Hello,
My names Richard Walsh, i just turned 19 years old today and this is my first post on this site! My dream job ever since i was about 13 years old has been pararescue. i have recently been getting ready to enlist after the new year. I am in far better shape than the PAST test (ive done it many times in my training) Just the other day i went to the eye doctors and got my eyes checked to see where they were at. Turns out, my left eye is 20/15 and my right eye is 20/80 uncorrected and 20/60 after correction any surgery would do no good. now i do realize that the rule says BOTH eyes must be correctable to 20/20 but im hoping there is something i can do,ANYTHING! i just cant see my dream ending because of a little vision issue in my eye...has there ever been anybody in pararescue without 20-20 and what can i do? your help is greatly appriciated and very much needed. thankyou

Ricky,

I have the same issue 20/20 left, 20/35 right UC--> 20/25 C... On a good day I can get 20/20. On another note when I was at the recruiter I was told that if a civilian optometrist found me 20/20 then I could submit a waiver. It was MSgt. Huhmann(google him, current operator/instructor CCT) who informed me of this. I may have misunderstood him but I am fairly certain that he said that. That being said anyone else with some answers?

Visual acuity and different eye issues have been thoroughly discussed. Do a search for it.
Combat airman have some of the best eye standards as far as what is acceptable or not. Warfighters can wear contacts down range for instance. Its 20/20 corrected. Don't jump to thinking your dreams are crushed.

Thank you both for your answers. But I spoke to my eye doctor and he said there is no way to correct my eye better than 20/60. It kills me because my left eye is so good and my right eye can't be corrected to 20/20. Should I still give it a shot or is it no use to continue on wanting to be a PJ and save lives?

It is my understanding the giving a shot requires visiting the recruiter and starting the enlistment process, which means you are indicating a willingness to do those jobs you are qualified by PULHES, MAGE test scores, and other moral factors to do in the Air Force such as Services, Security Guard, Plumbing, Carpenter, mechanic, and ect. Thus if you have no interest to enlist to do other jobs you do qualify to do, you might as well stop informing us how unfair life is being to you.

Man-up, visit a recruiter, get processed by MEPS and find out for certain if you are too defective to be all you dream to be.

First off, you need to watch your tone, and second off I already did everything you said and more, went to meps and failed vision test so if you actually answered my question as a whole instead of looking at one part you may have had a different answer. Thanks for nothing *****, and if ur gnna be rude about what you say then I'd rather not here what you have to say and listen to other people.

That isnt the right attitude to have. Maybe you shouldn't give it a shot, because you are already thinking about giving up by asking that question.

I offered empowered ethical guidance in expressing my opinion. You disclosed having knowledge of the vision standards, being told by a doctor (physician-no MEPS or military care provider connection disclosed) the defective vision is not correctable to meeting standards. Your previous posts consistently indicate: (1) getting ready to enlist after the new year; (2) worse eye corrects to 20/60; and, (3) apparently you were told surgery would do no-good in improving vision in worst eye.

Getting ready to enlist is not disclosure of being processed by Air Force Recruiting Service and MEPS to enlist or of signing intent to enlist on the dotted line with your local Air Force recruiter.

At this moment you have made six (6) posts on these forums, none of which disclosed visiting a recruiter and being medically evaluated at MEPS and submitted for a waiver.

You have a defective biological trait factor nobody here can change and there is no way around exact measured standards other than getting a medical waiver if it is within limits of what can be waivered. Your self-absorption and despair doesn’t change your reality and has no effect influencing mere mortals, such as myself, to perform some spirit divination or invoke some supernatural power to change your reality. The required component of successfully getting a medical waiver is getting a MEPS enlistment medical exam and then to request a waiver.

Ricky,

Part of being in the military is to have self discipline and respect for those who have sacrificed for this country. That applies to all jobs from Civil Engineer to PJ. Obviously you have not been to basic training yet. So I do not expect you to have been taught these basic principles.

However, I will strongly suggest you re-think how you address people in these forums. Especially those with the name "Operator" attached. You have lived for only 19 years. Some Operators on this web site are more than twice your age and have given more to this country in years than you have been alive. I strongly suggest you show more respect. Additionally, I strongly suggest you adhere to their advice.

So many volunteers for the Special Tactics community successfully graduate two years of the most demanding training in the military without ever having visited this web site. They had questions just as you do. However the difference is that they were motivated enough to pick up a phone and find the answers they needed. If you don't appreciate the answers other have given (on their own time), then I suggest you do the same. After all, according to you, this is your dream. Why put it on someone else?

I look forward to your reply.

I have to agree with FD and Yukon. This site is a service to us young men. Be fortunate that there is such a site. You won't get BS answers from people here, especially Operators. They know their information. And honestly, if someone like that is trying out beside me, I wouldn't be putting up with that type of behavior either. If you're offended by comments like listed above, check your attitude at the door before you enlist. "That OTHERS May Live". It's not always about you...

Hooyah

Ricky, Wow. You're in the wrong place youngster. I try not to comment on here unless I have something to seriously contribute which isn't often, but as a SSgt. in the Air Force someone like you would be assigned to me and you would be eating dust for your attitude. And i'm only in the Conventional Air Force. These men on here are "Operators" and have even still been respectful in their comments despite what you said. Change your attitude fast or leave is the best advice I can give you. Do a search to find your answers and save your ignorant comments.

with an attitude like that you can look forward to hearing "drop" in your future! lol some peoples kids!

I learned the hardway this week that the benefits of this comment apply to us even after we get out.

A disabled veteran almost slapped me when I told him that I had filed a 'small' disability that I had when I originally got out of the AF. I decided not to follow up on it because figured it didn't matter.
The conclusion was that I qualified to have been paid around $31,000(!!!). But I never got it because I had questions on the last step & decided not to ask. OUCH!!