Flight Physical
 

If I take a flight physical for one branch (Army) is it good for the rest, or do each branch have their own physicals? I'm applying to all branches, and hope that I don't have to get 4 different flight physicals.

Short answer I believe is: Yes you will take 4 different flight physicals, generally speaking. There used to be(may still be) a method in place for Service Academy accessions as well as ROTC scholarship candidates called DODMERB(Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board). Essentially the summer prior to joining or during the application process you would take a standard physical, normally with a civilian Dr or Medical Treatment Facility if available. The Medical records are then reveiewed by DODMERB and given thumbs up or down or additional appointments were needed if something came up that raised an eyebrow. This was to ensure candidates met basical phsyical qualifications for service.

The services all have different standards for their aviation(aircrew) programs and thus have medical staffs trained in those standards requiring different physicals. I do know that exchange pilots coming to the Navy for instance, don't take a flight physical when they check in, but rather have their medical record reviewed by a Flight Surgeon and medical clearance is then issued, but I think it's safe to say that if you're applying for ANG, Navy/Marine OCS or the Army you may indeed need to take different physicals for the different services before you are accepted into any one of those programs.

Someone with a bit more recent experience here may be able to shed some more light, but if I were a betting man, I'd plan on having to do a physical for each of the Services you apply to.

Good luck.

The marine corps is part of the navy department, they use the same aviation standards and the same doctors so only one physical should be required there.

If only that were the case. I asked a few friends who applied to both Navy and Marine OCS post college and all said they did 2 separate flight physicals. Their feeling was that each Officer recruiting office for the Navy and Marine Corps 'contracted' with different units who provided flight surgeons to do the exam. Go figure...

I went through with Marines in the flight program and they take the same flight physical at NAMI. We are mixed together. Initially there is probably a separate physical for both but the flight physical that counts, the NAMI physical is the same.

I agree with you, never said the NAMI flight physical in API wasn't the same for all SNAs. That wasn't the original question the way I read it.

Are they at all like an FAA class 1 physical? What kind of things should I expect? I'm concerned about a potential problem that I may have. The FAA says I'm not colorblind, but when I went through MEPS for my enlistment, they said I was, but I have 20/20 vision. hmmmm?

Colorbindness has nothing to do with 20/20 vision. There are numerous threads on APC that cover colorblindness and the FAA requirements thoroughly. The USN still uses the FALANT (though you may have to request it), but is moving towards the more standard colorplates for its' colorvision testing.

USMCFLYR

See this it may help.

Failed Color Vision... - Airwarriors

Watch the medical screening portion of "The Right Stuff." :D