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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU can my son join the RAF if colour blind?

27 replies

SnapAndFartAllDayLong · 27/08/2018 10:32

Hi so my ds is nearly 14 and has had his heart set on being an RAF engineer for that last 5 years...

But he is colour blind and he knows he can't be a pilot or electrician 😢

Can anyone give me more info and advice please? His going to be so upset if he can't. Thanks

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 27/08/2018 10:35

I would contact the RAF recruitment office and ask them. I'm sure the details won't be difficult to find online. Better that than possibly get incorrect information here and base his future career on it.

CherryPavlova · 27/08/2018 10:35

Go to or phone the recruiting office and get the official line.

Original poster
SnapAndFartAllDayLong · 27/08/2018 10:36

Thanks I had a quick look on website and Google wasn't much help either. Just wondering if anyone has personal experience 😁

OP posts:
Iscreamforbenandjerrys · 27/08/2018 10:36

Is he in the air cadets?

eve34 · 27/08/2018 10:36

No. My kids dad wanted to join the raf. But wasn't able to because of this. He did go into the navy though.

HavelockVetinari · 27/08/2018 10:37

He can be an engineer but not an electrical engineer.

Talith · 27/08/2018 10:37

Interested as my sons are colour blind too. Eldest heartbroken as he's only ever wanted to be a pilot. It's so hard for them.

PotteringAlong · 27/08/2018 10:39

This seems to suggest it depends on the level of his colour blindness. Why doesn’t he contact them and ask?

AIBU can my son join the RAF if colour blind?
CherryPavlova · 27/08/2018 10:42

My son had to go from Sussex to Essex to take a special lantern colour blindness test before entering military. It was to ensure he could differentiate between various shades of green/grey/blue to allow good differentiation of sea and sky and to be able to see ships and aircraft etc easily.

StrongerThanIThought76 · 27/08/2018 10:42

There are hundreds of jobs in the RAF that it shouldn't matter if he's colour blind or wears glasses etc.

Call the recruitment office tomorrow.

FanSpamTastic · 27/08/2018 10:45

Can't help on the colour blind but - but if he wants to be an engineer then have you heard of Welbeck?

BarryTheKestrel · 27/08/2018 10:45

A family member of mine is colour blind and was in the RAF for 25 years. He was never a pilot but was active serving military in various positions for many years. It does entirely depend on the position they are after I believe.

Original poster
SnapAndFartAllDayLong · 27/08/2018 10:48

Excellent responses thank you! Will email them tomorrow and hopefully he can do some sort of engineering 🤞🤞

OP posts:
Original poster
SnapAndFartAllDayLong · 27/08/2018 10:52

fanspam that 6th form looks amazing! Just ordered the booklet 😁 thank you

OP posts:
mpsw · 27/08/2018 10:52

I have just asked DH, who (although Army) has recent relevant experience,

Bottom line is that you need to ask at a recruiting office. It's not an absolute bar, but the trades available are very limited. Off the top of his head, he thought that being a clerk or joining the RAF Regiment might be possible. But for anything that has an executive function for an aircraft (including non-obvious things like being a loadmaster) requires a medical grading of A1G1Z1, and colourblindness downgrades the A part. Sorry that's probably not what you want to hear. But he says it's a tricky one-and that you do need to get chapter and verse from a recruiting office.

Fluffyears · 27/08/2018 10:54

My uncle served in tnarmywoth complete red/green blindness, he was a signal man so they didn’t seem to bothered. I think he might not be able to be a pilot but it’s worth finding out and they are really happy to help. If you have a branch of the cadets he would really do well to get involved I was a cadet for two years from the age of 14. Look for ‘air training corps’.

milienhaus · 27/08/2018 10:54

A family member of mine was also in the RAG for many years while colour blind - again not a pilot - so it can be done!

Fluffyears · 27/08/2018 10:58

If he wants to go into the forces he really needs to start enduring his fitness is good, running and swimming are excellent forms of fitness for the military.

MaisyMary77 · 27/08/2018 11:00

DH was in the RAF for 18 years, left 6 years ago. I’ve just asked him-he said yes but it would restrict which trade he entered. He’d probably be looking at roles in the admin branch and supply branch He definitely wouldn’t be able to be an engineer, air crew, flight ops, intelligence or fighter controller.

cornishclottedcream · 27/08/2018 11:02

My son is an Army Medic who has a full colour deficiency. He wanted to go into Army Intelligence but at the medical it was picked up very quickly and the list of roles available to him was greatly reduced.
Currently home on leave Smile, his advice is to talk to a specialist recruiting office. They will have a list of jobs that would be available to him and it does depend on the level of colour sight he has.

BloodyWorried · 27/08/2018 11:09

As above, guidance changes so much please be wary of the old advice. Just because the guidance this year says these roles would be currently suitable, it isn’t to say that guidance will still be the same in a few years time. But it’s best he knows - it will be picked up on his first medical, and it will limit his role. For current guidance have a chat with your local recruiting team.

mumsastudent · 27/08/2018 11:12

even if your son cant join services colour blindness needn't stop him being a electrical/ electronic/computer engineer a close family member worked as one for years - he never went by colours of wires but always tested them before - which is a safer method anyway -

Catanddogmake6 · 27/08/2018 11:16

I agree with talking to recruitment but also don’t forget both Navy and Army also have air capabilities. I don’t know if medical requirements are the same across all services but I can imagine them being service specific. Therefore he may get a slightly different answer. I know he has his heart set on the RAF but there might be an alternative.

Catanddogmake6 · 27/08/2018 11:18

Also the Navy love any opportunity to explain why they are superior to the RAF 😁

mumsastudent · 27/08/2018 11:22

get his eyes tested because there are different degrees types of colour blindness some will totally exclude him from most technical work in the raf but not civilian - if his eyes are tested you will be able to ask directly before he goes through the application process & gets refused and has to face disappointment at that stage. Better to know now if its impossible so he can plan for either a different field or a another career

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