Damn. All that work. Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. Interesting that it made it all the way to the numbered AF and the commander went against recommendations. With such a bottle neck in the training pipeline now they're probably turning away guys that don't need waivers.
Quick story: I failed the flight physical right after I got my wings for vision in a bad way. As a hobby, I work on cars and motorcycles and generally anything mechanical and a few days before my physical, I had bought a new auto-darkening welding helmet. It took me a while to work out the settings and in the process I lightly burnt my eyes. If you're not familiar, it's almost like a sunburn. If it's not too bad (and it wasn't), it will heal in a week or two just like a sunburn. Well, I couldn't read any of the close or far eye charts or see the depth perception circles. I don't even think I tried the color panels. I asked to come back in two weeks, but that wasn't possible. Lucky for me, I already had my wings so they scheduled me for a full eye screening at Brooks AFB, but the appointment wasn't for 6 months. I volunteered to come back in to the local clinic and take the tests to prove that I wouldn't need to go, but they weren't having it. Of course, when I went to the full screening at Brooks my eyes were healed and I passed all the tests. The staff down there even commented on how it was a waste. But, that's the AF for you.
Best of luck to you on the Navy side. You don't know it now, but the 11AF/CC probably did you a favor.
Quick story: I failed the flight physical right after I got my wings for vision in a bad way. As a hobby, I work on cars and motorcycles and generally anything mechanical and a few days before my physical, I had bought a new auto-darkening welding helmet. It took me a while to work out the settings and in the process I lightly burnt my eyes. If you're not familiar, it's almost like a sunburn. If it's not too bad (and it wasn't), it will heal in a week or two just like a sunburn. Well, I couldn't read any of the close or far eye charts or see the depth perception circles. I don't even think I tried the color panels. I asked to come back in two weeks, but that wasn't possible. Lucky for me, I already had my wings so they scheduled me for a full eye screening at Brooks AFB, but the appointment wasn't for 6 months. I volunteered to come back in to the local clinic and take the tests to prove that I wouldn't need to go, but they weren't having it. Of course, when I went to the full screening at Brooks my eyes were healed and I passed all the tests. The staff down there even commented on how it was a waste. But, that's the AF for you.
Best of luck to you on the Navy side. You don't know it now, but the 11AF/CC probably did you a favor.