You mean you want to know where to get the shades issued to every pilot training class?

Base supply

Edited January 7, 201114 yr by TarHeelPilot

You SHOULD receive them in Phase I when you are issued gloves, watch, flashlight, etc.

Anyone know where to actually get the issued shades? I've called just about everywhere on base with no luck

Base Supply (Individual Equipment Unit--IEU) normally is the place to go. May need to talk to SQ Resource Advisor for the appropriate "mother, may I?" letter. See attachment and AFI 11-202V3, para 6.3.

Personally, I don' t mind them. I prefer the bayonet earpiece and solid black frame--but I've seen some guys with the wraparound earpieces and the gold frame. Slightly dated message and guidance attached with NSN's and such, just FYI.

Good luck...

APPROVED AIRCREW EYEWEAR.pdf

Air Force Procedures for Ordering Non-Prescription Sunglasses (Revised Oct 08) (2).pdf

I am in my mid-60's and a former Navy pilot. I never wore sunglasses myself, just depended on the helmet visor. I have had, however, cataract surgery on both eyes in the last few years. I have always wondered if the visor was a contributor to all this. Does anyone know if there is any protection in the visors? It always seemed to me that the visor was just tinted plastic but I don't know for sure.

I am in my mid-60's and a former Navy pilot. I never wore sunglasses myself, just depended on the helmet visor. I have had, however, cataract surgery on both eyes in the last few years. I have always wondered if the visor was a contributor to all this. Does anyone know if there is any protection in the visors? It always seemed to me that the visor was just tinted plastic but I don't know for sure.

Most visors, as well as windscreens, are made of polycarbonate. The material inherently blocks 99% +/- of UV rays. When it comes to any optical medium, the tint that we see (visible light) is totally unrelated to how much UV light gets transmitted. You can have UV protection with a lens that is clear in the visible spectrum.

Regarding the cataracts, they are just a normal aging change of the intra-ocular lens. Everyone who is 60 will have some degree of change in clarity of the lens. We just don't refer to it as a cataract until it begins to impair vision.

There have been some studies that have reported a higher incidence of cataracts among commercial pilots due to the number of hours spent at altitude and exposure to atmospheric radiation. However, there isn't any concensus whether this is a real phenomenon.

GD

Read through all this, but didn't see the answer for which I was looking:

What actually are the standard issue sunglasses you (are supposed to) receive at UPT?

Some older retired guys my dad flys with said they were Randolph Engineering Aviators (which I've always liked and are pretty high quality in my book), but the comments I've seen on here about $7, cheaply-made glasses (maybe hyperbole?) make me think they're not RE's...

Has the contracting company changed?

Another fan of Serengeti for flying. They have an amber/bronze-ish lens. They rock.

They don't issue sunglasses (or watches) here are Vance. Nobody I know (IPs or Studs) wore sunglasses in the T-6, I occasionally wore mine out to the plane for preflight and put them in a case in my G-suit before strapping in. Here in T-1s most guys I know, including myself, wear Oakley Standard Issues sunglasses

When I went through T1s at Vance about a year ago we were issued some ArtCraft aviator glasses that had the Air Force symbol imprinted on the side. They're ok, feel a bit cheap and kinda goofy but I've kept them around as a backup. During the UCI we were forced to wear them as opposed to our personal pairs if we wanted shades. They were only "issued" if you asked for them though. Fuzz, if you visit the lady who works across from the commander in the 32nd (forget her name, sorry), she had a whole drawer of them to hand out. One per stud, and they came in three different sizes.

Yeah, I don't think the Randolph's are technically authorized anymore. You're supposed to wear the "improved aircrew spectacle" or whatever the hell they call them, even though I don't know anyone that actually does, aside from during UCI, etc. +2 on the Serengetti's, really nice contrast.

Anybody know anything concerning this info found on RE's website then?

https://www.randolphusa.com/company/

2000

– Randolph is awarded their first contract for the Frame of Choice (FOC) spectacle program which provides soldiers with an alternative to current standard-issue military spectacles for Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and NASA.

2012

– Randolph currently supplies the HGU-4/P to the US Army and Navy and allied Air Forces world-wide and maintains the Frame of Choice contract, now in its 3rd 5 year term.

It's not that big a deal, but I'm planning to buy a pair regardless, so I'm basically just trying to see how to get the best price, and/or see if there's a deal through the AF.

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by so.it.goes

Only the T-1 squadron at Vance issues the sunglasses, so thats why you dont get them at initial inprocessing. Leadership kindof thought that since most people didnt wear sunglasses under helmets they'd try and save some money and wait till Phase III to offer them.

Personally, I keep my Randolph Aviator Sunglasses in my g-suit pocket because they fold flat, and I don't care if the inflating suit squishes them against the other shit I have in that leg pocket (piddle packs, fleece hat, flashlight, etc). In a pinch (or in a long sortie where I started in NVGs and didn't bring a HMCS DU), they work fairly well with a helmet to keep the squinting to a minimum. They'll work just fine walking to/from the jet, and I could give a fuck if people think I look dumb. Fuck 'em - I'm a fighter pilot.

During the month of March, however, I wait until my 'stache is in full effect. Then, I'll wear them to the max extent possible to complete the picture of awesomeness.

But seriously - Oakley Fives Squared. Jackpot.

Anybody know anything concerning this info found on RE's website then?

https://www.randolphusa.com/company/

2000

– Randolph is awarded their first contract for the Frame of Choice (FOC) spectacle program which provides soldiers with an alternative to current standard-issue military spectacles for Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and NASA.

2012

– Randolph currently supplies the HGU-4/P to the US Army and Navy and allied Air Forces world-wide and maintains the Frame of Choice contract, now in its 3rd 5 year term.

It's not that big a deal, but I'm planning to buy a pair regardless, so I'm basically just trying to see how to get the best price, and/or see if there's a deal through the AF.

"Frame of choice" is a program where, when you see the optometrist for prescription glasses, they have a rack of different styles on the wall for you to choose from, of which the Randolph aviators are one (along with about 20 other styles). The "Frame of Choice" styles are different from the "flight frames" the optometrist issues you- two each of regular glasses and prescription sunglasses that are all the Improved Aircrew Spectacle.

As for where to buy Randolphs, they used to sell them at mil clothing sales for around $30, but I don't know if that's still the case.

Edited March 14, 201213 yr by JeepGuyC17

$30 sounds like too good a deal, as they retail at around $109, but hopefully that's the case.

I haven't looked at the sunglass rack in a mil clothing store for about 6 years now, but I also remember them being about 30 bucks, yet they sell for double and triple that elsewhere. Guess the AF has a good contract with the company or something.

I am a big fan of Smith sunglasses and have been for a few years now. They have a line of sunglasses out now for military/LE at the following site:

https://elite.smithoptics.com/

If you register for an account you will save close to 50% on MSRP (works like usstandardissue.com). I called them up to find out if they have a way to sign up for an account without sending in a copy of my ID. I spoke to the guy who checks all of the emails and he told me he will typically approve someone that sends the request using their .mil account (this is what I did). I really like the lifetime warranty Smith offers on their sunglasses. I sent back a pair after 3 years of regular wear because the lenses started to peel. They gave me full credit towards a new pair of sunglasses. My roommate had a similar phenomena with his Oakley Flak Jackets (the lenses started to peel) so I wouldn't chalk up my problem to shoddy workmanship on Smith's part.

Edited March 16, 201213 yr by FlyingUte

Pretty interesting, and provides a glimpse at some of the reasons I like to support Randolph Engineering:

https://www.goruck.com/news/randolph-engineerings-factory-randolph-massachusetts/

They're issuing Wellco boots down here BTW. And the Toners are requiring wear of AF issue sunglasses too. AETC. Just shut up and color.

Not to mention people running around in bags and Nike boots look really dumb anyways.

Yeah you have to wear AF issue sunglasses. Oh, you have 20/20 vision? Well we don't have the money to issue you sunglasses that are the only ones authorized to wear. Good luck.

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Yeah you have to wear AF issue sunglasses. Oh, you have 20/20 vision? Well we don't have the money to issue you sunglasses that are the only ones authorized to wear. Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At Initial Qual they required us to wear the issued sunglasses, or none at all. Problem was, Altus wouldn't pay for them because I was a student, CBM wouldn't pay for it because I PCSd out, and my gaining base wouldn't pick up the cost because I hadn't in-processed. Solution? Fly the jet without sunglasses.

Solution? Fly the jet without sunglasses.

Helmet/visor, baby!

Helmet/visor, baby!

I wish I thought of that!

Solution? Fly the jet without sunglasses.

Or just tell them to suck it and wear your own anyways. It's YOUR eyesight...

Helmet/visor, baby!

^ This also works!

Helmet/visor, baby!

Write "DOT" on the back, and this also works for the motorcyclists out there.

Not really, don't kill yourself.

Write "DOT" on the back, and this also works for the motorcyclists out there.

Not really, don't kill yourself.

Ops tested by an ALP student at CBM when I was there. Cops didn't find it as funny as the rest of us.

Solution? Fly the jet without sunglasses.

We're your IPs such colossal d-bags that they actually cared what you wore while flying? I bet they would have been really happy to see 8 of us flying the next morning after a night divert in $2 neon framed sunglasses from the BX. It's called eyesight protection/ability to comfortably see (somewhat important when flying); safety should trump bullshit regs.