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?
Yes it is. If the person can still perform a useful function, they will try to keep them on, if the person so wishes, and many do. I know of a Captain who was shot when he stuck his head out of his Bradley. He lost one eye, and the other was damaged. Otherwise, he's good to go. They sent him to grad school, where he will become a counselor to work with other wounded troops. At the same time they sent his wife to be an ROTC instructor at the same school where they sent him.
A know a Lt. Col., ranger and sniper qualified, who has lost most function in one eye. The thing won't retain any pressure, and really looks nasty when he's not wearing a patch, which is much of the time. He's now the deputy of a technology directorate. He'll be in at least until his wife returns from being deployed, and probably somewhat longer. Many of these folks would have died during Vietnam with the injuries they sustained. This is especially true for the, often multiple, amputees. Care is that much better. Prostheses are better too, a lot better.
The Marine Corps requires that you can put your head in a jar, thus eliminating the large brain types.
For this guy you had to fight to get in. Even one pound over the weight limit would disqualify you. And then once you were accepted was the beginning. That was when shit really hit the fan.
I can't see a disabled person making it through 'hell-night'.
I knew a guy years ago that was allowed to stay in after he blew his leg off below the knee while hunting with a shotgun (slug).
Another just recently lost his eye in a convoy attack. He’s still in with one good eye and one glass eye.
I can't say there weren't any during Vietnam because I just don't know, but the numbers that have continued to serve after amputation in the last 8-years has increased each and every year. I think - although I'm no expert - that MUCH of it has to do with the profound advancements in prosthetics.
The DoD generally has also been more receptive to allowing those who wish to stay, so long as they can still function in a reasonable capacity. Some of if is magnanimity on behalf of the DoD, and the rest is probably pure selfishness. Service members are expensive to train, and if you can retain that knowledge from the wounded combat veteran, it adds to the institutional IQ of the DoD.
There have been dozens of amputees in the last several years who have actually returned to the theater of combat, and served in front-line combat billets.
Anyone who can’t qualify for the military I urge to apply with some of the DoD organizations. You can do more than your share with the Intelligence Community and they don’t care what you can’t do as long as you can do something they need. Money’s not bad either from what I hear.
They no longer reject people with flat feet. And they allow corrective lenses for bad vision. That’s about it.
It is possible, though to work for the military as a civilian. If someone wants to be of service, they could go that route.
General (Retired) Fred Franks, who commanded the 7th U.S. Corps during the first Gulf War lost his foot while serving as a Major in the 11th Cavalry Regiment. Brigadier General (Retired) Stanley Cherry lost one leg and part of a hand while serving as a cavalry troop commander in Vietnam. They both served full careers.
Amputees were allowed to continue serving provided that they could meet certain physical requirements. Infantry soldiers were usually required to transfer to another branch or specialty in order to continue serving. Today’s prosthetic devices make it a little easier to do, but it still takes a lot of dedication.
Our Commander in Chief is insane.
Our Commander in Chief is insane.
You have to pass a physical. Accommodations can be made for certain things, but you have to be reasonably physically fit to join the U.S military services. However, as someone as noted, people have been allowed to serve after service-related injuries have been reduced (meaning treated and reasonably accommodated). My wife is in a couple of military moms and and families organizations. (Our son is an inactive Marine.) We are very proud of a young man, an amputee, who went through physical training hell after losing his leg. He reported again for duty in the spring. He’ll never deployed overseas or be used in a training or combat role, but we’re glad to have him serving our country in an active way.
I never met an active duty amputee, nor otherwise disabled soldier, who was not on his way out the door during my 20 years in the Army on active duty. The physical demands of a combat arm MOS (like mine) would generally preclude the physically disabled from being combat effective.
Flying a drone or clerical work, on the other hand, might be an option. Hell, a disabled payroll clerk can’t be any worse than the mental defectives I always seemed to encounter when they screwed up my deductions.
"Hi thayor" 
Once in, there is a little more flexibility, especially if you are injured in combat.
I dunno, seems like 1 of every 2 of my reservists can’t pass the damn AF Fit test, but it’s because they’re FAAAAAATT. FATFATFAT!!!!
Ahem. Sorry - can you tell it’s a little frustrating when the colonel, after 4 knee surgeries, can score an excellent and these folks can’t get past the “abdominal circumference measurement”?
Colonel, USAFR
Most of it has been covered however many missed this. If you provide an absolute necessity of a skill there are some disabilities that can be over looked and waived. You would still have to be physically capable of passing the alternate version of PT tests though. If you can’t run, you must be able to ride a bike for 5 miles for instance.
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