Also called: Army 68H, Military Optical Fabrication Specialist
Makes eyeglasses for soldiers, including the special lens inserts that fit inside gas masks and ballistic goggles.
Specialists read prescriptions, cut and edge lenses on precise machines, fit them into frames, and check them for accuracy. Some work in base clinic labs; others run mobile optical shops in the field. Training happens at the Navy's optical school in Yorktown, Virginia.
Regular military compensation (RMC = base pay + housing and food allowances + their tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-6 ranks, 2026 estimate. Junior troops often live in free barracks, so cash in hand is lower early on.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0.75 years after high school. High school diploma, Army basic training, then about 6 months of optical lab training. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Ophthalmic Technology.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Medium risk for 10 years. Automated edgers do more; inspecting, fitting and fixing glasses stays human.
Classes: Geometry, Physics, Shop class.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.