[Leaning Right]

Question to anyone that might know:

In today's military, does a severe wound (like the loss of a hand) mean an automatic medical discharge?

Or do they try to find a suitable rear-area position for a person with such a wound?

[Pan_Yan]

He is a liason officer at Fort Benning, Georgia.

[chargers fan]

Depends. I have a friend in that situation and he’s trying to figure out whether to stay in or get out.

[ExNewsExSpook]

Not necessarily...the Army has allowed several amputees to remain in service, provided they can still meet service standards. One of the “trail blazers” in that area is General Fred Franks, best known as commander of VII Corps during Operation Desert Storm, was severely wounded during the invasion of Cambodia in 1970 and eventually lost his left leg. He fought to stay in the service and was allowed to remain on active duty. His execution of the “left hook” against Saddam’s forces remains one of the outstanding feats in modern military history.

[JRandomFreeper]

I was stationed for a while at No Hope Pope during Operation Iraqi Freedom (for backfill, as a reservist). Several times at the Bragg PX, I saw Army enlisted with new (high tech) lower limb replacements. While I was at Pope, I was made to understand that one had qualified as Airborne again.

My experience, far from the tip of the spear.

/johnny