GI glasses

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BCGs, mid 1990s design.

GI glasses are eyeglasses issued by the American military to its service members. Dysphemisms for them include the most common birth control glasses (alternatively birth control goggles) sometimes shortened as BC goggles/glasses, BCGs or simply BCs.

The glasses are relatively-thick frames made of brown translucent plastic, with a thin metal wire extending down the center of each of the earpieces. The shape of the corrective lenses is nearly rectangular, with rounded edges, and a slight diagonal angle adjacent to the integrated nose pieces. This design reflects a specification for durability at the lowest possible cost. There are two designs available for female and male soldiers that require prescription eye wear.

They are large enough to provide a wide field of vision, but can be so large as to interfere with the sights of a rifle under certain circumstances. Waterproof, they are also impact resistant and satisfy many eye protection requirements.

BCG's are issued at government expense to new recruits at basic training, boot camp, or Officer Candidate Schools in the United States military, and are the mandatory eye wear for any recruit who requires corrective lenses. When entering recruit training, servicemembers may wear civilian glasses until government-issued ones are assigned. Contact lenses are never permissible for these exercises. After basic training, soldiers are permitted to wear civilian glasses provided they are conservative in design and color. The military offers annual replacements for those who qualify, and personnel may request the government issued glasses in addition to several varieties of more attractive eyeware, in clear and tinted lenses, as well as prescription gas mask inserts and inserts for government-funded ballistic eyeware. ^[1]

[edit] Origin of the nickname

BCGs is a nickname given to the glasses because service members believe that while wearing BCG's, it is impossible to attract the opposite sex because of their unflattering appearance. ^[1]

It is believed that this terminology originated in the form "BC's" in the Navy in 1981. The reason for this moniker was that "it would be impossible to get a date while wearing these glasses."