Posted on 09/10/2010 1:41:45 PM PDT by Ancient Drive
I've noticed other countries have even peg legs in their armies. does our country allow for disabled people to sign up for military service?
Wow, call the recruiter.
Don't worry. I'm sure there's a district court judge somewhere who will find a constitutional right to obesity. Soon, military appearance and physical fitness requirements will be deemed to have a "direct and deleterious effect" on the armed services.
Depends on the disability I think. One friend of mine could not as he was born with two club feet. Another friend could not because he has a metal plate in his face. I know some service members who are allowed to stay in after receiving disabling injuries while enlisted. My husband on the other hand, well they took him even though he has a very severe problem, he sometimes acts like a metro-male.
There’s a pretty good movie based on the first Navy diver to return to active duty after a “career ending” accident where he saved the lives of a number of sailors.
It’s called “Men of Honor,” and it’s really worth watching.
Mark
1976 I got in the Navy with two Club Feet and one eye functional vision. I got out in 1980 time served. I joined the Army NG in 1984 for a one year hitch and passed the physical then also. I've been on permenant SS disability for 16 years now.
I went to my local V.A. Clinic a couple months ago to get some help getting new glaases and Hearing Aids. It was my first visit to a VA Clinic. The doctor looked at my record and my physical issues and asked me how in the world did you get in the service? I said I showed up for the physical and they didn't notice LOL.
People with disabilities can join the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, which is a uniformed, volunteer (unpaid), civilian service that works with the regular Coast Guard. Those in the Auxiliary work in boating safety and public education, do courtesy boat inspections, patrol in their own boats and aircraft (including doing search and rescue), and serve alongside active duty members at USCG stations, in ports doing things like container inspections, on cutters, doing administrative tasks in USCG Sectors and Districts, and in many other places. (Basically anything the USCG does except what requires the use of firearms — though the pistol instructor at the USCG Academy was an Auxiliarist as of last year). A USCG petty officer told me that the best watch stander (radio operator) he ever worked with was in the Auxiliary and was nearly blind. You just have to be able to do the duties for which you volunteer. No upper age limit to join, just have to be at least 17 and a U.S. citizen.
Wow. You lucked out, or at that time they didn’t care. I got rejected initially for being underweight. I ate lasagna for a week and the guy was generous and gave me a pound to let me in. And my friend got rejected for being slightly hard of hearing.
I did have enough medical trouble where they had to remove me from working in "The Hole" or boiler rooms. They put me in the job I had wanted to start with which was AC&R or Air Conditioning and Refrigeration repair. I was able to do all other task assigned me including fire fighting as a nozzle-man. I did my 4 and got out because as a Machinist Mate my nest ship may have tried to put me back in the Hole again. In 1984 I joined a Howitzer Battery in the NG's as a ammo hauler. On the first night on the range I was asleep in the back of the truck and they called a fire mission. My truck was close to the guns. First round fired and more ear damage. I'm now over 50% deaf.
I went on disability in 1994 when my sensory processing system got to the point I could no longer safely work. If I had stayed in the Navy I would have not medically made it to 20 years likely not even 10.
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