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Okay, granted, Oakley Standard Issue is not as cool as if General Dynamics sold F16s for $1000 (because that would make for awesome commutes—even if the neighbors hated us), but we’re talking about significant discounts off good looking, professional-grade eyewear. General D isn’t returning our calls in regard to the F16 discount idea. But when they do, we’ll let you know.

Whether you’re interested in shades that can take a beating when the heat’s on or just keeping the sun out of your eyes, you’ll be hard-pressed to do better. Oakley’s been supplying our heroes with protective eyewear for over 25 years. They’re not content to sit around get lazy. Their research and development are always ongoing, with the goal of making the best combat-ready frames and shades around. Take reasonable care of a pair and they’ll take care of you on the battlefield, in the woods, at a ballgame or when you’re just chilling in a lawn chair.

If you’re rolling your eyes, wondering why we’re giving you what sounds like a commercial, the answer is that this is a newsworthy deal: we’re talking about a hundred dollars or more off of what you’d pay for some of their best models from retailers like Amazon.com. Nolan, MilitaryTravelPro’s founder, has personally ordered over seven pairs of sunglasses from Oakley Standard Issue. Regular civilians need not apply, but Oakley’s Standard Issue (SI) Membership program is also open to federal and local law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel.

Quick Oakley Standard Issue Background

Oakley began their partnership with the U.S. Armed Forces in the 1980’s, before the Internet was a thing. The shared goal of their alliance has always been to develop new technologies that improve the performance, safety and comfort of our soldiers and other heroes. The eyewear maker’s inspired research eventually led to the creation of their Oakley Standard Issue line, which (rightly) is renowned both for offering unprecedented optical clarity and for maintaining ultimate-level protection.

At their research and production facility in Foothill Ranch, California, Oakley continues innovating new generations of products to better serve clients in theaters of war and beyond. When a technology that customers need doesn’t exist, they get to work making it into a reality. If Tony Stark were real, his company would probably make the best military-grade sunglasses available (with snarky built-in AIs and nanoparticle-adjusting smart tints). Since he’s not, the folks at Oakley have the best modern options (at Oakley Standard Issue membership deep discounts).

What Exactly Is Oakley Standard Issue?

Oakley Standard Issue, or Oakley SI, is a division of Oakley, Inc. that’s specifically dedicated to serving heroes; fulfilling the specific needs of the U.S. Military, our government, our law enforcement, our firefighters and our EMS personnel. It’s this side of the house that offers its Oakley Standard Issue Membership program, which doesn’t just offer direct pricing. It includes some exclusive models and products that you won’t be able to find on the street. These include uniform-approved items, ballistic-rated eye protection (developed to meet or exceed military specifications), APEL- and SOEP-approved gear (with NSN codes), products featuring Military Prizm™ lens technologies (like Prizm™ Shooting and Prizm™ Maritime), special collections like Thin Blue Line and Thin Red Line, and special
Industry-collaboration-productions made in conjunction with Multicam®, Cerakote®, and others. They’ve been at this for decades, so you can expect integrity alongside their innovations.

How much does it cost? Nada: it’s 100% free, provided that you can prove your service. Once you sign up, you’ll gain access to Oakley Standard Issue products and other exclusives we’ve mentioned. Word on the street is that they ship quality goods fast for the money, too. If you’ve been thinking of investing in a pair of military-grade shades, don’t spend a dime until you’ve signed up. Oakley’s been known to offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount (like $75), to boot.

How To Get Your Discount

SI memberships are normally active for 12 months from the approval date, but members of the U.S. Military—including active, retired, and veterans—all receive lifetime memberships. The only caveat to the deal is that you can’t use an email address that ends in a .mil or .gov domain to sign up. As long as you avoid those, you should be good to go. Oakley weeds out would-be fakers by using SheerID.com, which matches your name, branch of service and email address to confirm that you qualify. Most military customers are verified instantly, but for the few that aren’t, document reviews can usually be completed within 5 minutes. As soon as they know that you’re you, you can start shopping for both prescription and regular eye gear, accessories, Oakley apparel, ballistic protection glasses for the ol’ gun range…

Applying is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is hit the page at Oakley’s Web site here. Next, you’ll create an Oakleysi.com password—and that’s it: you’re a full-fledged member. You can see all the cool promotions and gear that the private sector can generally only dream of drooling over. Just keep in mind the fact that you can’t share your account, because it’s non-transferable. With that said, once you get their confirmation, you’re all set. Don’t go into debt, but gear up to your heart’s content.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oakleys

Oakley sunglasses famously feature Iridium-coated lenses to lessen the sun’s glare and provide superior contrast. They’re tough, but like any other product, there are a few rules for care and feeding. If you don’t already know, you’ll need to be careful when handling your Oakleys in order to avoid scratching the Iridium coating because it’s delicate.

It’s an excellent idea to keep them in their own case when you don’t need them. This ensures that you don’t drop them or leave them anywhere else. When they get dirty, be very careful about how you clean them. Water and mild soap are all you need. Be a cloth snob, too: anything other than microfiber is a bad, bad idea (no matter how tempting it can get to wipe them on your shirt in a pinch).

The obvious goal is to keep your sunglasses clean. Oakley sells lens cleaning kits that are both easy to use and affordable. Once you get one, you’ll want to do the daily cleanings with the kit and then store your sunglasses inside the provided Microfiber bag. The kit also includes a mini screwdriver, which you can use to (gently) tighten loose screws on your frame. While this is definitely a handy bonus, make sure that you take care never to strip the screw threads out by overtightening them.

How to Remove Scratches from Oakley Sunglass Lenses

Thankfully all is not lost if you do get a scratch or two, though: it’s very possible to remove scratches safely; without causing any further damage to your lenses. It might take a few minutes, but it beats the heck out of shelling out for new ones. You’ll just want to avoid using cleaning solutions (like Windex) in order to prevent warping the Iridium coating and making the problem worse.

Never try to clean Oakley lenses while they’re dry: that’s begging for additional scratches. You’ll always want to start the scratch removal process by wetting your sunglasses with water before trying any cleaning. Next, using mild soap, a little more water and a soft towel, gently start buffing the scratch(s) out with a circular motion.

If this doesn’t completely do the job, you’re not out of options, so don’t sweat it. You’ll just need to get yourself a mild toothpaste and a cotton ball. Rub the stubborn scratch gently in a circular motion for about 10 seconds and then rinse the lens with water. If it’s still there, repeat the process for 10 more seconds, rinse, and repeat… until the scratch is completely gone.

Do You Still Have Stubborn Oakley Scratches?

If it still isn’t gone after multiple attempts, grab some baking soda. You’ll need to make a paste that’s equal parts water and soda. Once you’ve done that, apply the paste to the lenses with a soft cloth and rub the paste into the scratch in a circular motion for a few seconds. The next step (surprise surprise) is rinsing and examination. If it’s still there, keep repeating the past and rinse steps until your lens is scratch-free again.

Once you finish, rinse your sunglasses clean and blot them dry with a soft clean cloth. If you’re boots-on-the-ground without a linen closet handy, you can always use the Microfiber bag that came with your Oakley sunglasses purchase, too. Just keep that baby as clean as you can beforehand—so that it’s crud-free when you need it.

More information on the day-to-day maintenance of and repairs to their sunglasses, Oakley has a pretty decent page here. It has nice diagrams with their instructions on how to remove or install their various kinds of lenses. It also includes details on keeping your goggles in good shape, washing and protecting your Oakley clothing and more.

At MilitaryTravelPro, we are all about Military Discounts like Oakley Standard Issue’s offerings. If you want to see other great discounts that we have found, check out this page.