Karen

Your Comments Are Very Inspiring Your Thought Process Is Excellent

Keep On Making Comments Like This They Are Great

Phillip Buettner, Jr.

Mesa, AZ

For your perseverance and the glory of the Infantry, my thanks.

These folks are true American heroes who have pulled themselves up from the depths of despair and risen to new heights. Their actions and service to their country, as well as their sacrifices are worth emulating by all Americans! God bless these folks that still chose to serve. This old sailor salutes you all!

It's the fortitude, courage, and true grit of guys like Capt. Smiley that make this country great. No doubt Smiley is an inspiration to a grateful nation and, certainly, makes this citizen proud to be associated with him as an American.

Brett Harriman

You take a fine story like this, and demean it with politics? Shameful.

Shame, shame, shame.

Is this any more shameful than what John Kerry said about our troops or Murtha or any number of Democrats? That is the point being made. A great story about someone in the military. A military most Democrats have disdain for.

Keep Your Political Comments To Yourself This Forum Is For Capt. Smiley Not Your Private Comments

This Forum Is For Captain Smiley / NOT YOUR PRIVATE COMMENTS / If You Dont Have Something Nice To Say To Captain Smiley Then

S H U T U P

They also used to just kick them out. Things have changed over the years even since Vietnam. Especially since WWII. My grandfather was 4f (that is the correct way to say it, right?) also due to his back. He worked in the Charleston Naval Shipyard during that time.

Technology has a lot to do with it. Capt. Smiley can listen to emails.

There is also the issue of the media and everything that happens over there being told to or televised to us over here which brings about the need for Public Relations. People question what's happening to our permanently injured soldiers.

Also just because Smiley is blind, that doesn't mean he can't teach in a classroom environment. The duties he fills gives the military another soldier that can see opportunity to get out into the field.

Ben tell your son thank you from me.

I think the difference between you or any other disabled person and the Capt. in the article is that he sustained his disabilities while in service. If he had been blinded BEFORE he decided to join the armed forces he just like any other disabled person would have been DISQUALIFIED.

Capt was allowed to have the US Military job as a blind man because he was already in the service...if he was blind before he decided to join the military, he would not have been accepted. Same way with hard of hearing or deaf Military, they would already have been in the service to get benefits, not before they joined the military.

I wear a hearing aid myself, and I knew there is a disqualification of people who are blind or have hearing loss to join...there is a reason for that....when you have to fight, you have to have good hearing and good vision to survive.

Keeping injured soldiers in the military is not a new concept. Three years ago I sold a house to a young soldier who was preparing for his 4th deployment. He lost his hearing in his left ear to an IED in Iraq the prior year. I was appalled that he was being deployed with such a devastating injury, but he told me it is very common for soldiers with hearing loss to be redeployed several times. I've talked to other soldiers in my neighborhood, and I've found that many of our troops suffer what might have at one time been a disqualifying injury, only to return to the front and fight many more battles with their fellow soldiers. I spoke to one solder who had lost part of his foot to an attack early in the Afghan War who has since been deployed to Iraq and currently serves us as a Sergeant in the Army. A blind Captain is not incompetent. Yes, he can't serve on the front lines, but does that mean he has nothing worthwhile to contribute to our nation? If any of us were injured while doing our job, would it be right to toss us aside for someone without our experience and capability simply because of one perceived deficit? No. This Captain cannot fire a gun any longer, he cannot represent us in battle, but his leadership skills and his ability to inspire other soldiers is of a great deal of worth to our nation.

In the past our military rejected soldiers for any number of reasons. One of those was having flat feet. Well, my son has served in the Army for 4 years, he has flat feet, and he has been deployed 3 times. How would prohibiting him from service benefitted our nation or him?

I think the difference is during Vietnam they could forcibly take and conscript any able-bodied male in the country and now they can't give away enough $hit to people to get them to sign up.

So that's why they keep blind soldiers. Because they have to. No other reason.

With an attitude like yours, you would not have fit in anyway. They don't need people like you!

Hey, Dude... Don't come crying "Discrimination" or Victim" to me!!!! You have probably only thought of the money you could get for the loud sounds of incoming or firefights that would have "damaged" your hearing!!!! Tell me, Please, Professor, how well would you have done on an LP? Thats where you better have 100% hearing to alert all the other Soldiers depending on you, of the sounds of the enemy creeping as silent as possible to your post and slice your throat before you could sound the alert. Yes, I'm a very proud Vietnam Vet, in spite of the Liberals, and will be forever. I'm not slamming your hearing loss, there is probably not much you could do about it. Think about this: The era and tecnology of the current Soldiers environment is so many lightyears advanced than it was in Vietnam. Mission and Medicine have changed so much that the Captain can now do job's that weren't thought of in the Vietnam era. Don't cuss, cry, or whine, but thank the advancement that has been made since the '60s, wow, fogs your thought. I carry my Service, and the 12 years after, with great pride. Why only 12 years after Vietnam? Because the damage done to me there, and after, wouldn't allow me to remain on active duty. I am 100% disabled because of my service, but I realized that I would have been "dead weight", and, probably would have pulled the mission down. Whine? Cry? No...just very proud I could do my part according to the times.

I wrote this, I stand by it, I am proud to be a Veteran of that war and proud of all those who have answered the call to arms in our defense ever since. And, unless you live somewhere in Connetticut, God bless America and may our Flag ever wave!

Ray, well said. I agree with you 100%. I served 20 years and lost most of my hearing due to years of flight ops on helos and gunfire from the M-60 that I had to fire. As with you, I am proud to be a veteran of that war and Desert Storm. Despite this country's faults, I love her. I have shed my blood for itand would do so again if called to do so! I will wave our flag and let the liberal mal contents do as they will. God bless America!

The unemployment statistics are just as staggering for those with visual impairments, if not more so.

Many websites are not very friendly to those with visual impairments either, and screen readers often do a poor job.

I think anyone with any sort of disability faces discrimination, not to mention higher unemployment rates and higher costs of living (b/c things like wheelchairs, screen readers, medications, etc. cost a lot of money).

The story is supposed to be a feel good inspirational look at how someone with a visual impairment continues to serve his country. Basically, it's a piece of journalistic fluff, meant to elicit one's patriotism and reinforce the idea that just b/c you're disabled you can do anything! (A story written to contradict this, showing the hardships of life for a disabled person, would still be, IMO, a piece of junk.)

I agree, You serve for years in your private sector job, Get hurt and the next day you don't exist. Connections help I'm sure, But for a Long-Haul Driver those are far and few in between as well.

ADA is still a bad joke,

Wolfer, speaking as someone who is considered legally deaf due to service connected disability, you are wrong and full of it. I have never encountered any problem. I live my life to the fullest and continue to do so. So save your self serving whining for someone who cares!

Uh, so real men don't touch each other? Tell that to athletes who go around patting each other's butts. The NFL and NBA give new meaning to the term "don't ask, don't tell." This makes no sense at all.

Athletes in the NFL and the NBA do not represent the US military.

They do not fight for their country. My comment was not about "touching" (have played football and basketball and NO ONE ever touched my butt) but the fact the picture was not flattering, that's all. If guys running around in tights offends you, sorry, baseball might be your thing. Hey, wait - they are butt grabbers too! Do'h!

Cuban:

Homophobia is homophobia. I wonder why no one ever touched your butt?

BTW, I looooooove football. We have season tickets to the Chiefs. Football first caught my eye in the late 70s precisely because of the tight pants. LOL Sorry, but again, why can't soldiers touch each other? Seems a little silly to live your life without touching your fellow human beings. Gay is not catching. Touching another man does not make you gay, so why the big deal about two men hugging each other? There is too much attention given to men touching each other and not much attention given to the strength and comradeship shared by soldiers. Perhaps these two men survived the Captain's injury together. Perhaps they were both injured in the same attack. How do we know?

I think that comment is rather funny. Why can't a man hug another man in greeting? Women do it all the time. It does not mean that they are gay. Geez, why can't others get past that? I can't understand why men are called crybabies when they cry. It is just a normal human reaction.

I have a son who gets very emotional and trust me he is not gay. I am glad that I raised a man who is not afraid to show his emotions.

If a guy hugging another guy in greeting is considered gay then I hope all the men in the world are gay.

So are you saying that the handshake while slapping another guys back is not hugging? Think again.

Nobody kills innocent Iraqi citizens on purpose! Whatever faith they are! The innocent Iraqi citizens are doing a pretty good job of killing each other off so I wouldn't worry about our soldiers killing them off.............

Robtice, you haven't walked in this bro's shoes, buddy. I agree that invading Iraq has resulted in many many Iraqi casualties, and none are reported, as America only presents one side to any story, but our soldiers are also sacrificing. Many ways, and each one personal.

If you want to say there are no winners in war, I agree...and see it first hand every f'n day. But judging the soldier, marine, coalition soldier for doing his duty after accepting military life and culture......dude we all make commitments, even make mistakes....but the soldier does sacrifice.

And pepster, you should learn about acceptable numbers, spin, PsyOps, and collateral damage....war has killed 100000 iraqis, maimed and tortured countless others, and has cost Iraq an estimated seven trillion dollars. They too have suffered. To include, neighbor vs neighbor as you say, loss of job, food, utilities and a gamut of emotions.

I think you both may get your info from watching too many movies

Very truly and clearly spoken attitude of the local Muslim that kills those that don't lock-step with Muhammad. War hurts/kills. I been there probably long before most here in this forum were even concieved. This BS line about killing "innocent civilians" is nearly letter for letter the same cry and moan the Socialist/Communist factions we were fighting were making, all the while absorbing every benefit from the freedom generations of Americans fought and died for since the 1600's. Freedom of speech for your comment? Yes, but please make that comment fighting for the freedom to make it, or , buying passage to a place that does not honor it's warriors. In war, people die!!! In war, we(Soldiers) have no time in a firefight to ask for ID to separate the enemy form civilian. In war, a great deal of noise preceedes the ground battle. In war, Muhammad and Taliban use civilians as shields. They are the coward, so, I say again, if you don't like what happens in war, walk across some lake and make it all go away. I am not using this story for my politics, but to express my Constitutional right. I applaud anyone that has the courage of these soldiers so badly damaged to stay and serve. I was forced out after 13 years, because my war injuries wouldn't allow me to be effective any longer. I'm not whining or crying about it. But, I very much agree that Comrade Obama and every oyher person in this nation that want to destroy our Constitution, freedoms, or way of life, by so much as one letter of our origional Constitution and bill of rights should be shining the boots of those who swear to protect us at any cost, even permanant catastrophic disability or death. Also, Warprofiteer, thanks for your words, you said so much and by "too many Movies" you have included the hotbed of those hellbent on destroying this Nation, the entertainment industry. My appologies to Gary Sinese, you see, he doesn't get a lot of work since supporting Veterans and Military became a huge part of his life.

I wrote this, I stand by it, and my door should be crashed in any minute by flaming Progressives, Liberals, Communists, and Socialists. I am proud of our Soldiers, I have stood in their shoes and will support them till I drop. Or am "dropped" by those that need to try to destroy our Warriors, God bless them. God bless America as our founding Fathers ment it to be!!!!

See a Soldier? See a Veteran? Shake their hand and say thank you for your sacrifices, how can I help you?

And pepster, you should learn about acceptable numbers, spin, PsyOps, and collateral damage....war has killed 100000 iraqis, maimed and tortured countless others, and has cost Iraq an estimated seven trillion dollars

Our military men and women are only doing their job.

And as far as movies.............. No, I don't watch movies, never will, I have a son that is in the US Army. I volunteer at my local base for all our brave men and women. You have no right to insult my intelligence with your bogus jibberish. Get a life!

San Francisco? You'll soon be "run out of town" for even thinking to support a Soldier, much less having a job. Wow!! Very serious courage here. Have you looked across the Bay toward Berkley to see the Communist/Progressives very quickly gathering crowds of mush brained students led by their "Professsors" to come and smoke you out, find you, and send you away as a message that free thought will not be tolerated under any circumstance on that coast? Free thought, in the Bay area, is defined as being in total compliance with their "educators", and certain low on the dial radio stations that blast their hate nightly over the airwaves protected by our Military.

I really do applaud you for your word, the courage to air them, and the great courage of Cpt. Smiley.

I wrote this, I stand by it, and will defend it till I'm no longer able to think or speak. I am a very proud Veteran of Vietnam, and I am proud of AMERICA as the founding Fathers meant it to be...especially the Bill of rights.

After 20 years shouldn't you be getting retirement pay and benefits so what would be the difference? Certainly not disability pay from the military? If it is just disability can't you just go to a doctor and have them say that you are disabled and get disability benefits from SS?

DJ,

What the hell did you just say? Mind repeating that in well written English, putz.

DJ

Bernie can read AND write!!! I'm not Bernie, don't even know of him(?), but , even asking about 12 other people that speak different languages, none of us can figure out what you're trying to write in the "conservatives" comment. Back to school for you, or get less "happy" prior to trying to communicate out side your species.

philjr2001;

Long live the Red white and blue? I agree 1000%, but, if you live in the same community in Conneticut that an 88 year old WWII Veteran lives, this just ain't so!!! Catch this hard and send it out....PLEASE. The veterans "housing Committe" declared the AMERICAN FLAG a banner, therefore, the AMERICAN FLAG cannot be displayed by those that fought for it!!!! WOW, tell me, just how do you spell "progressive?" Huh?, Conneticut, one of the original 13 colonies, now spits, or worse, on it's Veterans?

As an after thought, I'll bet the dollars that Vet pays his taxes and Neighborhood Membership aren't considdered "banners". Also, by forcing this Vet to remove his RED, WHITE, and BLUE "banner" does this mean that this neighborhood has suceeded from the Union? WOW!!! Is Connetticut as a state next to suceed based on the precedent legally set by this Community?

I said that, all of it, and I stand by it.