well i'm leaving for boot in about 3 weeks and after that i will be going in as a non-rate. i hope to become a DC since i'm "color blind"(i can see that damn stop light!!!.) but i my father in-law(former marine) said that they just might "find away" to let me be an MK since i went to school for diesel mechanic for 2 years in high school, went to state competition twice, went to WYOTech and took diesel tech, got my refrigerant certification, took the buisness managemnet course and got an associets degree in it. you think theres any possibilty to become one??? if not i will still be just as happy with DC since it sounds liek a really fun job.thanks fo rthe help.
Tell me again why you cannot be an MK. I know tons of MK's that are color blind. The only disadvantage you'll have being color blind and an MK is that you'll be unavailable for assignment at Search and Rescue Stations. Please go back and ask your Recruiter to clarify alittle more.
Pretty sure a few years ago, they made it impossible for anyone color blind to become an MK. Grandfathered all the guys where were already MKs and colorblind.
Not sure which of the tests you have to pass to be an MK (farnesworth lantern, or psuedometric plates....i think i spelled that right). Either way they did institute it in around 2001 or so that all MK' s had to be color vision "normal"...it has been a problem in the past of guys going to "A" school either not knowing this or thinking they'll fly under the radar and having to switch rates. As for ATON/BOAT CREWMAN the B.O.A.T manual vol II states that you shall demonstrate normal color vision by using EITHER a farnesworth lantern or the plates.....I personally hate the plates they are a little tricky for someone like me who has slight "color variation weaknesses" but I can easily pass a lantern test because this is more of a primary color test , and is widely regarded as a more accurate method of testing, Once you are in inform your command of the situation and move from there.On another note don't tag yourself as "color blind" until you take a test outside of M.E.P.S (unless you already have) I know plenty of poeple including myself that failed in M.E.P.S but later passed in a less rushed and overwhelming environment.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you will not be able to be an MK if your color blind. There is a grandfather situation but that doesnt apply now. i have had MK's that were color blind that i knew and worked for me, but that was quite a few years ago. You can come into the guard being color blind, but there are alot of operational rates that you will not be able to go. hope this helps, but your recruiter was right.
well meps told me that i am color blind to green and red period, as in i cant see those colors at all. but i can, i have had other tests done and they all say i just have problems with red but can still see it. mostly the different shades. my recruiter said that the reason i cant be an MK is that they go on the deack and search for bouys and people, so they need perfect volor vision. so i looked up a diff job and DC sounded good. when i was at meps they used the cards and then used a box with 3 tiny LED lights(red white green) and i dont know how any one could see the diff between the green and white since it was in a bright room, i was about 5 feet away and they hed these tiny little lights. plus they flashed on and off in less then half a sec. well anyways thanks for the help, i will talk to who ever is incharge of me to see what they can do. but latley i've been think i actually want to be a DC more then an MK. but who knows maybe i might wanna be something totaly different. thans for all the help!!!
From a recruiter perspective if you failed both test at MEPS you will not be able to be an MK. Those are the 2 test that the Coast Guard recognized and will decide which rates you can be. As for the amount of time you are given to recognize the light patern, that comes from Chapter 3 of the medical manual. I had a Officer applicant who is disqualied do to color vision. He passed his doctors test but failer meps 3 times.
MK1977, if you read the PersMan. you cannot attend or strike MK if you are determined to be colorblind. As was said before, all members currently serving on AD who are MK's and Colorblind were rated before that policy came into effect.
man if you have al those schools you should go to osc or dont even come in the guard if you wont have the job you want. im not saying the guard sucks but it will if you are not happy with your job. you can find a good job out there with the skills you have and make better living than the guard.
Originally posted by fireindahole: man if you have al those schools you should go to osc or dont even come in the guard if you wont have the job you want. im not saying the guard sucks but it will if you are not happy with your job. you can find a good job out there with the skills you have and make better living than the guard.
do you mean ocs? if so i found out i cant be an officer due to the color blind issue. i just turned down a job that prob would of been really nice, it was with lampson crane int. they have the largest crane in the world and many other things. it took them a year to respone to my resume. i originaly was going into the USCG cause i couldent get a good job being a mechanic unless i had 4 years exp. so i thought i would join, serve four years and get the exp needed while getting paid. then i found out about the color blind issue and around that time i got fired from the job i had and decided i didnt really want to be in the commercial sector for it. so i decided i would be a DC and learn to weld since i had always wanted to and it was one of the things i really needed to know to work in heavy equipment. so i will go into the guard and see if its the career for me. if not hopefully it will teach me thing to get me in the right direction.
