# Army Ranger Colorblind Question



## EMTMan808 (Dec 3, 2018)

After researching online through this website and others, I've had a hard time finding a definitive answer to the color blind test. About 2 months ago in my college anatomy class after giving one another eye exams I found out I was color blind. Out of the 12 Ishihara plate test's I could only identify 8 numbers or patterns. I have read that the Army gives this exact test under the name PIP to test for color blindness. However, I've have seen conflicting answers to if they offer another test which I believe is called the Falant lantern test (Green, White, and Red light test). And also the Vivid Red/Green test. After digging through AR 40-501 I found this:
 "Color vision (368.5). Failure to pass a color vision test is not an automatic disqualification. Although there is no standard, color vision will be tested because adequate color vision is a prerequisite for entry into many military specialties. However, for entrance into the USMA or Army ROTC or OCS programs, the inability to distinguish and identify without confusion the color of an object, substance, material, or light that is uniformly colored a vivid red or vivid green is disqualifying."                             

They Define it as there is no standard but color vision will be tested. My Overall question is what exactly is the color vision test.
BTW The Mos I'm going for is 68W with the ambition to be a ranger medic.


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## Ronnoc (Dec 4, 2018)

Background: I am colorblind AF, I fail 95% of the PIP test and get laughed at on a routine basis by my girlfriend.

I have completed/passed the physicals for the following: ROTC, IBOLC, Airborne/Ranger and SFAS. Each time they will begin with the PIP test and quickly realize there is no hope. Luckily for me, there is a (VIVID RED/GREEN) portion for the color vision test in all of these physicals. I have taken (3) different versions of this test (VIVID RED/GREEN) for these different physicals, there does not seem to be standard at this time for what constitutes a "VIVID RED/GREEN COLOR VISION TEST". Here are the three tests I was administered:

1) The technician had a green and a red stick, similar in color to a very bright red crayon and a dark forest green crayon. She would hold one up at a time and I had to guess which color it was. 

2) I peered into a machine that had a neon green circle and neon red square against a black background. I was then asked to identify the color of each shape. The red was similar to a traffic light and the green similar to a green chem light.

3) The last test I was administered were the exact lights I saw later at airborne school, the colors appeared to me similar to those seen in traffic lights.

Hope this helps.


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## EMTMan808 (Dec 4, 2018)

Thank you. This really does help, I was discouraged when I heard that you have to pass the pip test in order to qualify. 

Thank you for your service.


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## Centermass (Dec 4, 2018)

(4) For Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces training: Failure to pass the PIP set or FALANT test for colorvision (see para
4–2a) unless the applicant is able to identify vivid red and/or vivid green as projected by the Ophthalmological
Projector or the Stereoscope, Vision Testing (SVT)

Bottom line: If you are R/G color deficient, the doc isn't going to sign off on the airborne physical. 

Good luck moving forward


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## EMTMan808 (Dec 5, 2018)

Thank you Centermass


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## Rahmik (Jun 6, 2019)

EMTMan808 said:


> Thank you. This really does help, I was discouraged when I heard that you have to pass the pip test in order to qualify.
> 
> Thank you for your service.


I’m sorry I’m super late on this, hopefully it helps someone out. I was in similar situation as far as the PIP test, I could only identify 50% but passed the vivids test and FALANT. The MEPS publication I read said you only need to pass 1/3 for you to be good for an Airborne phys. Long story short, I failed the same test and walked out with an 11B Option 40 (eventually) as a prior service 11B.


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## Rahmik (Jul 25, 2019)

Rahmik said:


> I’m sorry I’m super late on this, hopefully it helps someone out. I was in similar situation as far as the PIP test, I could only identify 50% but passed the vivids test and FALANT. The MEPS publication I read said you only need to pass 1/3 for you to be good for an Airborne phys. Long story short, I failed the same test and walked out with an 11B Option 40 (eventually) as a prior service 11B.


To clarify, by “1/3” I mean 1 out of 3 tests. Falant and RG vivids have no room for error you need to get every single one correct.


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