glasses during boot?

Question

i heard somewhere that if you can see fine without glasses but don't have 20/20 vision you don't have to wear bc glasses during boot camp. anyone know if this is true? i have perfect vision in my left eye but my right eye is kinda bad. but it's correctable with glasses. i don't ever wear glasses and i can see perfectly with both eyes (street signs, far away writing). it's kinda hard to believe that drill instructors would check every recruit to see if he's wearing his glasses or not.
p.s. i'm right handed and want to join as rifleman if that helps...

i just don't wanna have glasses get in the way of my training :(
maybe i can get laser eye surgery...

Answer 1

When you go to the MEPS (military entrance process screening, its basically a physical) before you enlist they will test your vision. And if it meets their criterea you will not have to wear corrective lenses. Contacts are not allowed in basic training, you will be issued "Birth Control" glasses as they are not very attractive and no one has been known to score with them. Do NOT get laser eye surgery until after you are in the service, as this is a disqualification for entry for between 6-12 months after the surgery. Believe it or not they will turn people away and you will have to go through lengthy and sometimes futile paperwork to try and get medical waivers for yourself. If you can see fine now without them, then they wont make you wear them.

Answer 2

i will answer the second part of your question first. being right HANDED has nothing to do with which EYE you shhot out of I learned that 14 years ago when i first went in the Army. everyone has what is called a "dominant eye" and yours may very well be our right eye but it also may not.there is a simple test you can do sitting right where you are. ill walk you through it. pick a spot on the wall as far away from you as possible, a small pic, or decoration whatever. next hold your arms straight out in front of you w/ palms facing the object. fingers pointing straight in the air. make a small triangle by overlaping your fingers and thumbs toward each other at about a 45* angle like making a peep hole about the size of a dime. look through this "peephole" with BOTH eyes open at the object on the wall. slowly start moving your arms toward your nose keeping the object in full view the whole time, and both eyes open. your hand will automaticly lead you to whichever eye is really focousing on the object. you may be suprised. have someother people try it out too.

So thats that now, yes everysingle person who goes through inprocessing will have hearing/eyes/ every friggin thing you can think of checked (yes even THAT) and from there the Army will TELL you if you need glasses, you dont tell the army anything.

I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 3

I'm not sure how the bc's will get in your way, but nobody else's. Wear the glasses, don't wear the glasses. But if you are supposed to have glasses on, and you shoot your DI in the foot because you couldn't focus straight, count on quite a few unpleasant nights ahead of you.

Oh, by the way for the one person up there, you can't wear contacts in basic.

Yeah, you could get the corrective surgery, if it means that much to you, but most doctors won't do that for people at a young age, because your vision is still changing.

Answer 4

you will definitely have to wear BCGs they want to try to correct your vision to 20/20 if possible even if one eye is 20/20 they will try to correct the other eye. this is true for the Navy other branches my not require the same but i almost guarantee it, your DI's will be checking on you constantly if they issue you glasses wear them. they don't really get in the way much they are ugly as anything though. it's not bad as you may think. no you cannot wear contacts during boot. being right handed isn't any help

Answer 5

Marine Corps DI's find tiny threads on uniforms during inspection and go ballistic... you think they're going to not notice that you're not wearing your glasses?? *LOLOLOL* They notice everything.

Besides.. why would you knowingly put yourself at a disadvantage during boot camp? That makes no sense.

If it helps??? Everybody who's in boot camp wears the same old Birth Control Glasses... If you earn the right to graduate from boot camp, you REALLY won't give a rat's butt about the stupid glasses.

Answer 6

Just because you are right handed does not mean that you will shoot right handed. I'm right handed and I shoot left handed.

As for your glasses...

I was issued RPG's also because I needed glasses for reading. However, those things are soooo ugly, I never once wore them and I was one of the best shots in my rotation -- nor was the issue ever brought up.

However, things have changed since I went to basic back in '94 so you can only take what I say with a grain of salt.

Answer 7

Depends on what the docs say. DI's will check your record and make sure your wearing the glasses if you need too. They are liable for you and if something were to happen while in training, and it can in anyway be due to the fact you weren't wearing glasses, it is their ***. They aren't that bad anyway.

Answer 8

you will be given a nifty pair of butt ugly glasses(affectionally known as BCGs) to wear during Basic training/Boot Camp if the MEPS doctors prescribe you a pair. and they are NOT optional during Basic/Boot. After that, you will be able to get away with it easier.

Answer 9

So you want to be a right-handed rifleman with a bad right eye.

Hmm.

Answer 10

when they check your eyesight ,during your entry physical , if you need glasses , they will always be the birth control glasses during basic and AIT , but don't worry ,everyone else that needs glasses will be wearing them also .