Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 3/21/2009

Question
Hi ok a simple question for you maybe I have horizontal Nystagmus which does not affect my vision at all but yet I'm barred from the Airforce because the Meps station said that the Marines said no because of it now what is the Reason behind this like I said it don't affect my vision at all I was denied on every wavier my recruiter could think of including family tradition wavier since both my parents had served but i just want to know why that is a automatic denial thank you for any help since no one else can answer why other than just the rules  thank you

Answer
Roger,

I'm sorry to hear the military is telling you "No" without telling you why.
The MEPS station processes recruits from all the Services, not just one.  So the first recruiter to send you there evidently was from the Marines.  It's not the Marines telling you no, it's the MEPS doctors, who represent all the Services.  So when they say no, that also means none of the Service will take you.

As I'm sure you already know, in most cases, nystagmus is irreversible.  Which means you're stuck with it.  It sounds like your problem isn't quite as bad as others, but unfortunately some people do have severe eye jerking which can cause momentary loss of focus and can be a safety hazard.  In the military, you routinely work with multi-million dollar equipment and also some very large, dangerous, equipment.  So they're worried about the safety of yourself and others.  I know it sounds unfair, but they deal with thousands of cases daily so they have to set some guidelines, or rules.

You're probably aware that it's impossible for a person with horizontal Nystagmus to pass the "horizontal gaze" test when stopped by a traffic cop for suspected DUI.  Then it's quite a hassle to prove you're innocent.  Same thing.  The laws are made for the majority of the people.

It's a shame they're not giving you a chance to prove yourself.
Thanks for wanting to serve your country in uniform.
Good luck,
Colonel H