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Military-issue "Birth Control Glasses"

By Rain Noe - May 18, 2010

in Object Culture

After watching HBO's "The Pacific" I began reading Eugene Sledge's With the Old Breed, one of the books on which the series was based. A passage I read with interest is where Sledge observes a fresh batch of Army boys coming in to relieve his battered Marine platoon and he comments that two of the new guys are wearing eyeglasses, which he hadn't seen a soldier wearing before.

After reading the passage I removed my own eyeglasses and inspected them. I cannot imagine going through the hell of the Pacific war, or any military maneuver for that matter, with these delicate things perched on the front of my face.

Neither can the U.S. military, at least not in Basic Training; a little research led me to GI glasses, which are handed out to Armed Forces recruits at recruit training, where contact lenses and civilian eyeglasses are strictly prohibited.

Design-wise, the emphasis on GI glasses is for maximum durability at minimum cost. They're made of brown acetate plastic, are impact-resistant, waterproof, and ugly as sin. Reflecting this last point is their nickname--BCG's, or Birth-Control Glasses.

For those with a taste for them, it is possible to buy a pair without signing up for Uncle Sam; some civilian optometrists reportedly sell them in the bargain section, and eBay's got tons of them--though sadly overpriced at anywhere from $45 to nearly $100.

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Edwin Mercado

9 years ago

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i have a huge selection of military frames BCG, old style aviators, S91A i can even have your RX put in and or make them suns! edwinm.sells@yahoo.com

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David Wilder

11 years ago

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Have been trying to find a source for the G.I. model S91A but have not found one, yet. Any suggestions?
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- Edwin Mercado
  
  9 years ago
  
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  i have them in brown and now black any size. i can add your RX and or make them suns!
  
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GOLDY

14 years ago

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I'VE HAD THE SAME FRAMES FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS. SADLY, EACH TIME NEW LENSES ARE PUT IN, THEY ARE HEATED AND COOLED AS THE LENSES ARE INSTALLED. THIS HAS CAUSED THEM TO DETERIORATE TO THE POINT WHERE REPLACEMENT IS RECOMMENDED.(HEAVY SIGH)
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- Edwin Mercado
  
  9 years ago
  
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  Yes sir. any size with your RX!
  
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Julian Kussman

14 years ago

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To speak of their durability, I had a spare set once and wanted to destroy them. I literally rotated each arm 360 degrees and they still held firm to the face afterwards. I couldn't get the lenses to pop out.
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Tony

14 years ago

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I've had a pair of BCG's for the last year. My old roommate got them for me while interning at the optometrist's office on a Navy base. I know they are called BCGs, but they are usually a real crowd -leaser.
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