hawaiiboy15

Hi, my vision is not 20/20, as I wear contacts. I heard that the Navy will pay for you to get Lasik or PRK, if they think you will make a decent pilot, but you still have to have decent vision. I was wondering if the CG had something like this?

I think it would be really cool to fly C-130s or Search and Rescue helicopters in the CG, but I've always shot down that idea because of my vision, but maybe now I can, but I'm not expecting or getting my hopes up too much.


Thanks

tman135

Is it correctable to 20/20? You should not worry about vision too much even if you want to be a pilot. You have to start worrying if your vision is not correctable... to 20/20.

Luigi59

Yes, but you have to be within a specific vision range to begin with.

I would advise you to contact DODMERB for specific medical qualification questions.

Try Larry Mullen, Deputy Director of DODMERB in the DODMERB section of United States of America Service Academy Forums

Remember, regardless of your SA choice, you will be an officer first and a pilot second. MANY things can cause you to lose "pilot qualified" status over 4 years, so make sure that you will be comfortable serving 5 years AD if you are NOT flying, just in case.

hawaiiboy15

Oh yeah, I know. Being a pilot would just be gravy. But I still would like to do others things in the CG or Navy if I can't/don't make it as a pilot.

gglock08

I am a 4th class here planning to be a pilot as well. I already have my Private Pilot License (earned before Swab Summer started).

One thing I learned so far is that the Coat Guard WILL take care of you. The people here will help you get into flight school (by the way we are going to be required to serve 2 years in the fleet before flight school). Vision is usually never an issue here from what I heard. And I'm pretty sure they pay for it. I entered the academy with the same concerns as you... I really want to be a pilot, but will my vision hurt me in the future? My contacts are a -2.25, so they're not too bad... But I think you need to decide if it's the pilot you want, or the academy education with the chance of a pilot that you want. My thought was, even if I dont get flight school, I can serve my 5 years, get out, and go to a flight school and go into the airlines with an academy degree.

I recommend calling DoDMERB, I think that's what I did.

hawaiiboy15

Thanks

Does anyone here know if I go to a civilian college and major in something in the Business field or Political Science, will that reduce my chances or completely eliminate me from consideration from Flight school? I'd probably remain a pretty good student in college, I'm an Eagle Scout, but IDK if I can/want to major in Aviation. My reasoning is, I really only want to fly for the military. Maybe after 20 years in the Coast Guard or Navy, I'd fly civilian, but I'd like to be an officer in the military first a foremost.
And I'd imagine it would be kind of hard to double major in Aviation/PoliSci, but I might be able to do it.

Thanks

Luigi59

Perhaps you should check out the UNITED STATES COAST GUARD: BLUE 21 FLIGHT INITIATIVE instead of the USCGA?

While you can major in Government at the USCGA, there is no "aviation" major.

United States Coast Guard Academy - Academic Majors

Good luck!

hawaiiboy15

Thanks.


I'd like to do Blue 21, but IDK, some of the schools I'm looking at don't have 25% minority enrollment and you need to major in something with aviation. I'm also looking at that program that will pay for your last 2 years of college, for 3 years of service, but same problem with 25% enrollment.


But if I go through OCS, not the Academy with a Government major, that will lower my chances of going to flight school, right? Because I didn't go to Academy?

Luigi59

You would need to speak to a recruiter rather than Academy admissions about that.

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD: OFFICER OPPORTUNITIES

gglock08

I cannot speak on other programs, but I can tell you that here at the academy, your major does not influence whatsoever your chances of getting a pilot slot. It's all based on your class standing. If you really thing about it, choose a non-engineering major may HELP you get a pilot slot because engineering majors are generally more difficult. But don't let aviation affect your major... I plan for going for aviation, and i'm going to be a government major.

Hope that helps.

hawaiiboy15

Thanks, I'll probably talk to someone soon.

But someone on Yahoo says they've met pilots in the CG that were Music History majors, but maybe they had a lot of flight school experience, who knows.

Oh, and If I don't go to CGA, go through OCS, will they correct my vision only after I get accepted into flight school, or will they do it for all potential applicants? Probably not the place to ask about OCS questions, but can't hurt.

Thanks

ColdWind

Is there still a preferred height of 5'9'' to 5'10'' for pilots? Aren't pilots (graduates of flight school & graduates of a service academy) required to serve 8 years?

hawaiiboy15

Forgot about height. I'm like 5'11 now, but I strain a little to get that high.


I don't really care about how long I have to serve, I'll most likely make the military my career, especially if I can fly.

ColdWind

My son is above 5'10'', but was labeled "pilot qualified" by the USAFA.

kp2001

Here is the height requirements for the USCG direct out of their avmed manual

http://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/6...CIM_6410_3.pdf


And yes, the usual commitment for flight school is around 8 years. There may be a slight difference though with the Coast Guard given they sometimes want people to go to a sea tour prior to flight school. If that happens I'm not sure of the requirement after flight school....oh and it's usually a commitment that starts on the date of winging, not the date one starts flight school.