LIFE AND DEAF IN THE MILITARY Featured below is an article that I came across after completing a speaking engagement with a writing class at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York. I was invited as a guest speaker to discuss how I began writing and to introduce my 3 publications, My Family Compass, Comes A Soldiers Whisper and VIETNAM & Beyond. An interpreter was in attendance, as I do not speak sign language. Yes, signing is a language unto itself, one that I find many would benefit from, even the military. ~Jenny La Sala VietnamAndBeyond Citizens are aware that in signing a contract with the armed forces, they are also liable to be called up in the future and forced back into uniform. America has always been prone to war-weariness, and once a conflict has grown unfashionable, enlistment cuts off. To counteract the low enlistment rates, many provisions have been made to allow otherwise “unqualified” individuals to join. However, while ex-convicts are now serving in the active military, Deaf and hard of hearing citizens are still denied a place. Classified as H-4, having severe hearing loss, these individuals are deemed by the military to be too different to accommodate into the existing military life. It has been determined by the military high ups that while those that cant hear can perform every other job in the United States, being a soldier requires that you catch every word being shouted at all times. To the Deaf community this is a form of discrimination that has no place in America, and that if allowed, many of their community would gladly serve (despite the low pay and bad food). What is odd about American military standards are that they are not on par with those of other modern nations. Israel requires military service out of Deaf citizens just like everyone else, and provides training in sign language to those who could use it. And while American Deafs couldnt join the Army in World War Two, there are many stories circulating about Deaf individuals serving in the German army, some even achieving positions in the SS. And while people now wouldnt think highly about anyone serving in the SS, it makes sense that anyone in that particular service was visible enough that they couldnt simply hide their state of deafness from their officers, thus it must have been accepted by the military structure. There is no reason as far as I can tell to continue to deny the enlistment, or drafting, of Deaf and hard of hearing people from the military. Any important orders issued from an officer to a soldier are usually done face to face, and lip reading is therefore utilized. A drill sergeant chewing out a trainee is most definitely communicated with close proximity of faces, and thus H-4s could understand and quake in fear just like everyone else. Any order shouted to a group of soldiers that wasnt lip-read could be comprehended quickly based on the actions of fellow soldiers, or at least emulated. Even in the situation that a Deaf soldier was being shot at, he may not hear the bullets but its not like you can dodge bullets anyways. If the first volley hit the said soldier, he would definitely know it, and if not hit could figure out very quickly based on the ducking and scrambling motions of other soldiers. In this day and age, it is simple stupidity to think that the Deaf and hard of hearing cant be useful soldiers. Yet the continued efforts of the Deaf community for admittance into the United States Armed Forces seems to have fallen on deaf ears. ~ Christopher Black
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 11:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015