Keith Nolan- Deaf in the Military

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deafjanharley

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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtKTcPq7XBs&playnext=1&list=PLF082D6AC31B77F75&feature=results_main"]TEDxIslay- Keith Nolan- Deaf in the Military [Subtitled] - YouTube[/ame]
 
Posted many times, but always good to watch.

Obviously, we're very proud of him. :)

Does anyone know if he's been able to get into a military branch since leaving ROTC?
 
The congress or DoD have to change the policies about allow Americans with disabilities to serve the military.
 
This is interesting. I've worked for a Private Military Firm in the past whilst contracting for the British MoD, and have many friends and relatives who have served, or are still serving in the British, Irish or Australian Armed forces.
I applied to join the Australian Reserves a few years ago and because of my declining hearing was told that I wouldn't be eligible ( I didn't actually realise I had defective hearing at that point ). This wasn't so much a problem by itself, since I was heading towards the upper age-limit cut-off point anyway - so probably not prime material anyway :) , but it occured to me that what if I misheard an order and a situation occured whilst in combat?
I would be a liability to those around me, and I would be "letting my mates down" if I wasn't 100% fit for my job. I would hate to think that my disability would cause the death or serious injury of someone around me.

The speaker talks about disabled people being refused entry to the American Military, yet if you're injured and disabled whilst on active service, you're given a rear-echelon job if you're still able to serve, or if the Top Brass still think you're useful to the Military.
Now, this is the real issue I have.
If I was accepted into the Armed Forces and given one of these roles, I would potentially be taking that job away from someone who has fought for their country and been wounded in action. To have seen combat, been injured and then being suddenly medically discharged is one of the worst things in the world (a friend of mine was serving in the British Army and was medically discharged after being wounded in Bosnia in the late 90's), you feel like you're not useful to them anymore.

Whilst I applaud Keith Nolan's commitment and dedication to his cause, it just does not make sense to allow disabled people to enter the Armed Forces when hundreds of Soldiers are injured and incur a disability each year whilst in Active Service.
 
CrazyPaul said:
If you were talking about US Armed Forces, I can't find it in that article.
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I think Steinhauer's point (correct me if I'm wrong) is that even the Libyan revolution found a place for deaf soldiers.

So why cannot the U.S. Armed Forces?
 
DeafBadger said:
I think Steinhauer's point (correct me if I'm wrong) is that even the Libyan revolution found a place for deaf soldiers.

So why cannot the U.S. Armed Forces?
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IMO, Libyan deaf rebels will die sooner than you expect because they can't hear anything around them.

It's too risky for deaf people to go to war but they can work at one of those military bases or Pentagon.
 
one saddest things many men in british army due to nature of the work come home deaf they get cashied out and have to fight and prove their disability they get little help.the way british soldiers are treated is criminal
 
update: I don't know if this has been discussed recently but doing a research paper on this subject and found the following info: There's two bills which have been introduced, S.1864 by senator Tom Harkin (IA) and H.R. 5296 by Mark Takano 7/30/2014. The bills call for a demonstration program within the Airforce to accept 15-20 deaf or hard of hearing individuals (that meet other mental/physical requirements) to undergo basic officer training or commissioned officer training at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. This bill is co-sponsored by 6 other politicians and has been referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

That is the only update I have been able to find, I am wondering what else is being done. I've also read about how many job duties are available for deaf individuals within the military, and its astounding how nothing more has been done. Any more info on this subject would be appreciated!
 
I've also read about how many job duties are available for deaf individuals within the military,...
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I think this is more of a civilian role within the military rather than the deaf person being actual military and also working within military.

I too am surprised not much more has been done as in this day and age- the technology is there for deaf people to be able to join military and do these types of duties. I don't know if deaf will ever be able to go into actual combat- though from Kevin's video I gather there were some active in the Civil War and the Mexican-American War.
 
DeafBadger said:
Posted many times, but always good to watch.

Obviously, we're very proud of him. :)

Does anyone know if he's been able to get into a military branch since leaving ROTC?
Click to expand...

nope
 
DeafBadger said:
I think Steinhauer's point (correct me if I'm wrong) is that even the Libyan revolution found a place for deaf soldiers.

So why cannot the U.S. Armed Forces?
Click to expand...

keyword - "revolution". Libya is dirt poor and ill-resourced. they'll take anybody. if you can carry AK-47, then that's good enough to them. that's why US Armed Forces can easily annihilate entire Libyan army in just a day or two.... errrr correction - entire COUNTRY.
 
DeafDucky said:
I think this is more of a civilian role within the military rather than the deaf person being actual military and also working within military.

I too am surprised not much more has been done as in this day and age- the technology is there for deaf people to be able to join military and do these types of duties. I don't know if deaf will ever be able to go into actual combat- though from Kevin's video I gather there were some active in the Civil War and the Mexican-American War.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll add that to my research so I can include examples of Deaf soldiers in previous wars.

Also thanks Reba, that link provided way more info than I initially found!
 
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