Hi-I have perused all I can get my hands on over the internet. My son has 20/40 vision, which is acceptable to be accepted in the PJ program. He DOES need his glasses. He is convinced that he needs to have LasEk surgery in order to be a PJ. I know he cannot have lasik surgery. And we read that he needs to wait a year before he can get a waiver.

My question is this. My son seems convinced that he won't be able to see well enough to do his duties as a PJ with his current vision. Can someone give us an answer on this? It will take him a long to: 1. Save the money for the procedure and 2.wait the required year.

Thanks,

Tracy

Coming from a potential retrainee I would offer this advice to you. Being that LASIK is quite costly I would hold off and let the AF pick up that bill, instead of your son paying out of pocket. A route that could be beneficial to your son would be enlisting into a well manned AFSC for 4 to 6 years and to apply for the surgery through the AF. I have seen many men and women get approved from the AF for the surgery in just 3 years active duty.

If he enlisted with another AFSC besides PJ (which I know is difficult during this time of economical hardship)he could spend the next 2 to 3 years training and healing from the surgery while staying focused on his end goal. I enlisted back in 2007 for CCT and was not able to attend to my class date at the selection course because of a detrimental error my recruiter had made. Make a long story short I was put into F-15 avionics and have regretted everyday of it but I have stayed focus on my ultimate goal which is to be a Combat Controller. I have learned many things in the 3 years I have spent in the Air Force and a lot more about Special Tactics through meeting people from TDY's, deployments and exercises. I am actually glad that I will be a retrainee in ST, instead of going straight into a ST AFSC right out of BMT.

It may not be easy to put off dreams but sometimes you can't always start off on top. I look at it from a positive perspective and mainly see my time in Avionics as a stepping stone in my military career to something greater. I hope that you can understand my point of view on your sons dilemma. Good luck!

Lots of PJs wear glasses and do just fine...20/40 isn't bad at all and he'll do fine if he wants to pursue the AFSC.

You need at least 20/70 in your best eye and 20/100 in your worst. That's why I can't go for PJ because mine aren't in those spec's so I have to settle for CCT. Good luck to your son!

Coming from a guy who has had Eye surgery. If you dont HAVE to have it, Don't get it. There are waivers and a whole mess of things. If he joins as TE said he will be fine.

Thanks for all the info everyone. My son has decided to NOT have the eye surgery. Which means he will be enlisting shortly after he turns 18 in September, since he won't need to save up for the surgery.

Tracy