Deaf in the military

[Conz]

I came across this video in TedTalks about a deaf man's administrative/political battle to gain access to employment in the US Army. I thought it was interesting, so here it is.
http://www.ted.com/talks/keith_nolan_deaf_in_the_military.html

 

[X Royal]

Hell we've had the deaf in our forces for years. ???
Just try asking a question for which a true answer requires an answer contrary to the expected and planned path. :

 

[PMedMoe]

I think there's a difference between "deaf" and "selective hearing". 

 

[NavyShooter]

An aweful lot of crickets can be heard when you finish asking questions like that....

I did that just last week by e-mail...got a pretty interesting response from various levels, then came the *SHUT THAT GUY UP* phone call from boss to boss to my boss....good fun.

Ish.

 

[kratz]

I read this and thought, "why not?" this site has seen people attempting to figure out how to join with less obvious issues.

 

[Shamrock]

Why not!  We let dumb people in all the time.

 

[smale436]

      For several years now we've had a deaf (and non-speaking) PSP fitness instructor in Cold Lake. I can say on authority the classes she runs are some the most sweat-inducing and effective offerings at the gym currently. She went to Afghanistan as a PSP instructor and seemed to have no issues going about daily life and tasks over there from what I heard.

 

[PMedMoe]

      For several years now we've had a deaf (and non-speaking) PSP fitness instructor in Cold Lake. I can say on authority the classes she runs are some the most sweat-inducing and effective offerings at the gym currently. She went to Afghanistan as a PSP instructor and seemed to have no issues going about daily life and tasks over there from what I heard.

So, she'd do fine on a range when the command "Stop, stop, stop!" is issued?

 

[smale436]

I never said that, nor was I inferring in any way that deaf people could or should join the military. Unfortunately I never get around to asking her, since I was genuinely curious, how she dealt with certain things over there. But apparently not being able to hear a referee's whistle doesn't hinder her from playing on one of the base hockey teams. (Not saying that's comparable to the range in any way)

 

[ArmyGuy99]

Watched the video, he makes a compelling, and possibly "Legal" Argument.  However, the way our laws and I do believe the US laws are written the same way with regards to deployability makes the case moot.

Until UoS is changed/revoked however.  Not going to happen here.  Heard the story at least 3 or 4 times a week while in recruiting, and even had a few ministerial reviews but nothing has changed, and nothing will.  It's a safety thing.  Everyone must qualify on weapons and if you can't hear range commands or GRIT's then you are a hazard to yourself and others.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Everyone must qualify on weapons and if you can't hear range commands or GRIT's then you are a hazard to yourself and others.

I wonder if hear is the same as understand. On my English instructors only infantry course a french-speaking only soldier passed.

It would be cool to see wounded vets teaching at our recruit schools.

 

[MikeL]

Everyone must qualify on weapons and if you can't hear range commands or GRIT's then you are a hazard to yourself and others.

Padre's don't qualify on weapons,  AFAIK they only learn to unload if that.

I wonder if hear is the same as understand. On my English instructors only infantry course a french-speaking only soldier passed.

How did that work during the course?  Was there someone in the platoon that could translate?

It would be cool to see wounded vets teaching at our recruit schools.

I know of one instructor at St Jean who was wounded(no loss of limb, or sight, etc though) in Afghanistan,  and I'm sure there have been others.  Plus troops that have been wounded are/were working at other schools.

 

[Jarnhamar]

How did that work during the course?  Was there someone in the platoon that could translate?

One of the students spoke very very basic french and would try and translate the gist of classes during breaks but this girl basically got by by looking left and right.

I know of one instructor at St Jean who was wounded(no loss of limb, or sight, etc though) in Afghanistan,  and I'm sure there have been others.  Plus troops that have been wounded are/were working at other schools.

I would go so far as to suggest vets missing an arm or leg could serve reasonably well as an instructor. A bit of common sense would be required when meriting out who's teaching what class; someone with one arm shouldn't be given CRBN classes but someone missing a foot or leg could teach weapons lectures.

I don't remember if I mentioned it in a previous thread here but when I was out running one day a young fellow with one leg passed me like I was standing still.  I wouldn't be worried about him running chubby bunnies in basic.  We could make a special medical category for them or hire them as civilian-instructors.

Going off on a bit of a tangent though sorry.