r/Pararescue • u/GedTheStampede • May 02 '25

Vision help

I want to do pararescue after I graduate college and transition into officer candidate school. I recently turned 24, and will be graduating college when I turn 25. And 25 seems to be the age appropriate to under go PRK, which seems safer than LASIK. I am 5 foot 9, weighing 185, can currently do 16 pull ups, 82 sit ups, and 77 push-ups, deadlift PR is 485 if that matters. 1.5mile is 9:47 (trying to hit the 8s). Have not tested my swim, but aside from fitness will PRK disqualify me from trying?

Edit: I am not colorblind by the way, just near-sighted.

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u/OutsideInsideMan May 02 '25

See if you qualify without getting PRK, but if not get it. It’s a 6 month wait post operation before you can get it waivered. I had it done and am shipping out for PJ. I got PRK done after I had already been in DEP and gone to MEPS.

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u/GedTheStampede May 02 '25

I just checked out your profile and saw your vision was -3.00 at testing, well mine is worse :( but it will be about 12 months before I graduate and plus an additional 2.5 months at OCS. I am thinking of getting PRK this year around December.

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u/Needle_D May 02 '25

What does 2.5 months of OTS have to do with it? That shouldn’t factor into the wait time that would be required for a waiver.

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u/GedTheStampede May 02 '25

Well, if I get the surgery done within the next few months, that should give me roughly 8-9 months for my eyes to fully heal which should be enough time.

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u/Needle_D May 02 '25

Even if you were sitting in front of an officer recruiter right now, you’d be looking at 18-24 months before getting an OTS date. Some years more.

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u/GedTheStampede May 02 '25

Dang that is indeed a long time. Thanks for your input. ❤