Does the HS rate require normal color vision?

• A. No
• B. Yes
• C. Color vision required for pilots
• D. HSWL

Answer: (D)

Color vision policies for Coast Guard jobs aren’t the same for every rating. For the Health Services rate, there isn’t a blanket rule that you must have normal color vision for every task. There is a pathway that allows eligibility to be considered even if color vision isn’t perfect—the Health Services Waiver List. This means a waiver can be granted in some cases, depending on the duties your job would involve and the severity of the color vision deficiency. That nuance is why referencing a waiver pathway best captures how color vision is handled for this rate. Pilots and some other special occupations do have stricter color vision standards, which is why that option is true in their context but not representative of the HS rate. The other straightforward yes/no or duty-specific options don’t reflect the existence of a waiver option.