# color blind (red/green deficient)



## msteen1 (Sep 24, 2007)

I went to MEPS a couple months ago, and failed the color vision test (Ishihara Test).  I have since been to an eye doctor, and was told that I am red/green deficient.  I signed reserve 0321 at MEPS, but now my recruiter thinks that my color vision problem DQ's me for 0321, and that he needs to look into it.  Would they have placed me 0321 at MEPS if it was a DQ?  If this does not DQ me, I have also been told it will keep me out of jump school and/or scuba school.  Is this true?  If so, what does red/green color deficiency have to do with jumping from an airplane or scuba diving?  Other than that my vision is 20/20 and I passed the Farnsworth Lantern Test. 

With or without 0321 I am joining.  

Thanks for any input, or sources.


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## rangerpsych (Sep 24, 2007)

Well if you can't tell red from green then you won't know when to stop or go in the aircraft. You also won't be able to differentiate between smoke grenades, types of ammunition....


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## Marauder06 (Sep 24, 2007)

rangerpsych said:


> Well if you can't tell red from green then you won't know when to stop or go in the aircraft.....



I always have my eyes closed and I still know when to jump


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## msteen1 (Sep 24, 2007)

I can tell the difference between red and green.  I just can't see numbers in those circles with all the different colored dots.


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## AWP (Sep 24, 2007)

There is an alternate test you can take at MEPS, the name of it escapes me.


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## JBS (Sep 24, 2007)

You could always GUESS.

50% chance, right?

Sorry, I have a crappy sense of humor.

Some Color-Blindness facts:
*
Life's minor frustrations (and occasional dangers) for the color blind:*



* Weather forecasts - especially the Weather Channel - where certain colors just can not be distinguished on their weather maps. Also, maps in general because of the color coding on the legends.


* Bi-color and tri-color LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes): Is that glowing indicator light red, yellow, or green?


* Traffic lights, and worst of all, Caution lights: Color blind people always know the position of the colors on the traffic light - in most states, Red on top, Yellow in the center, Green (or is that blue?) on the bottom. It isn't good when we go to a city or state where they put traffic lights horizontal - it takes a couple of days to get used to that one! But caution lights present an entirely different problem. In this situation there is only one light; no top or bottom, no right or left, just one light that is either red or yellow - but which is it?


* Getting in the sun with your girlfriend: So, you're out in the boat or on the beach with your girlfriend and soaking up the rays. But I can't tell until far too late if I'm getting red - or if she is. If I can tell it's red, by that time it's fire engine red and a painful sunburn is already present.


* Color observation by others: "Look at those lovely pink flowers on that shrub". My reply, looking at a greenish shrub "What flowers?"


* Purchasing clothing: I've got some really neat colors of clothes. Not everyone appreciates them like I do though; they seem to think the colors are strange. I just don't know why!


* Kids and crayons: Color vision deficiencies bother affected children from the earliest years. At school, coloring can become a difficulty when one has to take the blue crayon -and not the pink one- to color the ocean.
    * Test strips for hard water, pH, swimming pools, etc.: A color blind person is generally unable to :

 o interpret some chemical reactions

 o see that litmus paper turns red by acid

o identify a material by the color of its flame such as lead blue or potassium purple

o interpret the chemical testing kits for swimming pool water, test strips for hard water, soil or water pH tests - all of which rely on subtle color differences and a band of similar colors to compare against.


* Cooking and foods:

o When cooking, red deficient individuals cannot tell whether their piece of meat is raw or well done. Many can not tell the difference between green and ripe tomatoes or between ketchup and chocolate syrup.

o Some food can even look definitely disgusting to color deficient individuals. For example, people with a green deficiency cannot possibly eat spinach which to them just look like cow pat. They can however distinguish some citrus fruits. Oranges seem to be of a brighter yellow than that of lemons.


* Are you wearing lipstick? Many color blind people cannot tell whether a woman is wearing lipstick or not. More difficult to handle for some is the inability to make the difference between a blue-eyed blonde and a green-eyed redhead.


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## pardus (Sep 24, 2007)

msteen1 said:


> If so, what does red/green color deficiency have to do with jumping from an airplane or scuba diving?  .



Whether it's relevant or not, if it's the standard then it's the standard, right or wrong.

You can always appeal right?


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## rangerpsych (Sep 24, 2007)

Marauder06 said:


> I always have my eyes closed and I still know when to jump



Yah, but that simply quantifies you as a cowardly fool :)

I like watching the ducks fly by when I'm in the door.


We now return you to your previously black and white programming.


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## msteen1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Then from what I gather from your experiences (Invisible J).  I am good to go since I passed the Falant, or they would not have signed me 0321 at MEPS?


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## pardus (Sep 25, 2007)

Talk to EATIII, I don't think a recruiter can override MEPS... EATIII?


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## DDSSDV (Sep 25, 2007)

On the diving side, colors change drastically the deeper you go. If your color vision is already deficient, you may not see anything at depth. Had a guy in the Nav who had color blindness and bad eyes. I had to tow his ass around at 100ft. Fucking clump.


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## msteen1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Well its good enough to know that I will at least get my recon shot.  Jumping and diving were not my reasons for joining.  I'll cross those bridges if I get to them.


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## DDSSDV (Sep 25, 2007)

msteen1 said:


> Well its good enough to know that I will at least get my recon shot.  Jumping and diving were not my reasons for joining.  I'll cross those bridges if I get to them.



Surprised they let you in since both is required for RECON. Good luck.


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## msteen1 (Sep 25, 2007)

I didn't know that they were required because i thought some recon marines get deployed before they complete the pipeline (right after ARS).  Or are they not deployed as recon?


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