Air force CCT or TACP Waivers?

J

JPurvis

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Apr 7, 2013
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Dallas, TX
Hello,

I am looking for some input from any active duty Airmen or someone who has experience in the AF processes. I have been in the process of getting in the military for over a year, starting with the Navy's SEAL challenge program. Long story short I went to MEPS and they told me I was slightly color deficient, which made me ineligible for SEALs. I heard from a few different Airmen as well as an operator that the AF is more likely to waiver this issue over the Navy, due to the Navy SPECWAR programs being over flooded. The Air Force was my original plans when looking into the military anyways, so this came as good news for me. I am currently in the process with an Air Force recruiter and am supposed to be taking the PAST within the next few weeks. Any info on the possibility of a waiver would be helpful. If need be I would not mind getting into another career field and then retraining, however the special operations community is my ultimate goal. Thanks!


Just a background I have taken the Navy's PST which is about the same as the PAST for the Air Force. I did well and physically could have qualified for the Air Force as well. I have my ASVAB and MEPS physical done, The only thing I need is to pick jobs and officially take the AF PAST.
 
Let me caveat this by saying I'm an Army vet, and I'm not an Air Force recruiter. Now....

If the USAF was your first choice why were you mucking about with the Navy?

Have you told your USAF recruiter you failed the color vision test? I suspect not, or you wouldn't be asking us about waivers because he'd have already informed you whether they exist.

Physical and other requirements exist for good reason. To give you a frame of reference, we interview everyone who attempts SWAT selection at my shop. We do this even though we know everyone and they've already been interviewed and investigated ad nauseum. Similarly, no one gets on the team without proving they can blow the center out of a target. Cold. Twice in a row. Some people never get on the team.

By the way- color vision is a requirement for us, and we don't waiver it.

I suspect someone from AFSOC will be along shortly to speak directly to AFSOC requirements.

Good luck in your endeavors.
 
Waivers are given but its case by case. Also, depends on the level of color blindness...i.e. some guys can see red but cant distinguish different shades of red. I can tell you that in order to even have a chance at getting a waiver you are going to need to impress the shit out of your special operations recruiting liason. Honestly, it will be tough to get a waiver under the CCT requirements due to duties as an air traffic controller. Not as tough for TACP though.

Who is your recruiter btw?
 
Back when I was in the DEP there was a kid going for PJ who was also color deficient. After about a year and a half of not taking no for an answer he got a waiver. So yes a waiver is possible but only to those who prove that they are worth being sent through whichever pipeline . You have to have a good Recruiter and that Recruiter's supervisor must also be willing to do some work.
 
policemedic said:
Let me caveat this by saying I'm an Army vet, and I'm not an Air Force recruiter. Now....

If the USAF was your first choice why were you mucking about with the Navy?

Have you told your USAF recruiter you failed the color vision test? I suspect not, or you wouldn't be asking us about waivers because he'd have already informed you whether they exist.

Physical and other requirements exist for good reason. To give you a frame of reference, we interview everyone who attempts SWAT selection at my shop. We do this even though we know everyone and they've already been interviewed and investigated ad nauseum. Similarly, no one gets on the team without proving they can blow the center out of a target. Cold. Twice in a row. Some people never get on the team.

By the way- color vision is a requirement for us, and we don't waiver it.

I suspect someone from AFSOC will be along shortly to speak directly to AFSOC requirements.

Good luck in your endeavors.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the reply. I started with the Navy because of the challenge programs and I thought a waiver would be more likely for them. I later found out that they have more candidates than they need for SPECWAR so no waivers are likely at this time.

Yes my AF recruiter knows I have this issue, he has been trying to help me out. He thinks a waiver is possible but it may take retraining later to get it. I came here to see how likely it is without having to choose another job first.
 
txpj007 said:
Waivers are given but its case by case. Also, depends on the level of color blindness...i.e. some guys can see red but cant distinguish different shades of red. I can tell you that in order to even have a chance at getting a waiver you are going to need to impress the shit out of your special operations recruiting liason. Honestly, it will be tough to get a waiver under the CCT requirements due to duties as an air traffic controller. Not as tough for TACP though.

Who is your recruiter btw?
Click to expand...

Ok def good info..thank you. Im sure PJ will be just as tough on waiver requirements? I am working with Ssgt. Lee, he is in Frisco.
 
JPurvis said:
Thanks for the reply. I started with the Navy because of the challenge programs and I thought a waiver would be more likely for them. I later found out that they have more candidates than they need for SPECWAR so no waivers are likely at this time.
Click to expand...

It seems you knew you had a vision problem before you got to MEPS.
 
policemedic said:
It seems you knew you had a vision problem before you got to MEPS.
Click to expand...

Negative, I never knew I had a vision problem before MEPS. I knew i would need another waiver for the AF that the Navy doesnt require. However the AF has approved that Waiver for me already. Then I found out through the Navy at MEPS that I would also need a color vision waiver, and that it was unlikely due to the reasons stated above. I have never had an issue with vision, depth perception, color etc until I went to MEPS and they advised me I failed the color test. It was a shock to me.
 

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