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(Interpreter voice-over) Hello, everyone.[br]My name is Keith Nolan.

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I’m a cadet private.

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My talk today is on the topic[br]of the military.

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How many of you out there thought[br]you’d ever like to join the military?

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I see a number of you nodding.

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And I thought the same thing[br]ever since I was young.

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Growing up, I’d always wanted[br]to join the military.

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I loved military history

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and I’ve read a great deal on the subject.

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Also, I have various family members,[br]such as my grandfather and great uncle,

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who fought in World War II.

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And like them, I wanted the same thing:[br]to serve my country.

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So the question is: Can I?

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No, I can’t.

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Why? Simply because I’m deaf.

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Regardless of that fact, I still had[br]that longing to join the military.

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For example, after I graduated[br]from high school,

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three months before 9/11 occurred,

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I went to a naval recruiting center[br]with high hopes of joining the navy.

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I went in and a strapping naval man[br]stood up and addressed me.

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As he was speaking to me,[br]it was impossible for me to read his lips,

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so I said, “I'm sorry, I’m deaf.”

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He tore off a little piece of paper[br]and wrote down three words:

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“Bad ear. Disqual.”

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He didn't even fully[br]spell out "Disqualified,"

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just: “Bad ear. Disqual.”

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So I went on my way.

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I tried various locations a number[br]of different times, trying to join,

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but over and over again,[br]I got the same response:

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“Sorry, you’re deaf. We can’t accept you.”

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So I shifted gears[br]and decided to become a teacher.

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I completed a master's in deaf education[br]and taught for almost two years,

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until this past spring,[br]when three things occurred

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that changed that course,

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the first of which, while I was teaching[br]a high school history class.

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I’d lectured on the Mexican-American War.

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The bell had rung,[br]and I was seated at my desk,

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when one of my students,[br]who is deaf, approached me

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and said that he’d like[br]to join the military.

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I said, “Ah, sorry.[br]You can’t. You're deaf.”

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Then I caught myself.

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It struck me that all along[br]I had been told no, I can’t,

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and now I was perpetuating[br]that same message

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to the next generation, to my own student.

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That realization had a large impact[br]that really resonated with me.

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Now, the second thing that happened,[br]my friend had just moved to Israel.

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Did you know that in Israel[br]they accept deaf people into the military?

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How can deaf people be[br]in the military, right?

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Could this really be true? Come on!

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Well, I went to Israel last summer[br]to see for myself.

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I interviewed 10 deaf Israeli soldiers,

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all of those video interviews[br]and questions I’ve compiled,

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and the findings,[br]I’ll share with you later.

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Thirdly, CSUN here, my alma mater,

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had recently started up[br]an Army ROTC program.

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ROTC, which stands for[br]Reserve Officer Training Corps,

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allows students working on[br]their college majors

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to concurrently participate[br]in the ROTC program.

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Upon graduation, ROTC students[br]have a military career

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ready and waiting for them.

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So if one joined the army, one could[br]commission as a second lieutenant.

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That's generally the ROTC[br]program here at CSUN.

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Having learned that, I was intrigued.

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I already had a profession as a teacher,

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but I went ahead anyway[br]and sent an email off to the program,

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explaining that I was[br]a teacher of the deaf,

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wondering if I could take[br]a few classes with them

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and perhaps share their lessons[br]with my students.

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I got an email response back,

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and surprisingly, it was the first[br]time that I wasn't told,

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"Sorry, no, you can’t. You’re deaf."

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It said, "Well, that's interesting.

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I think maybe we can work something out

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and you can take a few classes with us."

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This was unprecedented.

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So naturally, I was shocked.

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Although I was teaching, I decided I had[br]to grab the opportunity right away

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and get my foot in the door.

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Altogether, that's how it transpired.

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Now, with all my life experiences,

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having talked with all the people I had,[br]and given everything I’ve read,

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I decided to write a research paper[br]called “Deaf in the Military.”

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I'll share with you[br]what those 98 pages entail.

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Here in America, we’ve actually had[br]deaf soldiers serving in the past.

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In fact, during[br]the Texas War of Independence,

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there was a key character[br]named Deaf Smith,

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who made a large contribution[br]to that war effort.

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For the American Civil War,

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Gallaudet University actually has archived[br]a list of deaf soldiers in that war

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from the North and the South,

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showing that deaf soldiers[br]were even fighting against each other.

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During World War II,[br]there are a few rare examples

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of deaf people who made it[br]into the military at that time

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and were able to serve[br]their country as well.

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History illustrates the fact[br]that America has had deaf soldiers,

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in contrast to today.

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In my paper, I also discuss[br]the deaf Israeli soldiers.

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I learned that they serve[br]in non-combat roles.

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The deaf soldiers are not[br]on the front lines engaged in fire,

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but rather, are behind the lines[br]serving in supportive roles.

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There are a plethora of various[br]non-combat jobs accessible to the deaf:

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intelligence, computer technology,[br]map drawing, supply,

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military dog training --

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the list goes on.

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The communication[br]between deaf Israeli soldiers

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and other soldiers who are hearing

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is carried out with the same approaches[br]deaf people in general use

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with the hearing public on a daily basis.

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You can use your voice,[br]lip-read, gestures,

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sometimes another soldier knows[br]sign language and that can be utilized,

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pen and paper, texts, computers, emails --

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seriously, there’s no[br]magic wand necessary.

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It's the same thing we do every day.

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Interpreters are used there primarily[br]for boot camp training.

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For the average work, it’s not necessary[br]to have an interpreter by your side.

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The Israeli Army is comprised[br]of small groups.

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Each of these units with deaf[br]soldiers have developed

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their own way of communicating[br]with each other,

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so there’s no need for interpreters.

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The top picture is of one soldier I met.

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The bottom photo[br]is of Prime Minister Begin

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with a deaf soldier in Israel.

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Another part of my paper touches on [br]disabled soldiers in the US Military.

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Obviously, military work can be dangerous[br]and involve injury.

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One example here is Captain Luckett.

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Due to an explosion, he lost his leg.

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He’s recovered and currently has[br]a prosthetic leg.

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Now that he’s strong, he's back in combat,[br]still fighting in Afghanistan.

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It’s remarkable.

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And guess what? He’s not the only one.

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There are 40 other soldiers like him,

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amputees who are serving in combat zones.

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Incredible.

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Also, we have a blind soldier here.

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While he was in Iraq,

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an explosion from a suicide car bomber[br]destroyed his eyesight.

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He’s recovered and hasn’t left the army.

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The army has retained him on active duty,

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and he’s currently running a hospital[br]for wounded soldiers.

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I also found out online[br]about another soldier,

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who is deaf in one ear.

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He’s developed civil programs in Iraq,

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one of which actually started[br]a school for the deaf in Iraq.

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All of this is incredible.

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But I am going to ask all of you:

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If the US Military can retain[br]their disabled soldiers,

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why can’t they accept[br]disabled citizens as well?

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Moreover, out of all the US Military jobs,[br]80% are non-combat positions.

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There are many jobs that we[br]in the Deaf community can do.

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If I were to be in the military,[br]I’d like to do intelligence work.

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But there is an array[br]of other things we can do,

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such as mechanics, finance, medicine, etc.

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So to summarize, I’ve presented[br]three premises to support my argument,

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the first being, Israeli defense[br]openly accepts deaf soldiers.

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If you have the qualities[br]and skills required, they’ll take you.

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Secondly, the US Military[br]has accommodations

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for retaining their disabled soldiers.

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And lastly, 80% of occupations[br]in the military are non-combat.

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Now, can we Deaf Americans[br]serve our country?

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Yes! Of course![br]Absolutely, without a doubt!

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Now I’ll explain a bit[br]about my experience in the Army ROTC,

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which began last fall.

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I have been involved with that thus far[br]and it’s still going on now.

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Really, I need to preface this

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by saying that this is the first time[br]my battalion had ever had a deaf cadet.

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They had never experienced that before.

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So of course, they were taken aback,[br]wondering, initially,

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how I would do this or that,[br]how would we communicate and such,

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which is a natural reaction,

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considering that many of them[br]had never interacted with a deaf person

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prior to me.

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Plus, I was taken aback by this --[br]it was the real thing, the army.

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I had to learn a whole new world,[br]full of military jargon,

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with its own culture and everything.

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So we started out slow,[br]getting to know each other

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and learning how[br]to work together, progressively.

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For example, on the first day[br]of class, I had no uniform.

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So I showed up in regular clothes,

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while the other cadets[br]were all in uniform.

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I found out that every morning at 5:30,[br]there was physical training, PT.

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On Fridays, there would be[br]field training -- labs -- off-campus,

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and occasionally, we would have[br]weekend training at a military base.

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So I showed up, ready,[br]each morning at 5:30,

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with all the cadets in uniform[br]and me in civilian clothes.

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They told me, “Hey, you know,[br]you don't need to work out.

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You can just simply take classes.”

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I told them I wanted to, anyway.

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They acknowledged that, and I continued[br]to show up every morning to train.

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When Friday came,[br]I asked if I could do the field training.

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I was told no, just stick with class.

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I insisted that I wanted to try.

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Somewhat reluctantly,[br]they let me attend the lab,

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but only as an observer;

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I would only be allowed[br]to sit and watch, not participate.

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Alright, so, I showed up on Friday,

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and watched as the cadets learned[br]marching drill commands,

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like how to stand at attention,[br]how to properly salute,

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and all the basics.

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I had to ask again if I could join.

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Finally, I got the go-ahead.

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I went to get in formation.

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I figured I better stand[br]in the second line,

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so I could watch what the cadets[br]were doing in the row ahead of me.

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But the officer who opened the door[br]for me to join the ROTC program

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spotted me in the back and said,[br]“Hey! Uh-uh. I want you in the front.

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You want to be a soldier?

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You've got to learn the commands[br]just like the rest of them.

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You’re not going to follow other people.[br]Learn it yourself!”

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I thought, "Wow.

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He’s viewing me like any person,[br]giving dignity to who I am."

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I was impressed by that.

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So as the weeks went by,[br]I still didn’t have a uniform.

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I asked if it would be possible[br]to get one, but I was told it wasn't.

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So I continued on that way,

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until one day, I was informed[br]that I’d be getting a uniform.

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"Please!" I said, “Really?[br]Why? What changed?”

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I was told, “We see your motivation,[br]you show up every morning, dedicated,

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and always gave a 110% effort.”

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They wanted to give me the uniform.

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It was remarkable.

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We went to the warehouse[br]to get my uniform.

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I assumed I’d just get a uniform[br]and a pair of boots, nothing more.

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But they filled two duffel bags[br]chock-full of gear:

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helmet, ammo vest, shovel,[br]sleeping bag -- the whole nine yards.

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I was astonished.

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And I have to tell you,

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each morning that I get up[br]and put on my uniform,

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I feel privileged.

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It’s truly an honor to wear the uniform.

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So, moving along,

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when it came time to train[br]at the garrison base,

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at first, I was told I couldn’t go.

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There was concern on the ROTC's part

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that if the interpreter[br]were to get injured during the training,

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it would be a liability issue.

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So we had to figure out[br]all those issues and confusion,

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but we worked it out,[br]and in the end, they let me go.

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That's how events were unfolding;[br]I was permitted to do more and more.

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Once, at the garrison base,[br]during one of the training days,

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a huge Chinook helicopter with its[br]tandem rotors landed right down to us,

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forcefully spinning[br]exhilaration in the air.

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All of us cadets were supposed[br]to be getting on board.

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Everyone was geared up and ready.

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However, the cadre had decided

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I wasn’t going to be able[br]to ride the Chinook.

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They were afraid[br]if the pilot shouted out orders,

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how would I be able[br]to follow the instructions?

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I’d potentially cause a disruption.

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So I had to stand aside,

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while the others were filing[br]toward the helicopter.

0:11:58.769,0:12:01.724
I could see the cadre huddled up,[br]discussing, mulling it over.

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At the last minute, one of them said,[br]“Come on! Get on the helicopter!”

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I rushed over and got in.[br]It was such a thrill.

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And that was the spirit of learning about[br]and supporting one another

0:12:12.637,0:12:13.788
that carried over.

0:12:13.812,0:12:16.571
And since then, I’ve been involved[br]in everything they do,

0:12:16.595,0:12:17.818
without any separation.

0:12:18.342,0:12:20.510
This is where my passion lies.

0:12:20.534,0:12:23.324
I love them. I’ll show you[br]some pictures here.

0:12:24.569,0:12:28.289
Bruin Battalion, Bravo Company --[br]that’s the name of the group I belong to.

0:12:28.313,0:12:32.779
The cadre are the officers and sergeants[br]who oversee the ROTC program.

0:12:33.277,0:12:36.402
In the beginning, you can see,[br]it was a bit of an awkward phase.

0:12:36.426,0:12:39.571
But once they learned more about me[br]and what I’m capable of doing,

0:12:39.595,0:12:41.617
there's been tremendous support and unity.

0:12:41.641,0:12:45.012
The cadets, my fellow peers --[br]well, when you train and sweat together,

0:12:45.036,0:12:47.211
you feel the bond[br]of camaraderie right away.

0:12:47.235,0:12:50.120
A brother- or sisterly cohesiveness[br]makes them like family.

0:12:50.585,0:12:54.322
In training and military science classes,[br]we learn theories of warfare,

0:12:54.346,0:12:57.471
how to lead soldiers,[br]how to do reconnaissance,

0:12:57.495,0:12:59.565
strategies, how to knock out a bunker

0:12:59.589,0:13:03.625
and land navigation, where you’re finding[br]your way out in the mountains.

0:13:05.466,0:13:09.345
As far as accommodations,[br]I’ve been provided with interpreters

0:13:09.369,0:13:13.318
through the National Center on Deafness,[br]NCOD, here at CSUN.

0:13:13.342,0:13:14.890
And I really have to thank them,

0:13:14.914,0:13:16.827
because it's hard to find interpreters

0:13:16.851,0:13:19.235
who are willing to wake up[br]at 4:30 in the morning,

0:13:19.259,0:13:21.144
or sometimes even 3:30 in the morning.

0:13:21.480,0:13:23.624
That's the officer who emailed me back,

0:13:23.648,0:13:26.161
saying I think you can have[br]a few classes with us.

0:13:26.185,0:13:27.944
That's Lieutenant Mendoza.

0:13:28.660,0:13:31.200
That’s my interpreter there,[br]before class starts.

0:13:31.524,0:13:35.078
This is a picture from last fall,[br]when we were new to training.

0:13:35.985,0:13:38.303
This is Lieutenant Colonel Phelps,

0:13:38.824,0:13:40.586
this being his name sign.

0:13:40.610,0:13:43.824
He's the commanding officer[br]of the entire Bruin Battalion.

0:13:44.617,0:13:48.446
Every time I see him walk by,[br]it’s rather inspiring.

0:13:48.470,0:13:53.974
I mean, the way he presents himself,[br]you can see he’s the epitome of a soldier.

0:13:54.399,0:13:56.569
Plus, he doesn't view me as a deaf person.

0:13:56.593,0:13:59.242
He looks at my skills[br]and capabilities instead.

0:13:59.266,0:14:02.452
He’s really pushed for me,[br]and I respect him for all that.

0:14:02.476,0:14:04.332
That’s me during one of the exercises.

0:14:04.356,0:14:07.131
This is that Chinook helicopter[br]I almost didn’t get on.

0:14:07.530,0:14:09.669
Every cadet has a mentor.

0:14:10.202,0:14:12.868
My mentor is Cinatl.

0:14:13.359,0:14:15.225
He’s a really sharp soldier.

0:14:15.249,0:14:18.949
He teaches me all the finer points[br]and how to execute them ideally.

0:14:19.774,0:14:23.429
This top picture is when[br]a group of us went to Las Vegas

0:14:23.453,0:14:24.778
to compete in a test,

0:14:24.802,0:14:28.701
to see if we could match the German[br]troops' physical training standards.

0:14:28.725,0:14:32.700
It involved swimming, timed sprints,[br]marksmanship and numerous fitness events.

0:14:32.724,0:14:34.860
I passed them[br]and satisfied the requirements

0:14:34.884,0:14:39.100
to be awarded the gold German Armed Forces[br]Proficiency Badge right here.

0:14:40.637,0:14:43.444
This is one of the sergeants,[br]Sergeant Richardson.

0:14:43.468,0:14:47.156
I love this guy. He doesn't take baloney[br]from any of us cadets.

0:14:49.505,0:14:51.122
Here I am one morning,

0:14:51.146,0:14:54.464
when we trekked seven and a half miles[br]with a 40-pound rucksack

0:14:54.488,0:14:56.027
in less than two hours.

0:14:56.611,0:14:58.783
Here are a few of my fellow cadets.

0:15:00.021,0:15:04.676
I've been with them long enough[br]that I’ve developed name signs for them.

0:15:05.246,0:15:07.298
On the right, here, is Trinidad.

0:15:07.322,0:15:10.760
I gave him this name sign[br]because he's always very sarcastic.

0:15:10.784,0:15:14.099
He's a veteran, having served[br]in Iraq and Afghanistan.

0:15:14.123,0:15:17.191
The female is Frigo,[br]whose nickname is "Refrigerator,"

0:15:17.215,0:15:18.436
hence her name sign.

0:15:18.460,0:15:20.887
We’re always competing[br]intellectually in class.

0:15:20.911,0:15:25.031
The cadet on the end is Jarvy.[br]He's a top athlete.

0:15:25.055,0:15:28.065
I've given him this sign[br]because of the scar he has here.

0:15:28.588,0:15:30.017
Do you know who this is?

0:15:30.041,0:15:33.435
This is the Chairman[br]of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

0:15:33.459,0:15:35.655
He is the highest-ranking military officer

0:15:35.679,0:15:38.614
and principal military advisor[br]to President Obama

0:15:38.638,0:15:40.537
and Secretary of Defense Gates.

0:15:40.968,0:15:43.572
He gave a talk at UCLA to a full house.

0:15:43.596,0:15:45.598
Afterwards, I lined up to shake his hand.

0:15:45.622,0:15:48.809
Having done so, I greeted him,[br]“It’s a great pleasure to meet you.”

0:15:48.833,0:15:50.879
I signed and my interpreter voiced for me.

0:15:50.903,0:15:54.456
Admiral Mullen turned to the interpreter[br]and said, “It’s nice to meet you,”

0:15:54.480,0:15:57.078
addressing the interpreter,[br]who refrained to clarify.

0:15:57.102,0:15:59.597
He seemed a little confused[br]and just quickly moved on

0:15:59.621,0:16:01.731
to shake hands[br]with the rest of the soldiers.

0:16:01.755,0:16:04.626
So I’m not sure whether he really knew[br]that I'm deaf or not.

0:16:04.650,0:16:08.741
So everything’s been moving along,[br]gung-ho, full speed ahead,

0:16:08.765,0:16:12.370
until two weeks ago,

0:16:12.816,0:16:14.251
when something occurred.

0:16:15.149,0:16:17.968
Well, the ROTC has four levels.

0:16:17.992,0:16:22.476
I’m currently doing the first two levels,[br]which finishes up this May.

0:16:22.500,0:16:24.401
The third level will begin in the fall.

0:16:24.425,0:16:27.490
But in order to move up,[br]you need to pass a medical exam.

0:16:28.139,0:16:32.629
Obviously, I’m deaf,[br]so I’d fail a hearing test.

0:16:34.471,0:16:36.510
So we sat down,

0:16:36.534,0:16:40.647
and I was told that if I wanted[br]to continue to the third level,

0:16:40.671,0:16:44.433
I couldn’t do any[br]of the PT workouts in the morning,

0:16:44.457,0:16:49.471
nor the Friday lab field trainings,[br]nor the army base trainings.

0:16:49.495,0:16:51.887
My uniform, I would have to[br]give back as well.

0:16:52.800,0:16:55.547
I could take the classes,[br]audit them, and that’s all.

0:16:56.968,0:16:59.872
It really hit me. It was a huge blow.

0:17:03.037,0:17:06.213
Many of the officers[br]and cadets have empathized

0:17:06.237,0:17:08.566
with this sudden shock of disappointment,

0:17:08.590,0:17:11.103
and are wondering[br]why this has to be the case.

0:17:11.587,0:17:14.579
Colonel Phelps has tried[br]to speak with the higher-ups

0:17:14.603,0:17:15.928
in the chain of command

0:17:15.952,0:17:18.544
and explain to them[br]that I’m one of the top cadets,

0:17:18.568,0:17:21.928
having passed all the events[br]and receiving high marks on my exams.

0:17:21.952,0:17:23.587
But their response is unwavering:

0:17:23.611,0:17:26.577
policy is policy, and if you’re deaf,[br]you’re disqualified.

0:17:27.717,0:17:31.937
I know that the cadre has tried[br]to find various ways.

0:17:31.961,0:17:35.560
They found out that[br]there's a deaf cadet at The Citadel,

0:17:36.555,0:17:38.785
a military college in South Carolina.

0:17:39.770,0:17:42.996
That particular cadet will be completing[br]his fourth year there

0:17:43.020,0:17:44.187
and graduating this May.

0:17:44.211,0:17:46.481
Yet, he's in the same[br]predicament that I'm in --

0:17:46.505,0:17:48.718
unable to join the army because he’s deaf.

0:17:50.505,0:17:53.258
Yet, all of my fellow cadets[br]and the officers have told me

0:17:53.282,0:17:55.422
not to give up; the policy must change.

0:17:56.040,0:17:58.090
I was advised to talk with my congressman.

0:17:58.114,0:18:01.347
And I've brought this issue[br]to Henry Waxman,

0:18:01.371,0:18:03.422
the district congressman here in LA,

0:18:03.446,0:18:06.090
to get the ball rolling[br]with his advocacy for my cause.

0:18:06.114,0:18:08.494
However, I need your help[br]and support to lobby.

0:18:08.518,0:18:09.731
All of us, you know?

0:18:10.302,0:18:13.449
If you remember back in US history,[br]African-Americans were told

0:18:13.473,0:18:15.017
they couldn’t join the military,

0:18:15.041,0:18:16.192
and now they serve.

0:18:16.216,0:18:18.839
Women as well were banned,[br]but now they've been allowed.

0:18:18.863,0:18:20.504
The military has and is changing.

0:18:20.528,0:18:22.903
Today is our time. Now it’s our turn.

0:18:22.927,0:18:24.088
Hooah!

0:18:24.112,0:18:25.262
(Applause)