantee they will find him a fine job!

[DemBones DemBones]

16. Another lying chickenhawk!

What are the odds?

:shrug:

[TahitiNut]

17. It can actually be an advantage in some combat situations.

Typically, a reduction in color sensitivity is accompanied by enhanced low light vision. This is due to the differing elements ('rods' vs. 'cones') on the retina that detect luminance and chromanence. Thus, color blindness might indicate better night vision and better ability to use night vision equipment.

[fob]

18. NO! My buddy was in the reserves for many years and is

red/green colorblind. He had trouble with the different color flares that were used that mean different things, but he passed that part anyway. Afterall, he's been that way all his life and is able to discern different shades of grey the colors appear to him, so says he.

[Democracy Died 2004]

19. Hehe

Too funny.. I know that it does not exclude you but WTF if someone couldnt see difference in uniform colors?

[Unperson 309]

20. No! Our Son is Color Blind & In Iraq Now!

I think he's red-green dichromatic, but he's in the Army.

The only thing dichromatic color blindness will keep you out of is piloting and Special Forces. Your chicken hawk friend is blowing smoke.

309

[0007]

21. If your daddy has juice, yes!

I was in Korea with color blind GI's.