I won't sleep tonight until I have an answer to this question

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

With all these crazy rumor threads about drafts on message boards and blogs everywhere, I've been wondering -- will colorblindness get you out of a draft if it's serious enough that the draftee in question was ineligible for the Air Force Academy because of it?

This is not in reference to me (thank goodness for asthma!) but to someone close to me, and I'd love it if some DUer knows an answer. I know a draft is unlikely, but I'm a chronic worrier.

[DS1]

1. Nope. There's plenty of room for colorblind people.

There are even some jobs that colorblind people are better at.

[rwenos]

2. Probably Not

I have about a 5% red-green deficiency myself -- as you probably know, a very common sex-linked trait. Inherited it from my maternal grandfather.

When I was eligible for the draft, in 1971-1973, I researched it. My deficiency would keep me out of flight training, but it was perfectly acceptable if I wanted to be an infantryman.

Also: re: post #2 -- my particular deficiency was considered desirable for bombardiers. Better at distinguishing real foliage from camouflage.

Sorry, mate.

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

4. Dammit

...now I'm going to have to tell him to either start showing up at Quaker meetinghouses or at a Massachusetts courthouse holding hands with another liberal-minded young man.

[1monster]

7. What about far sightedness so severe that the kid has been wearing

bifocals since age two? Add to that a visual processing delay (although that doesn't slow him down in reading) and both a fine motor and gross motor development delay?

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

10. I think farsightedness only exempts you from being a pilot

I know that I can only fly a plane if I get laser surgery, which is a big HELL NO.

Fine motor and gross motor development delay? Not sure. I'd say the best thing is to make him move to the Northeast Corridor of New Jersey for a few weeks and he'll come back with a whopping case of asthma.

[Stand and Fight]

3. Nope.

One of my fellow NCOs in the Army was color-blind, and they knew it when he signed up -- it did not make a difference. I was in for five years by the way, and came across several people who were color-blind. I'm sure there are others here who were in longer and probably came across a lot more color-blind people. Just my two cents...

[woofless]

5. Flat feet no longer work either.

Dammit!

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. ......tell them he's gay.

OR Conscientious Objector. He doesn't HAVE to go. He may serve some jail time if he is an objector, but it's better than being killed in Iraq. I've already told my son that should he ever be approached by a recruiter he is to tell them he's gay.

[insane_cratic_gal]

9. Yup Gay

will get you out quicker then conscientious objector will.

As an objector you can still be shipped over, it takes time to prove that. One guy served 2 tours before getting his status passed through.

[doublethink]

16. Yep that's what I told my nephew to do ...

1. Tell them he's a Gay Conscientious Objector. Key is he cannot believe in WAR for ANY reason. He cannot believe that WAR is an answer to ANY of mans social ills. Memorize that. A few links .....
http://www.objector.org/
http://www.mothersagainstthedraft.org/
http://www.nodraft.info/

There are a bunch more out there. Peace. :)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

20. Is it true that you don't have to say that you're gay but that you won't

promise not to have homosexual acts?

[kster]

8. Why do you

think the draft is unlikely, I hope your right, but I see a draft coming. Because I don't think we can keep the same guys fighting forever.They need more troops.

[insane_cratic_gal]

11. Republicans know a draft

is the nail in their coffin it also has to pass through congress, honestly I don't think they will pass it. not until 2006 elections have been passed, stolen and secured.

[rwenos]

13. Draft unlikely till 2007

Bush will pull chickenshit tricks to put it off that long. The 2006 election is 17 months off.

If the Pubs hold both houses of Congress, a draft bill will be introduced on January 3, 2007.

[Yupster]

22. Nah

Bush may be a lame duck after 06, but the congress isn't and they're the ones who would have to take the vote to start a draft.

Not going to happen The Republicans in congress are not that stupid.

They'd offer $ 1 million bonuses in third world countries to sign up first.

[Skypilot 18]

12. considering the way it's been going

Considering the way it's been going I would not be surprised if heroin addiction and a long laundry list of felonies won't be ground for dismissal from the military. After all liars, crooks and thieves are a valued commodity to the Bush administration.

[BlueStateGirl]

14. What about felony conviction? My younger brother has a felony

drug conviction, he served a year in a County Correctional Facility. I read Rangel's Bill and didn't see any exemptions for criminal convictions, but I am guessing since the armed forces won't enlist convicted felons, they won't be eligible for the draft.

[rwenos]

15. Ever See The Dirty Dozen?

Just kidding.

Seems like a call to an Army recruiter would answer these questions, rather than depend on us know-nothings.

[BlueStateGirl]

17. Good idea. My mom has been freaking out about it. She has said

that the silver lining here is that he will not be eligible when the draft is reinstated. I hope it's still the case.

[NorCalDem]

18. Color blind people are actually better

at seeing through camoflage (Spelling?) I'm color blind, so I would know :D

[katinmn]

19. my dad was drafted during the Korean War and he's color blind

Now they will take you if you're just simply blind.

You can hold the sign at checkpoints that says: "Stop or we'll shoot you."

[KelleyKramer]

21. You can even be on drugs and they will buy the 'cheat' kit for you

Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld have crushed our military to the very very bottom of the barrel.

There are tape recordings of recruiters telling kids how to beat drug tests, they help them fake diploma's, you name it.

How would you like a psycho deranged maniac in charge of logistics that watch your back on patrol in Iraq?

How would you like a drug addict watching your back on patrol in an opium field in Afghanistan?

These Republican neo-cons are destroying our military.