NationStates Jolt Archive

I have a question. See, in about two years, when I finish high school, I want to join the army (united states army), but there's one little problem: I have crappy vision and must therefore wear glasses. However, I've seen soldiers with glasses before in movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, and although most soldiers don't wear glasses, some do, so this gives me some hope that they'll let me in, especially considering the shortage of man power that they are going through. So my question is, will the army let me in, and are there any special requirements that I must fulfill because I wear glasses?

Oh, and I have no health problems, no allergies, no diseases, no addictions, nothing.

thanks for the advice.

Lasik surgery. It's like $3000 an eye. Start saving.

Lasik surgery. It's like $3000 an eye. Start saving.

but the guys over there with glasses obviously didn't have that surgery...

As long as your eyesight is correctable with glasses you can get in. You just can't be a pilot.

If it is anything like the German army, it just means that you will be classed in a different category. If you manage to get all the other criteria, this might still exclude you from some things (are there snipers with glasses?) but you'll still be allowed to serve.

You'll even get special issue glasses, so ugly that they make the enemy run in fear!

As long as your eyesight is correctable with glasses you can get in. You just can't be a pilot.

right, the guys i saw were in the infantry. what are your credentials on this matter, if i may ask?

glasses aint a problem, you just cant have yours when you go to bootcamp, they will issue you a pair.

If it is anything like the German army, it just means that you will be classed in a different category. If you manage to get all the other criteria, this might still exclude you from some things (are there snipers with glasses?) but you'll still be allowed to serve.

You'll even get special issue glasses, so ugly that they make the enemy run in fear!

heh, maybe i'll get some fat desk job, eh?

lol.

There was a guy in Jarhead wearing glasses on a scout sniper team..

So my question is, will the army let me in, and are there any special requirements that I must fulfill because I wear glasses?

Oh, and I have no health problems, no allergies, no diseases, no addictions, nothing.

thanks for the advice.
Is your vision correctable to 20/20?

Is your vision correctable to 20/20?

You mean with glasses? I have no idea.

You mean with glasses? I have no idea.

don't all glasses correct vision to at least 20/20?

wait, that would make sense!

don't all glasses correct vision to at least 20/20?
No. It's possible to correct vision via eyeglasses to a certain point, but not beyond. I don't know what the minimal vision requirement is for effective correction.

You mean with glasses? I have no idea.
I strongly recommend you find out. The military requires a certain visual accuity, but I don't know what that minimum is. I do know that, to be a pilot, you have to have natural 20/20, i.e. you can't wear glasses to correct it.

I strongly recommend you find out. The military requires a certain visual accuity, but I don't know what that minimum is. I do know that, to be a pilot, you have to have natural 20/20, i.e. you can't wear glasses to correct it.

oh, i see. well, i have no interest in being a pilot, but i will find out the minimum visual accuity. thanks a lot.

oh, i see. well, i have no interest in being a pilot, but i will find out the minimum visual accuity. thanks a lot.
Then go to Sears opticle or somewhere for a vision check-up and your concern will be over I am guessing.

Then go to Sears opticle or somewhere for a vision check-up and your concern will be over I am guessing.

I'm getting a check-up at a mall optometrist place, but I don't know what the army's minimum visual accuity is. that's what i have to find out.

I'm getting a check-up at a mall optometrist place, but I don't know what the army's minimum visual accuity is. that's what i have to find out.
This is all it says about entrance requirements on the Army Website:


To become an Enlisted Soldier in the U.S. Army, you must be:

A U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
High School Diploma or equivalent
17-39 years old
Healthy and in good physical condition
In good moral standing

Here's a pdf file that goes into more detail, but still doesn't list minimal vision requirements: http://www.us-army-info.com/pages/pdfs/enlistment_standards.pdf

I suggest you see a recruiter.

This is all it says about entrance requirements on the Army Website:


To become an Enlisted Soldier in the U.S. Army, you must be:

A U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
High School Diploma or equivalent
17-39 years old
Healthy and in good physical condition
In good moral standing

Well, I'm a permanent resident with a greencard right now (I was born in the USSR), and I should become a citizen next year, when I'm 17.
About the moral thing, I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?

I have a question. See, in about two years, when I finish high school, I want to join the army (united states army), but there's one little problem: I have crappy vision and must therefore wear glasses. However, I've seen soldiers with glasses before in movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, and although most soldiers don't wear glasses, some do, so this gives me some hope that they'll let me in, especially considering the shortage of man power that they are going through. So my question is, will the army let me in, and are there any special requirements that I must fulfill because I wear glasses?

Oh, and I have no health problems, no allergies, no diseases, no addictions, nothing.

thanks for the advice.
I too am considering joining the American army, but after I get my Masters degree. Does any one know if there are height requirements?

I have a question. See, in about two years, when I finish high school, I want to join the army (united states army), but there's one little problem: I have crappy vision and must therefore wear glasses. However, I've seen soldiers with glasses before in movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, and although most soldiers don't wear glasses, some do, so this gives me some hope that they'll let me in, especially considering the shortage of man power that they are going through. So my question is, will the army let me in, and are there any special requirements that I must fulfill because I wear glasses?

Oh, and I have no health problems, no allergies, no diseases, no addictions, nothing.

thanks for the advice.
dude, go to college, then join as an officer

Well, I'm a permanent resident with a greencard right now (I was born in the USSR), and I should become a citizen next year, when I'm 17.
About the moral thing, I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?
Yes.

About the moral thing, I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?
Yes they do, being discriminatory againts religons woudent look so good,

I too am considering joining the American army, but after I get my Masters degree. Does any one know if there are height requirements?
There shouldn't be any problem unless you qualify as a midget.

There shouldn't be any problem unless you qualify as a midget.
hehe, a divison of midgets

that would be awesome, so hard to aim at

I have a question. See, in about two years, when I finish high school, I want to join the army (united states army), but there's one little problem: I have crappy vision and must therefore wear glasses. However, I've seen soldiers with glasses before in movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, and although most soldiers don't wear glasses, some do, so this gives me some hope that they'll let me in, especially considering the shortage of man power that they are going through. So my question is, will the army let me in, and are there any special requirements that I must fulfill because I wear glasses?

Oh, and I have no health problems, no allergies, no diseases, no addictions, nothing.

thanks for the advice.

When I went in -3.00d was disqualifying but times have changed and now as long as they don't have to do custom scripts it is not even a major considertion for most jobs. Unless you have a serious astygmatic correction (+/- 5.00) I wouldn't even worry about it as the Army can cut this script with no problem. They simply do not want to do a bunch of custom scripts during deployments, for obvious reasons.

Well, I'm a permanent resident with a greencard right now (I was born in the USSR), and I should become a citizen next year, when I'm 17.
About the moral thing, I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?
Moral standing means you haven't commited a felony. Even then, they tend to...bend the rules a bit, depending on how desparate they are that year. You'll do fine, but get a college degree first (ROTC or something). It makes life better, in the end.

There shouldn't be any problem unless you qualify as a midget.
So my being only five foot three inches isn't a problem then, good.

Oh, homesexuals are banned from joining if they declare their homesexuality in public.

Also, get a college degree, enlist as an officer

glasses aint a problem, you just cant have yours when you go to bootcamp, they will issue you a pair.


Ah...the highly fashionable BCG's.

Well, I'm a permanent resident with a greencard right now (I was born in the USSR), and I should become a citizen next year, when I'm 17.
About the moral thing, I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?

Of course they will let you in. There's nothing a good DI likes more than a guage to judge his success by. If by the time he gets warmed up and you are in search of a god, he knows he's on a roll.

Oh, homesexuals are banned from joining if they declare their homesexuality in public.


It works for everybody. Sort of an equal opportunity escape clause. There's more straight guys that get out on that than there are gays.
Of course it is still a discriminatory situation. Women have two escape clauses. They can yell, "But I am Pregnant!" or "But I am a lesbian". I am sure some nutball is working hard to equalize this miscarriage of justice. (As long as there's a retainer fee involved)

hehe, a divison of midgets

that would be awesome, so hard to aim at
ROFL! Uh huh. Plus they wouldn't eat as much and their uniforms wouldn't take as much cloth, and they could easily get into places the rest of us couldn't go. :D

Ah...the highly fashionable BCG's.
Hey! How do you know about birth control glasses??? <.< >.>

Actually, pilots needing 20/20 vision is a very common misconception. For the airforce the requirement is 20/70 for pilot, 20/200 for navigator. For the Navy/Marine Corps you need 20/50 for pilot and correctable to 20/20 for navigator. And the Army require 20/50 for pilots also.

Hey! How do you know about birth control glasses??? <.< >.>


Honey chile.....dont you know by now that my knowledge of this and that is infinite?

Plus I had a boyfriend in the Military who had to wear them....they work like a charm :cool:

Edit: that was not intended as a "cool" smiley. Add a flat top and thats exactly what he looked like.

I strongly recommend you find out. The military requires a certain visual accuity, but I don't know what that minimum is. I do know that, to be a pilot, you have to have natural 20/20, i.e. you can't wear glasses to correct it.

Thanks for crushin my hopes and dreams Eut :(. I've always wanted to be a pilot, but my vision isn't perfect. I can see objects fine from a distance, but I can't read the clock from my cable box 10 feet away. :(

Actually, pilots needing 20/20 vision is a very common misconception. For the airforce the requirement is 20/70 for pilot, 20/200 for navigator. For the Navy/Marine Corps you need 20/50 for pilot and correctable to 20/20 for navigator. And the Army require 20/50 for pilots also.
WAIT!!!:D There may be hope for me yet!

Hey! How do you know about birth control glasses??? <.< >.>


And btw...I was *this* close to joining the Air Force.

I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?

When they ask you for your religion (for dog tag purposes, so the Chaplain knows what to say over you) you can pick "No Religious Preference". Seriously, don't ever think you'll be discriminated against for not being Christian. When I was at Fort Carson, Colorado, there were probably two hundred pagans of various types (I'm not one, but one of my buddies was Asatru) that attend "Open Circle" as they called it.

edit: I'll have to see if I can scan my pictures of me wearing my BCG's in Iraq. After not showering for a few weeks and wearing BCG's I probably would have been able to lower the birthrate of an entire state just by being in it.

And btw...I was *this* close to joining the Air Force.
So why didn't you? [ imagines Peechie filling out those military-cut blouses! ] :D

So why didn't you? [ imagines Peechie filling out those military-cut blouses! ] :D

aw I ended up deciding on collge instead. It was a close race, but my dad ended up getting sick and I thought I'd better stick around so I could assist in his care. He's gone now, and I missed my chance of being a Military gal. Perhaps it wasnt meant to be.

I think I'd have been an exceptional marksman. *refrains from using the gun smiley*

Well, I'm a permanent resident with a greencard right now (I was born in the USSR), and I should become a citizen next year, when I'm 17.
About the moral thing, I wonder if they let atheists (like me) in?
I'm pretty sure that means you can't have a criminal record.

Actually, pilots needing 20/20 vision is a very common misconception. For the airforce the requirement is 20/70 for pilot, 20/200 for navigator. For the Navy/Marine Corps you need 20/50 for pilot and correctable to 20/20 for navigator. And the Army require 20/50 for pilots also.
That doesn't sound right considering that your vision needs to be correctable to 20/40 in at least one eye to get a driver's license in Canada.

aw I ended up deciding on collge instead. It was a close race, but my dad ended up getting sick and I thought I'd better stick around so I could assist in his care. He's gone now, and I missed my chance of being a Military gal. Perhaps it wasnt meant to be.

I think I'd have been an exceptional marksman. *refrains from using the gun smiley*
Lil darlin' ... you can shoot me any day of the week! :D

When I was in the Infantry, I eventually ended up leaving because my eyes went bad enough to ensure I was disqualified from serving in a NATO combat zone or peacekeeping duty (I didn’t join to be a garrison monkey). It doesn’t matter if you can wear corrective lenses, in the Infantry eye sight is important. You have to have enough vision without corrective lenses to function on some level. For some reason they don’t want someone with broken glasses manning a machine gun when a friendly patrol is wandering forward to check in.

There is a certain standard for combat arms to meet. I eventually went over that and decided I didn’t want a desk job (got offered jobs like being charge or transport and company clerk, yeah that’s what I joined for). I don’t know with the recent recruiting panic that they’re having in the US army right now if the standards are being enforced as tough. I do know that I tended to wear extended wear contacts in the field. Glasses are a pain in the ass in the field. They fog up (although you can buy defogger); you need to wear a strap to keep from losing them when you crash through brush; and worst of all the new Kevlar helmets are made so that the rain runs off them and right into your glasses lens (I knew a lot of guys who really didn’t like this feature).

Some guys got laser surgery, but I wouldn’t do it too close to joining. For one thing it kills your night vision and for up to the next six months you’ll be blundering around in the bush like a wounded moose. The lasers burn the cones (I think it’s the cones), but in almost all cases you regenerate the damaged areas enough to see in the dark again in time (driving at night isn’t recommended either). A lot of guys I knew in the Infantry went and got their eyes done and once they recovered from night blindness they were good to go. I’d recommend looking into to it, especially if you want to be in the combat trades.

The Bruce

Since you appear to want to get yourself blown up, don't you worry, your crappy vision won't stop you.

Hey! How do you know about birth control glasses??? <.< >.>

Yes, the army will issue you with glasses frames, but you’ll definitely want to have a pair of your own glasses for wearing in civilian life anyways, unless you want to wear a pair of passion killers to go with your issue passion killer underwear.

Yes, the army will issue you with glasses frames, but you’ll definitely want to have a pair of your own glasses for wearing in civilian life anyways, unless you want to wear a pair of passion killers to go with your issue passion killer underwear.
ROFLMAO!! :D

Do well on your IQ test and aim for the Special Forces. It can't hurt and being keen will get you a long way as a soldier. That way you’ll be further away from the dumber and less motivated troops who will probably get you killed. If you want a career you want to be with the keener guys who actually want to be there. A buddy of mine went down to the US to join the army and did well enough on his IQ score to get fast tracked into the Rangers (he had previous foreign military training in a NATO country mind you).

You’ll want to brush up on general school subject knowledge, as well as at least introductory auto mechanic skills and electronics. And get fit before you go to your training and you’ll enjoy the experience a lot more (treating Basic Training as a fitness camp is a world of hurt, but people keep doing it anyways). Don’t get stupid fit either. You want strength, but endurance strength is more important in the Infantry than being able to bench press a Bradley once. Stronger legs will always get you further than stronger arms, of course if you’re only 5’3” you’re going to have to get strong enough for those long marches with heavy packs and machine guns. I knew one guy who had a gymnastics background and did fine and he was only a little over 5’3”. A few guys around 5’5” did all right but the heavy loads did take their toll, but if you make the frame you have strong enough you shouldn’t have a problem. If you can’t run 10km, blow it off as nothing, and then start training, you’re not in Infantry shape. Honestly though, if I were 5’3”, unless I was a Gurkha, I’d go armoured. They don’t issue you with smaller packs because you’re not as big as a six foot tall guy and they might just load you up with kit to see if you can cut it.

Since you appear to want to get yourself blown up, don't you worry, your crappy vision won't stop you.
go away

I have a few questions about U.S Army.
If u are a college graduate, are you automatically sent to officer training?
What kind of training is the US Infantry training? How long are the marsches?

I was in the Finnish Army, served in Infantry company first, then joined MechInfantry. Wasn't too fond for the army back in those days but now I surely would like to go back.. strange..

Mechanized is a good way to travel but Helicopter is the best. Anytime anyone in the military can get a tasking where they get to fly around in helicopters they should jump at the chance.

Light marches can be anywhere from 8km to 15 km in Canada, but you also have to be prepared for marches with light packs that might last over 24 hours or more. Having feet like leather is a really good idea. If you get blisters easily you might want to toughen your feet up before you join the infantry.

I’m guessing if you were in the Finnish army you could probably teach winter warfare classes to some of those soldiers from Alabama to keep them from dying of frostbite. :)

The Bruce

go away

Oh come now, it wasn't really all that bad, was it?

My dad's crappy vision actually kept him out of the navy. You see, his plan was to join the NROTC, partly because he grew up in a navy town (same as me), so always liked the idea of going to sea, and also to avoid getting drafted into the army and marines during vietnam.

The lady who gave him his vision test, when he failed to qualify for the NROTC, said to him "Don't feel bad, son, I'm sure the army will take you."

To which he thought "Lady, you're missing the point."

It ended up not mattering a year later since he by then had a kid (my oldest sister).

That doesn't sound right considering that your vision needs to be correctable to 20/40 in at least one eye to get a driver's license in Canada.

Yeah, it needs to be CORRECTABLE to 20/20 but those are the minimums without glasses. As of now, the Airforce is experimenting with laser eye surgery on pilots but if you get that procedure done on your own it can be disqualifying. I didnt memorize all this, you can find it mostly on- http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/genjoin/a/pilotvision.htm

So my question is, will the army let me in, and are there any special requirements that I must fulfill because I wear glasses?

Oh, and I have no health problems, no allergies, no diseases, no addictions, nothing.

thanks for the advice.

Ok first off I was in the same situation as you, I tried to join the Royal Marines (British Royal Marines) but my eye sight was crap. The career guy told me not to have any sort of eye treatment such as laser correction as no forces would take me, but they did tell me that I was eligible for the RAF (Royal Air Force) because they had more relaxed requirements.

So have you considered the US Air Force?

Lasik surgery. It's like $3000 an eye. Start saving.

Not anymore, try less then $500. Its $3000 if you want it done right however.

The career guy told me not to have any sort of eye treatment such as laser correction as no forces would take me.

Did he say why?

Did he say why?

Something about regulations which are in the Royal Marines, Royal Air Force Royal Navy and the Army. Something new but he said it wasnt a good idea.

OK, 8 to 15km are easy, but that 24h marsch is already quite hard, especially mentally.. But if it includes a little sleep, it helps surely a lot. You just have to have few pairs of dry socks with you. :p

Helicopters are of course much quicker way to travel and attack than with APC's but Finland has only special ops that use helicopters in quick hit&run style attacks.

How about that officer training, how does it work in USA?

You can get a waiver for a Rx of up to 8 diopters in each eye.
At the time I tried to get in, however, I was -8.00 in one eye and -8.50 in the other. You have to be pretty blind to not be able to get in.

dude, go to college, then join as an officer

the main reason why i want to join the army is because right now, college isn't right for me. i just don't see how i'm going to support myself if i want to have a car, food, a place to live, etc. sure, i could get a job and what not, but that would interfere with my studies. by completing military service, i'm hoping that i could get a solid financial foundation, like help with tuition. also, i find that veterans (justly) receive more respect and credibility.

the other major reason is because i want to piss off my parents :cool:

Ok first off I was in the same situation as you, I tried to join the Royal Marines (British Royal Marines) but my eye sight was crap. The career guy told me not to have any sort of eye treatment such as laser correction as no forces would take me, but they did tell me that I was eligible for the RAF (Royal Air Force) because they had more relaxed requirements.

So have you considered the US Air Force?

what would i do in the air force? be a toilet cleaner?

If no one has mentioned this yet, the Army will pay for combat arms troops to get laser eye surgery. I was going to get it until they explained they would have to cut my eyeball. I think I'll live with 20/40 in my right eye, thank you. I don't even like putting contacts in.

And as someone said before, you've gotta be pretty damned blind to get rejected. I knew some guys who wore coke bottles for glasses.

the main reason why i want to join the army is because right now, college isn't right for me. i just don't see how i'm going to support myself if i want to have a car, food, a place to live, etc. sure, i could get a job and what not, but that would interfere with my studies. by completing military service, i'm hoping that i could get a solid financial foundation, like help with tuition. also, i find that veterans (justly) receive more respect and credibility.

the other major reason is because i want to piss off my parents :cool:
The army will generally pay for your college before hand, provided you agree to join for a length of time beforehand. Talk to your recruiter.

I have a question. See, in about two years, when I finish high school, I want to join the army (united states army), but there's one little problem: I have crappy vision and must therefore wear glasses. However, I've seen soldiers with glasses before in movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, and although most soldiers don't wear glasses, some do, so this gives me some hope that they'll let me in...

thanks for the advice.

You've seen soldiers with glasses in movies? If you are thinking of the military as a profession, I would recommend finding some real-life ones and ask them about their jobs. Besides definitively answering your eyewear question, they can probably give you other guidance (Picking your trade, for example, or explaining what the job is actually like). There is a lot about the military that is not picked up (Or is misrepresented) in the movies, and even the official recruitment stuff does not do it justice. I really advise that the best way is to do some face-to-face talking, and jobshadowing if you can.

As far as I know, the Canadian military does not make a big distinction about glasses, except perhaps in specific tasks/positions.

the main reason why i want to join the army is because right now, college isn't right for me. i just don't see how i'm going to support myself if i want to have a car, food, a place to live, etc. sure, i could get a job and what not, but that would interfere with my studies. by completing military service, i'm hoping that i could get a solid financial foundation, like help with tuition. also, i find that veterans (justly) receive more respect and credibility.

the other major reason is because i want to piss off my parents :cool:

Oh, ok

What bit of the Army do you want to go to?

the main reason why i want to join the army is because right now, college isn't right for me. i just don't see how i'm going to support myself if i want to have a car, food, a place to live, etc. sure, i could get a job and what not, but that would interfere with my studies. by completing military service, i'm hoping that i could get a solid financial foundation, like help with tuition. also, i find that veterans (justly) receive more respect and credibility.

the other major reason is because i want to piss off my parents :cool:

Why would you need to have a car in college?

what would i do in the air force? be a toilet cleaner?

That's what I did all summer. Not for the air force, though. Presumably military bathrooms wouldn't be as difficult to clean as warehouse ones.

Why would you need to have a car in college?

because in the united states, our whole way of life is based on freedom of movement. you can still be independent by using public transportation, i guess, but it's inconvenient at best.

besides, what kind of guy takes a girl home in a bus?

Oh, ok

What bit of the Army do you want to go to?

no idea. i'll probably end up as one of them suckers on the front lines.

Since you appear to want to get yourself blown up, don't you worry, your crappy vision won't stop you.

please, don't make this about politics. if you want to rant about the iraq war, make your own thread.

i don't want to get blown up, and i don't want to blow anyone else up, unless i have to.