Absolutely, Kendall, though we are probably at different ends of the opinion spectrum on the military (maybe not so much on the war). I've had a lot of kids with TBIs come through my classes at the OCS Academy. There's a program for "profiled" soldiers (like me) to stay in the military without having to be in combat or combat support roles. The Army is coming to the realization that prosthethic limbs or head wounds don't necessarily disqualify a soldier from being able to perform tasks vital to the function of a military organization.
I was able to get in the Guard even with the CP because I had skills critical to their needs for domestic missions (like Katrina), I could pass the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) for my age group and I was (barely) young enough to get a commission. So these kids, like me, are serving in what is called "Title 32" status. That means that we cannot be called up to Federal service and our missions are strictly within the United States. In addition to my teaching rols I also serve as a bugler on one of the state's Military Funeral Honors teams. That's quite a priviledge for me and since the bugler arrives at the cemetery before the deceased and family and stays in place until they leave, no one ever sees me walk. Again, it's a great honor because there are so few "live" buglers anymore--the VA allows TAPS to be played on a boom box or fake "digital" bugle. That's an outrage when the deceased veteran is a WWII or other xombat vet.
Though my AFO does wonders for my gait, it's still obvious that something is not quite right. The guys in my unit barely notice anymore, but whenever I'm on a strange post I get a lot of stares. If I happen to be wearing greens I notice that everbody always scans my chest candy for a Purple Heart. LOL!
At our two-week "summer camp" this year (we call it Annual Training) an older bird colonel stopped me and actually asked, "Chief, were you hurt in the first Gulf War or was it from this conflict." Nobody has ever had the gall to ask me outright about my gimpiness, so I repled (in a very solemn tone), "No sir, I was injured in a tragic sex accident. Unfortunately it wasn't a combat injury so I didn't earn a 'Heart'." His chin dropped to the ground, I saluted and walked away. He's probably still up there with his mouth agape. LOL
At any rate, don't believe all of the media hype about the nasty conditions at Walter Reed, et al. Army and Navy docs, PTs and OTs are the BEST and they do it for the love of the soldiers and marines. The facilities might be a little rough around the edges at times, but the care is superb. The strides that are being made in the treatment of head trauma in the last four years have been incredible. In the same way we were the beneficiaries of the battlefield medicine of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, kids coming into the world with disabilities will have the benefits of the this conflict
The sad part is that when service members move from the active military health care systems into that of the Veterans Administration the quality of service--and level of compassion--plummets. It's a national disgrace.
Kyle
________________________________
From: Cerebral Palsy List on behalf of Kendall D. Corbett
Sent: Sat 9/29/2007 11:41 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hello again
We teach a unit on disability history that pretty much states that advances
technologically for people with disabilities are pushed by wars, and are
then followed by social advances. Wonder what advances we'll see ten years
into (or after) the current war? There are already advances in prosthetic
limbs resulting, and advances in treatment for brain injury. I'm dead set
against the war, but am excited to see the advances society as a whole, and
people with disabilities in particular, may make from it.
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