1 00:00:00,445 --> 00:00:03,952 (Interpreter voice-over) Hello, everyone. My name is Keith Nolan. 2 00:00:04,484 --> 00:00:05,991 I’m a cadet private. 3 00:00:09,208 --> 00:00:12,403 My talk today is on the topic of the military. 4 00:00:13,007 --> 00:00:16,576 How many of you out there thought you’d ever like to join the military? 5 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:18,542 I see a number of you nodding. 6 00:00:18,566 --> 00:00:21,241 And I thought the same thing ever since I was young. 7 00:00:21,265 --> 00:00:24,014 Growing up, I’d always wanted to join the military. 8 00:00:24,689 --> 00:00:26,526 I loved military history 9 00:00:26,550 --> 00:00:29,009 and I’ve read a great deal on the subject. 10 00:00:29,033 --> 00:00:33,280 Also, I have various family members, such as my grandfather and great uncle, 11 00:00:33,304 --> 00:00:34,618 who fought in World War II. 12 00:00:34,642 --> 00:00:38,023 And like them, I wanted the same thing: to serve my country. 13 00:00:38,047 --> 00:00:39,634 So the question is: Can I? 14 00:00:39,658 --> 00:00:40,912 No, I can’t. 15 00:00:41,330 --> 00:00:43,325 Why? Simply because I’m deaf. 16 00:00:44,389 --> 00:00:48,963 Regardless of that fact, I still had that longing to join the military. 17 00:00:49,869 --> 00:00:53,451 For example, after I graduated from high school, 18 00:00:53,475 --> 00:00:55,818 three months before 9/11 occurred, 19 00:00:55,842 --> 00:00:59,959 I went to a naval recruiting center with high hopes of joining the navy. 20 00:00:59,983 --> 00:01:03,903 I went in and a strapping naval man stood up and addressed me. 21 00:01:03,927 --> 00:01:08,106 As he was speaking to me, it was impossible for me to read his lips, 22 00:01:08,130 --> 00:01:10,792 so I said, “I'm sorry, I’m deaf.” 23 00:01:12,100 --> 00:01:15,153 He tore off a little piece of paper and wrote down three words: 24 00:01:15,177 --> 00:01:17,257 “Bad ear. Disqual.” 25 00:01:17,938 --> 00:01:20,159 He didn't even fully spell out "Disqualified," 26 00:01:20,183 --> 00:01:21,906 just: “Bad ear. Disqual.” 27 00:01:23,381 --> 00:01:25,543 So I went on my way. 28 00:01:25,567 --> 00:01:29,288 I tried various locations a number of different times, trying to join, 29 00:01:29,312 --> 00:01:31,835 but over and over again, I got the same response: 30 00:01:31,859 --> 00:01:34,012 “Sorry, you’re deaf. We can’t accept you.” 31 00:01:34,430 --> 00:01:36,935 So I shifted gears and decided to become a teacher. 32 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,986 I completed a master's in deaf education and taught for almost two years, 33 00:01:41,010 --> 00:01:43,470 until this past spring, when three things occurred 34 00:01:43,494 --> 00:01:45,135 that changed that course, 35 00:01:45,159 --> 00:01:48,964 the first of which, while I was teaching a high school history class. 36 00:01:48,988 --> 00:01:51,362 I’d lectured on the Mexican-American War. 37 00:01:51,386 --> 00:01:53,833 The bell had rung, and I was seated at my desk, 38 00:01:53,857 --> 00:01:56,637 when one of my students, who is deaf, approached me 39 00:01:56,661 --> 00:01:58,820 and said that he’d like to join the military. 40 00:01:58,844 --> 00:02:00,997 I said, “Ah, sorry. You can’t. You're deaf.” 41 00:02:01,576 --> 00:02:03,028 Then I caught myself. 42 00:02:03,052 --> 00:02:06,391 It struck me that all along I had been told no, I can’t, 43 00:02:06,415 --> 00:02:08,574 and now I was perpetuating that same message 44 00:02:08,598 --> 00:02:11,263 to the next generation, to my own student. 45 00:02:11,287 --> 00:02:14,981 That realization had a large impact that really resonated with me. 46 00:02:15,005 --> 00:02:18,484 Now, the second thing that happened, my friend had just moved to Israel. 47 00:02:18,508 --> 00:02:21,875 Did you know that in Israel they accept deaf people into the military? 48 00:02:21,899 --> 00:02:24,065 How can deaf people be in the military, right? 49 00:02:24,089 --> 00:02:26,195 Could this really be true? Come on! 50 00:02:26,219 --> 00:02:29,339 Well, I went to Israel last summer to see for myself. 51 00:02:29,363 --> 00:02:32,222 I interviewed 10 deaf Israeli soldiers, 52 00:02:32,246 --> 00:02:35,008 all of those video interviews and questions I’ve compiled, 53 00:02:35,032 --> 00:02:37,216 and the findings, I’ll share with you later. 54 00:02:37,891 --> 00:02:40,801 Thirdly, CSUN here, my alma mater, 55 00:02:40,825 --> 00:02:43,732 had recently started up an Army ROTC program. 56 00:02:44,464 --> 00:02:49,317 ROTC, which stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps, 57 00:02:49,341 --> 00:02:51,641 allows students working on their college majors 58 00:02:51,665 --> 00:02:54,286 to concurrently participate in the ROTC program. 59 00:02:54,310 --> 00:02:57,775 Upon graduation, ROTC students have a military career 60 00:02:57,799 --> 00:02:59,419 ready and waiting for them. 61 00:02:59,443 --> 00:03:02,883 So if one joined the army, one could commission as a second lieutenant. 62 00:03:02,907 --> 00:03:05,291 That's generally the ROTC program here at CSUN. 63 00:03:05,767 --> 00:03:07,724 Having learned that, I was intrigued. 64 00:03:08,178 --> 00:03:10,200 I already had a profession as a teacher, 65 00:03:10,224 --> 00:03:13,177 but I went ahead anyway and sent an email off to the program, 66 00:03:13,201 --> 00:03:15,334 explaining that I was a teacher of the deaf, 67 00:03:15,358 --> 00:03:17,691 wondering if I could take a few classes with them 68 00:03:17,715 --> 00:03:20,363 and perhaps share their lessons with my students. 69 00:03:20,387 --> 00:03:22,135 I got an email response back, 70 00:03:22,779 --> 00:03:25,739 and surprisingly, it was the first time that I wasn't told, 71 00:03:25,763 --> 00:03:27,920 "Sorry, no, you can’t. You’re deaf." 72 00:03:27,944 --> 00:03:29,969 It said, "Well, that's interesting. 73 00:03:29,993 --> 00:03:31,913 I think maybe we can work something out 74 00:03:31,937 --> 00:03:34,038 and you can take a few classes with us." 75 00:03:34,661 --> 00:03:36,128 This was unprecedented. 76 00:03:36,663 --> 00:03:38,613 So naturally, I was shocked. 77 00:03:38,637 --> 00:03:42,276 Although I was teaching, I decided I had to grab the opportunity right away 78 00:03:42,300 --> 00:03:43,658 and get my foot in the door. 79 00:03:43,682 --> 00:03:45,532 Altogether, that's how it transpired. 80 00:03:46,302 --> 00:03:48,556 Now, with all my life experiences, 81 00:03:48,580 --> 00:03:52,303 having talked with all the people I had, and given everything I’ve read, 82 00:03:52,327 --> 00:03:56,113 I decided to write a research paper called “Deaf in the Military.” 83 00:03:56,137 --> 00:03:58,756 I'll share with you what those 98 pages entail. 84 00:04:01,039 --> 00:04:04,925 Here in America, we’ve actually had deaf soldiers serving in the past. 85 00:04:04,949 --> 00:04:07,826 In fact, during the Texas War of Independence, 86 00:04:07,850 --> 00:04:09,873 there was a key character named Deaf Smith, 87 00:04:09,897 --> 00:04:12,368 who made a large contribution to that war effort. 88 00:04:13,034 --> 00:04:14,611 For the American Civil War, 89 00:04:14,635 --> 00:04:18,727 Gallaudet University actually has archived a list of deaf soldiers in that war 90 00:04:18,751 --> 00:04:20,441 from the North and the South, 91 00:04:20,465 --> 00:04:23,592 showing that deaf soldiers were even fighting against each other. 92 00:04:23,616 --> 00:04:26,442 During World War II, there are a few rare examples 93 00:04:26,466 --> 00:04:29,316 of deaf people who made it into the military at that time 94 00:04:29,340 --> 00:04:31,589 and were able to serve their country as well. 95 00:04:31,613 --> 00:04:34,692 History illustrates the fact that America has had deaf soldiers, 96 00:04:34,716 --> 00:04:35,996 in contrast to today. 97 00:04:36,326 --> 00:04:39,694 In my paper, I also discuss the deaf Israeli soldiers. 98 00:04:40,073 --> 00:04:42,955 I learned that they serve in non-combat roles. 99 00:04:42,979 --> 00:04:46,017 The deaf soldiers are not on the front lines engaged in fire, 100 00:04:46,041 --> 00:04:49,291 but rather, are behind the lines serving in supportive roles. 101 00:04:49,315 --> 00:04:52,783 There are a plethora of various non-combat jobs accessible to the deaf: 102 00:04:52,807 --> 00:04:56,213 intelligence, computer technology, map drawing, supply, 103 00:04:56,237 --> 00:04:57,483 military dog training -- 104 00:04:57,507 --> 00:04:58,681 the list goes on. 105 00:04:59,466 --> 00:05:01,700 The communication between deaf Israeli soldiers 106 00:05:01,724 --> 00:05:03,383 and other soldiers who are hearing 107 00:05:03,407 --> 00:05:06,590 is carried out with the same approaches deaf people in general use 108 00:05:06,614 --> 00:05:08,578 with the hearing public on a daily basis. 109 00:05:08,602 --> 00:05:10,693 You can use your voice, lip-read, gestures, 110 00:05:10,717 --> 00:05:14,141 sometimes another soldier knows sign language and that can be utilized, 111 00:05:14,165 --> 00:05:17,358 pen and paper, texts, computers, emails -- 112 00:05:17,382 --> 00:05:19,684 seriously, there’s no magic wand necessary. 113 00:05:19,708 --> 00:05:21,545 It's the same thing we do every day. 114 00:05:21,945 --> 00:05:25,119 Interpreters are used there primarily for boot camp training. 115 00:05:25,143 --> 00:05:28,912 For the average work, it’s not necessary to have an interpreter by your side. 116 00:05:28,936 --> 00:05:31,334 The Israeli Army is comprised of small groups. 117 00:05:31,358 --> 00:05:33,893 Each of these units with deaf soldiers have developed 118 00:05:33,917 --> 00:05:36,144 their own way of communicating with each other, 119 00:05:36,168 --> 00:05:37,956 so there’s no need for interpreters. 120 00:05:38,990 --> 00:05:41,578 The top picture is of one soldier I met. 121 00:05:41,602 --> 00:05:43,844 The bottom photo is of Prime Minister Begin 122 00:05:43,868 --> 00:05:45,696 with a deaf soldier in Israel. 123 00:05:47,965 --> 00:05:52,339 Another part of my paper touches on disabled soldiers in the US Military. 124 00:05:52,363 --> 00:05:56,001 Obviously, military work can be dangerous and involve injury. 125 00:05:56,025 --> 00:05:58,936 One example here is Captain Luckett. 126 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,535 Due to an explosion, he lost his leg. 127 00:06:01,559 --> 00:06:04,401 He’s recovered and currently has a prosthetic leg. 128 00:06:05,085 --> 00:06:10,308 Now that he’s strong, he's back in combat, still fighting in Afghanistan. 129 00:06:10,863 --> 00:06:12,307 It’s remarkable. 130 00:06:12,331 --> 00:06:15,015 And guess what? He’s not the only one. 131 00:06:15,039 --> 00:06:17,228 There are 40 other soldiers like him, 132 00:06:17,252 --> 00:06:20,633 amputees who are serving in combat zones. 133 00:06:20,657 --> 00:06:21,817 Incredible. 134 00:06:21,841 --> 00:06:23,955 Also, we have a blind soldier here. 135 00:06:23,979 --> 00:06:25,383 While he was in Iraq, 136 00:06:25,407 --> 00:06:29,651 an explosion from a suicide car bomber destroyed his eyesight. 137 00:06:30,345 --> 00:06:33,065 He’s recovered and hasn’t left the army. 138 00:06:33,089 --> 00:06:35,615 The army has retained him on active duty, 139 00:06:35,639 --> 00:06:38,857 and he’s currently running a hospital for wounded soldiers. 140 00:06:38,881 --> 00:06:41,289 I also found out online about another soldier, 141 00:06:41,313 --> 00:06:42,671 who is deaf in one ear. 142 00:06:43,210 --> 00:06:45,464 He’s developed civil programs in Iraq, 143 00:06:45,488 --> 00:06:49,010 one of which actually started a school for the deaf in Iraq. 144 00:06:51,429 --> 00:06:52,864 All of this is incredible. 145 00:06:53,412 --> 00:06:55,666 But I am going to ask all of you: 146 00:06:55,690 --> 00:06:59,098 If the US Military can retain their disabled soldiers, 147 00:06:59,122 --> 00:07:01,922 why can’t they accept disabled citizens as well? 148 00:07:04,583 --> 00:07:10,483 Moreover, out of all the US Military jobs, 80% are non-combat positions. 149 00:07:10,818 --> 00:07:14,491 There are many jobs that we in the Deaf community can do. 150 00:07:14,515 --> 00:07:17,855 If I were to be in the military, I’d like to do intelligence work. 151 00:07:17,879 --> 00:07:20,143 But there is an array of other things we can do, 152 00:07:20,167 --> 00:07:22,862 such as mechanics, finance, medicine, etc. 153 00:07:23,454 --> 00:07:27,146 So to summarize, I’ve presented three premises to support my argument, 154 00:07:27,170 --> 00:07:30,727 the first being, Israeli defense openly accepts deaf soldiers. 155 00:07:30,751 --> 00:07:33,926 If you have the qualities and skills required, they’ll take you. 156 00:07:33,950 --> 00:07:36,582 Secondly, the US Military has accommodations 157 00:07:36,606 --> 00:07:38,554 for retaining their disabled soldiers. 158 00:07:38,578 --> 00:07:43,378 And lastly, 80% of occupations in the military are non-combat. 159 00:07:43,955 --> 00:07:46,868 Now, can we Deaf Americans serve our country? 160 00:07:46,892 --> 00:07:49,702 Yes! Of course! Absolutely, without a doubt! 161 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,913 Now I’ll explain a bit about my experience in the Army ROTC, 162 00:07:55,937 --> 00:07:57,292 which began last fall. 163 00:07:57,656 --> 00:08:00,981 I have been involved with that thus far and it’s still going on now. 164 00:08:01,005 --> 00:08:03,064 Really, I need to preface this 165 00:08:03,088 --> 00:08:07,823 by saying that this is the first time my battalion had ever had a deaf cadet. 166 00:08:07,847 --> 00:08:09,778 They had never experienced that before. 167 00:08:09,802 --> 00:08:13,970 So of course, they were taken aback, wondering, initially, 168 00:08:13,994 --> 00:08:17,217 how I would do this or that, how would we communicate and such, 169 00:08:17,241 --> 00:08:18,586 which is a natural reaction, 170 00:08:18,610 --> 00:08:21,886 considering that many of them had never interacted with a deaf person 171 00:08:21,910 --> 00:08:23,061 prior to me. 172 00:08:23,085 --> 00:08:27,514 Plus, I was taken aback by this -- it was the real thing, the army. 173 00:08:27,538 --> 00:08:30,740 I had to learn a whole new world, full of military jargon, 174 00:08:30,764 --> 00:08:32,832 with its own culture and everything. 175 00:08:34,184 --> 00:08:37,025 So we started out slow, getting to know each other 176 00:08:37,049 --> 00:08:40,125 and learning how to work together, progressively. 177 00:08:40,748 --> 00:08:44,813 For example, on the first day of class, I had no uniform. 178 00:08:44,837 --> 00:08:46,512 So I showed up in regular clothes, 179 00:08:46,536 --> 00:08:48,789 while the other cadets were all in uniform. 180 00:08:48,813 --> 00:08:54,450 I found out that every morning at 5:30, there was physical training, PT. 181 00:08:54,474 --> 00:08:58,160 On Fridays, there would be field training -- labs -- off-campus, 182 00:08:58,184 --> 00:09:02,043 and occasionally, we would have weekend training at a military base. 183 00:09:02,067 --> 00:09:04,264 So I showed up, ready, each morning at 5:30, 184 00:09:04,288 --> 00:09:07,372 with all the cadets in uniform and me in civilian clothes. 185 00:09:07,396 --> 00:09:10,113 They told me, “Hey, you know, you don't need to work out. 186 00:09:10,137 --> 00:09:11,784 You can just simply take classes.” 187 00:09:11,808 --> 00:09:13,355 I told them I wanted to, anyway. 188 00:09:13,379 --> 00:09:16,880 They acknowledged that, and I continued to show up every morning to train. 189 00:09:16,904 --> 00:09:19,684 When Friday came, I asked if I could do the field training. 190 00:09:19,708 --> 00:09:21,954 I was told no, just stick with class. 191 00:09:21,978 --> 00:09:24,029 I insisted that I wanted to try. 192 00:09:24,053 --> 00:09:27,056 Somewhat reluctantly, they let me attend the lab, 193 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:28,467 but only as an observer; 194 00:09:28,491 --> 00:09:32,090 I would only be allowed to sit and watch, not participate. 195 00:09:32,578 --> 00:09:34,478 Alright, so, I showed up on Friday, 196 00:09:34,502 --> 00:09:37,464 and watched as the cadets learned marching drill commands, 197 00:09:37,488 --> 00:09:40,144 like how to stand at attention, how to properly salute, 198 00:09:40,168 --> 00:09:41,329 and all the basics. 199 00:09:41,353 --> 00:09:43,684 I had to ask again if I could join. 200 00:09:43,708 --> 00:09:45,044 Finally, I got the go-ahead. 201 00:09:45,068 --> 00:09:46,812 I went to get in formation. 202 00:09:46,836 --> 00:09:48,919 I figured I better stand in the second line, 203 00:09:48,943 --> 00:09:52,222 so I could watch what the cadets were doing in the row ahead of me. 204 00:09:52,246 --> 00:09:56,076 But the officer who opened the door for me to join the ROTC program 205 00:09:56,100 --> 00:10:00,471 spotted me in the back and said, “Hey! Uh-uh. I want you in the front. 206 00:10:00,495 --> 00:10:01,722 You want to be a soldier? 207 00:10:01,746 --> 00:10:04,642 You've got to learn the commands just like the rest of them. 208 00:10:04,666 --> 00:10:07,515 You’re not going to follow other people. Learn it yourself!” 209 00:10:07,539 --> 00:10:08,698 I thought, "Wow. 210 00:10:08,722 --> 00:10:11,633 He’s viewing me like any person, giving dignity to who I am." 211 00:10:11,657 --> 00:10:13,354 I was impressed by that. 212 00:10:13,378 --> 00:10:16,514 So as the weeks went by, I still didn’t have a uniform. 213 00:10:16,538 --> 00:10:20,018 I asked if it would be possible to get one, but I was told it wasn't. 214 00:10:20,042 --> 00:10:21,598 So I continued on that way, 215 00:10:21,622 --> 00:10:25,853 until one day, I was informed that I’d be getting a uniform. 216 00:10:26,385 --> 00:10:29,460 "Please!" I said, “Really? Why? What changed?” 217 00:10:29,484 --> 00:10:33,466 I was told, “We see your motivation, you show up every morning, dedicated, 218 00:10:33,490 --> 00:10:35,470 and always gave a 110% effort.” 219 00:10:35,494 --> 00:10:37,200 They wanted to give me the uniform. 220 00:10:37,224 --> 00:10:38,482 It was remarkable. 221 00:10:38,879 --> 00:10:40,923 We went to the warehouse to get my uniform. 222 00:10:40,947 --> 00:10:44,126 I assumed I’d just get a uniform and a pair of boots, nothing more. 223 00:10:44,150 --> 00:10:47,337 But they filled two duffel bags chock-full of gear: 224 00:10:47,361 --> 00:10:50,552 helmet, ammo vest, shovel, sleeping bag -- the whole nine yards. 225 00:10:50,576 --> 00:10:51,925 I was astonished. 226 00:10:53,392 --> 00:10:54,758 And I have to tell you, 227 00:10:55,965 --> 00:10:59,183 each morning that I get up and put on my uniform, 228 00:10:59,207 --> 00:11:00,779 I feel privileged. 229 00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:04,206 It’s truly an honor to wear the uniform. 230 00:11:05,809 --> 00:11:07,816 So, moving along, 231 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,139 when it came time to train at the garrison base, 232 00:11:10,163 --> 00:11:12,087 at first, I was told I couldn’t go. 233 00:11:12,111 --> 00:11:14,230 There was concern on the ROTC's part 234 00:11:14,254 --> 00:11:17,300 that if the interpreter were to get injured during the training, 235 00:11:17,324 --> 00:11:18,755 it would be a liability issue. 236 00:11:18,779 --> 00:11:21,384 So we had to figure out all those issues and confusion, 237 00:11:21,408 --> 00:11:23,896 but we worked it out, and in the end, they let me go. 238 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,298 That's how events were unfolding; I was permitted to do more and more. 239 00:11:27,322 --> 00:11:30,861 Once, at the garrison base, during one of the training days, 240 00:11:30,885 --> 00:11:35,444 a huge Chinook helicopter with its tandem rotors landed right down to us, 241 00:11:35,468 --> 00:11:37,637 forcefully spinning exhilaration in the air. 242 00:11:38,006 --> 00:11:40,563 All of us cadets were supposed to be getting on board. 243 00:11:40,587 --> 00:11:42,657 Everyone was geared up and ready. 244 00:11:42,681 --> 00:11:44,421 However, the cadre had decided 245 00:11:44,445 --> 00:11:47,108 I wasn’t going to be able to ride the Chinook. 246 00:11:47,132 --> 00:11:49,514 They were afraid if the pilot shouted out orders, 247 00:11:49,538 --> 00:11:51,770 how would I be able to follow the instructions? 248 00:11:51,794 --> 00:11:53,693 I’d potentially cause a disruption. 249 00:11:54,069 --> 00:11:55,711 So I had to stand aside, 250 00:11:55,735 --> 00:11:58,745 while the others were filing toward the helicopter. 251 00:11:58,769 --> 00:12:01,724 I could see the cadre huddled up, discussing, mulling it over. 252 00:12:01,748 --> 00:12:05,165 At the last minute, one of them said, “Come on! Get on the helicopter!” 253 00:12:05,189 --> 00:12:07,632 I rushed over and got in. It was such a thrill. 254 00:12:09,159 --> 00:12:12,613 And that was the spirit of learning about and supporting one another 255 00:12:12,637 --> 00:12:13,788 that carried over. 256 00:12:13,812 --> 00:12:16,571 And since then, I’ve been involved in everything they do, 257 00:12:16,595 --> 00:12:17,818 without any separation. 258 00:12:18,342 --> 00:12:20,510 This is where my passion lies. 259 00:12:20,534 --> 00:12:23,324 I love them. I’ll show you some pictures here. 260 00:12:24,569 --> 00:12:28,289 Bruin Battalion, Bravo Company -- that’s the name of the group I belong to. 261 00:12:28,313 --> 00:12:32,779 The cadre are the officers and sergeants who oversee the ROTC program. 262 00:12:33,277 --> 00:12:36,402 In the beginning, you can see, it was a bit of an awkward phase. 263 00:12:36,426 --> 00:12:39,571 But once they learned more about me and what I’m capable of doing, 264 00:12:39,595 --> 00:12:41,617 there's been tremendous support and unity. 265 00:12:41,641 --> 00:12:45,012 The cadets, my fellow peers -- well, when you train and sweat together, 266 00:12:45,036 --> 00:12:47,211 you feel the bond of camaraderie right away. 267 00:12:47,235 --> 00:12:50,120 A brother- or sisterly cohesiveness makes them like family. 268 00:12:50,585 --> 00:12:54,322 In training and military science classes, we learn theories of warfare, 269 00:12:54,346 --> 00:12:57,471 how to lead soldiers, how to do reconnaissance, 270 00:12:57,495 --> 00:12:59,565 strategies, how to knock out a bunker 271 00:12:59,589 --> 00:13:03,625 and land navigation, where you’re finding your way out in the mountains. 272 00:13:05,466 --> 00:13:09,345 As far as accommodations, I’ve been provided with interpreters 273 00:13:09,369 --> 00:13:13,318 through the National Center on Deafness, NCOD, here at CSUN. 274 00:13:13,342 --> 00:13:14,890 And I really have to thank them, 275 00:13:14,914 --> 00:13:16,827 because it's hard to find interpreters 276 00:13:16,851 --> 00:13:19,235 who are willing to wake up at 4:30 in the morning, 277 00:13:19,259 --> 00:13:21,144 or sometimes even 3:30 in the morning. 278 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:23,624 That's the officer who emailed me back, 279 00:13:23,648 --> 00:13:26,161 saying I think you can have a few classes with us. 280 00:13:26,185 --> 00:13:27,944 That's Lieutenant Mendoza. 281 00:13:28,660 --> 00:13:31,200 That’s my interpreter there, before class starts. 282 00:13:31,524 --> 00:13:35,078 This is a picture from last fall, when we were new to training. 283 00:13:35,985 --> 00:13:38,303 This is Lieutenant Colonel Phelps, 284 00:13:38,824 --> 00:13:40,586 this being his name sign. 285 00:13:40,610 --> 00:13:43,824 He's the commanding officer of the entire Bruin Battalion. 286 00:13:44,617 --> 00:13:48,446 Every time I see him walk by, it’s rather inspiring. 287 00:13:48,470 --> 00:13:53,974 I mean, the way he presents himself, you can see he’s the epitome of a soldier. 288 00:13:54,399 --> 00:13:56,569 Plus, he doesn't view me as a deaf person. 289 00:13:56,593 --> 00:13:59,242 He looks at my skills and capabilities instead. 290 00:13:59,266 --> 00:14:02,452 He’s really pushed for me, and I respect him for all that. 291 00:14:02,476 --> 00:14:04,332 That’s me during one of the exercises. 292 00:14:04,356 --> 00:14:07,131 This is that Chinook helicopter I almost didn’t get on. 293 00:14:07,530 --> 00:14:09,669 Every cadet has a mentor. 294 00:14:10,202 --> 00:14:12,868 My mentor is Cinatl. 295 00:14:13,359 --> 00:14:15,225 He’s a really sharp soldier. 296 00:14:15,249 --> 00:14:18,949 He teaches me all the finer points and how to execute them ideally. 297 00:14:19,774 --> 00:14:23,429 This top picture is when a group of us went to Las Vegas 298 00:14:23,453 --> 00:14:24,778 to compete in a test, 299 00:14:24,802 --> 00:14:28,701 to see if we could match the German troops' physical training standards. 300 00:14:28,725 --> 00:14:32,700 It involved swimming, timed sprints, marksmanship and numerous fitness events. 301 00:14:32,724 --> 00:14:34,860 I passed them and satisfied the requirements 302 00:14:34,884 --> 00:14:39,100 to be awarded the gold German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge right here. 303 00:14:40,637 --> 00:14:43,444 This is one of the sergeants, Sergeant Richardson. 304 00:14:43,468 --> 00:14:47,156 I love this guy. He doesn't take baloney from any of us cadets. 305 00:14:49,505 --> 00:14:51,122 Here I am one morning, 306 00:14:51,146 --> 00:14:54,464 when we trekked seven and a half miles with a 40-pound rucksack 307 00:14:54,488 --> 00:14:56,027 in less than two hours. 308 00:14:56,611 --> 00:14:58,783 Here are a few of my fellow cadets. 309 00:15:00,021 --> 00:15:04,676 I've been with them long enough that I’ve developed name signs for them. 310 00:15:05,246 --> 00:15:07,298 On the right, here, is Trinidad. 311 00:15:07,322 --> 00:15:10,760 I gave him this name sign because he's always very sarcastic. 312 00:15:10,784 --> 00:15:14,099 He's a veteran, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan. 313 00:15:14,123 --> 00:15:17,191 The female is Frigo, whose nickname is "Refrigerator," 314 00:15:17,215 --> 00:15:18,436 hence her name sign. 315 00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:20,887 We’re always competing intellectually in class. 316 00:15:20,911 --> 00:15:25,031 The cadet on the end is Jarvy. He's a top athlete. 317 00:15:25,055 --> 00:15:28,065 I've given him this sign because of the scar he has here. 318 00:15:28,588 --> 00:15:30,017 Do you know who this is? 319 00:15:30,041 --> 00:15:33,435 This is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 320 00:15:33,459 --> 00:15:35,655 He is the highest-ranking military officer 321 00:15:35,679 --> 00:15:38,614 and principal military advisor to President Obama 322 00:15:38,638 --> 00:15:40,537 and Secretary of Defense Gates. 323 00:15:40,968 --> 00:15:43,572 He gave a talk at UCLA to a full house. 324 00:15:43,596 --> 00:15:45,598 Afterwards, I lined up to shake his hand. 325 00:15:45,622 --> 00:15:48,809 Having done so, I greeted him, “It’s a great pleasure to meet you.” 326 00:15:48,833 --> 00:15:50,879 I signed and my interpreter voiced for me. 327 00:15:50,903 --> 00:15:54,456 Admiral Mullen turned to the interpreter and said, “It’s nice to meet you,” 328 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,078 addressing the interpreter, who refrained to clarify. 329 00:15:57,102 --> 00:15:59,597 He seemed a little confused and just quickly moved on 330 00:15:59,621 --> 00:16:01,731 to shake hands with the rest of the soldiers. 331 00:16:01,755 --> 00:16:04,626 So I’m not sure whether he really knew that I'm deaf or not. 332 00:16:04,650 --> 00:16:08,741 So everything’s been moving along, gung-ho, full speed ahead, 333 00:16:08,765 --> 00:16:12,370 until two weeks ago, 334 00:16:12,816 --> 00:16:14,251 when something occurred. 335 00:16:15,149 --> 00:16:17,968 Well, the ROTC has four levels. 336 00:16:17,992 --> 00:16:22,476 I’m currently doing the first two levels, which finishes up this May. 337 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:24,401 The third level will begin in the fall. 338 00:16:24,425 --> 00:16:27,490 But in order to move up, you need to pass a medical exam. 339 00:16:28,139 --> 00:16:32,629 Obviously, I’m deaf, so I’d fail a hearing test. 340 00:16:34,471 --> 00:16:36,510 So we sat down, 341 00:16:36,534 --> 00:16:40,647 and I was told that if I wanted to continue to the third level, 342 00:16:40,671 --> 00:16:44,433 I couldn’t do any of the PT workouts in the morning, 343 00:16:44,457 --> 00:16:49,471 nor the Friday lab field trainings, nor the army base trainings. 344 00:16:49,495 --> 00:16:51,887 My uniform, I would have to give back as well. 345 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,547 I could take the classes, audit them, and that’s all. 346 00:16:56,968 --> 00:16:59,872 It really hit me. It was a huge blow. 347 00:17:03,037 --> 00:17:06,213 Many of the officers and cadets have empathized 348 00:17:06,237 --> 00:17:08,566 with this sudden shock of disappointment, 349 00:17:08,590 --> 00:17:11,103 and are wondering why this has to be the case. 350 00:17:11,587 --> 00:17:14,579 Colonel Phelps has tried to speak with the higher-ups 351 00:17:14,603 --> 00:17:15,928 in the chain of command 352 00:17:15,952 --> 00:17:18,544 and explain to them that I’m one of the top cadets, 353 00:17:18,568 --> 00:17:21,928 having passed all the events and receiving high marks on my exams. 354 00:17:21,952 --> 00:17:23,587 But their response is unwavering: 355 00:17:23,611 --> 00:17:26,577 policy is policy, and if you’re deaf, you’re disqualified. 356 00:17:27,717 --> 00:17:31,937 I know that the cadre has tried to find various ways. 357 00:17:31,961 --> 00:17:35,560 They found out that there's a deaf cadet at The Citadel, 358 00:17:36,555 --> 00:17:38,785 a military college in South Carolina. 359 00:17:39,770 --> 00:17:42,996 That particular cadet will be completing his fourth year there 360 00:17:43,020 --> 00:17:44,187 and graduating this May. 361 00:17:44,211 --> 00:17:46,481 Yet, he's in the same predicament that I'm in -- 362 00:17:46,505 --> 00:17:48,718 unable to join the army because he’s deaf. 363 00:17:50,505 --> 00:17:53,258 Yet, all of my fellow cadets and the officers have told me 364 00:17:53,282 --> 00:17:55,422 not to give up; the policy must change. 365 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,090 I was advised to talk with my congressman. 366 00:17:58,114 --> 00:18:01,347 And I've brought this issue to Henry Waxman, 367 00:18:01,371 --> 00:18:03,422 the district congressman here in LA, 368 00:18:03,446 --> 00:18:06,090 to get the ball rolling with his advocacy for my cause. 369 00:18:06,114 --> 00:18:08,494 However, I need your help and support to lobby. 370 00:18:08,518 --> 00:18:09,731 All of us, you know? 371 00:18:10,302 --> 00:18:13,449 If you remember back in US history, African-Americans were told 372 00:18:13,473 --> 00:18:15,017 they couldn’t join the military, 373 00:18:15,041 --> 00:18:16,192 and now they serve. 374 00:18:16,216 --> 00:18:18,839 Women as well were banned, but now they've been allowed. 375 00:18:18,863 --> 00:18:20,504 The military has and is changing. 376 00:18:20,528 --> 00:18:22,903 Today is our time. Now it’s our turn. 377 00:18:22,927 --> 00:18:24,088 Hooah! 378 00:18:24,112 --> 00:18:25,262 (Applause)