Keith Nolan: Deaf in the military
Keith Nolan doesn't believe his deafness should be a barrier to serving his country -- and is making the case for increasing the role of citizens with disabilities in the military. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
My name is Keith Nolan.
of the military.
you’d ever like to join the military?
ever since I was young.
군인이 되고 싶었습니다.
to join the military.
such as my grandfather and great uncle,
to serve my country.
지키고 싶었습니다.
that longing to join the military.
꿈을 버리지 못했습니다.
from high school,
with high hopes of joining the navy.
해군모병센터로 갔습니다.
stood up and addressed me.
it was impossible for me to read his lips,
읽을 수 없어서
and wrote down three words:
세 단어를 적어서 보여주었습니다.
spell out "Disqualified,"
제대로 쓰지 않고
이라고 썼습니다
of different times, trying to join,
I got the same response:
받을 수 없습니다."
and decided to become a teacher.
교사가 되기로 했습니다.
and taught for almost two years,
약 2년간 교사 생활을 했습니다.
when three things occurred
a high school history class.
가르치고 있었습니다.
and I was seated at my desk,
who is deaf, approached me
to join the military.
You can’t. You're deaf.”
I had been told no, I can’t,
that same message
that really resonated with me.
큰 영향을 주었습니다.
my friend had just moved to Israel.
이스라엘로 이민을 가면서 시작됐습니다.
they accept deaf people into the military?
군인이 될 수 있다는 거 아세요?
in the military, right?
to see for myself.
작년 여름에 이스라엘에 갔습니다.
10명을 인터뷰한
and questions I’ve compiled,
I’ll share with you later.
제 모교인 캘리포니아 주립대학에서
an Army ROTC program.
Reserve Officer Training Corps,
their college majors
in the ROTC program.
참여할 수 있는 곳입니다.
have a military career
군 경력이 인정되고
commission as a second lieutenant.
소위로 임관될 수도 있습니다.
program here at CSUN.
저는 정말 하고 싶었습니다.
직업이 있었지만
and sent an email off to the program,
a teacher of the deaf,
a few classes with them
with my students.
메일을 보냈습니다.
time that I wasn't told,
들어도 된다고 했습니다.
to grab the opportunity right away
제 꿈을 위해
and given everything I’ve read,
쌓은 지식을 바탕으로 쓴
called “Deaf in the Military.”
논문을 말씀드리겠습니다
what those 98 pages entail.
deaf soldiers serving in the past.
미국에 청각 장애 군인이 있었습니다.
the Texas War of Independence,
named Deaf Smith,
to that war effort.
a list of deaf soldiers in that war
남북전쟁에 참전한 청각 장애 군인을
were even fighting against each other.
전투에 임한 바 있습니다.
there are a few rare examples
into the military at that time
their country as well.
군 복무를 하기도 했습니다.
that America has had deaf soldiers,
청각 장애 군인이 있었습니다.
the deaf Israeli soldiers.
관한 내용도 다루었습니다.
in non-combat roles.
on the front lines engaged in fire,
serving in supportive roles.
non-combat jobs accessible to the deaf:
비전투 역할은
map drawing, supply,
between deaf Israeli soldiers
deaf people in general use
lip-read, gestures,
sign language and that can be utilized,
소통할 수 있습니다.
magic wand necessary.
for boot camp training.
신병 훈련 때만 필요합니다.
to have an interpreter by your side.
지장이 없습니다.
of small groups.
소그룹으로 이뤄져 있는데
soldiers have developed
with each other,
is of Prime Minister Begin
만나는 사진입니다.
disabled soldiers in the US Military.
and involve injury.
부상 위험이 따르는 곳입니다.
다리를 잃었습니다.
a prosthetic leg.
still fighting in Afghanistan.
튼튼한 몸으로 전투 중입니다.
전투 지대에 서 있다는 게
destroyed his eyesight.
시력을 잃었습니다.
군대에 머물렀습니다.
복무하도록 했고
for wounded soldiers.
부상병을 관리하고 있습니다.
about another soldier,
a school for the deaf in Iraq.
학교도 설립했습니다.
their disabled soldiers,
미군에서 복무 중인데
disabled citizens as well?
미군이 될 수 없을까요?
80% are non-combat positions.
80%는 비전투병입니다.
in the Deaf community can do.
할 수 있는 일은 많습니다.
I’d like to do intelligence work.
정보 관련 업무를 맡고 싶습니다.
of other things we can do,
three premises to support my argument,
제 주장에 대한 근거는 3가지입니다.
openly accepts deaf soldiers.
군인이 될 수 있습니다.
and skills required, they’ll take you.
has accommodations
in the military are non-combat.
80%는 비전투병입니다.
serve our country?
군대에 갈 수 있을까요?
Absolutely, without a doubt!
about my experience in the Army ROTC,
말씀드리겠습니다.
and it’s still going on now.
my battalion had ever had a deaf cadet.
청각 장애 생도가 있었던 적이
wondering, initially,
how would we communicate and such,
소통해야 할지 몰랐습니다.
had never interacted with a deaf person
it was the real thing, the army.
full of military jargon,
getting to know each other
to work together, progressively.
of class, I had no uniform.
제복이 없어서
were all in uniform.
there was physical training, PT.
개인 훈련이 있고
field training -- labs -- off-campus,
야외 훈련이 있고
weekend training at a military base.
있다는 것도 알게 됐습니다.
each morning at 5:30,
and me in civilian clothes.
사복을 입고 서 있었습니다.
you don't need to work out.
훈련받고 싶다고 했습니다.
to show up every morning to train.
저는 매일 아침 훈련을 받았습니다.
I asked if I could do the field training.
받을 수 있냐고 물었을 때
they let me attend the lab,
to sit and watch, not participate.
참관만 해야 했습니다.
marching drill commands,
보게 되었습니다.
how to properly salute,
임할 수 있냐고 물었고
in the second line,
행동을 지켜보려고
were doing in the row ahead of me.
생각했습니다.
for me to join the ROTC program
허락해 준 장교가
“Hey! Uh-uh. I want you in the front.
"앞줄에 서지 않겠나?
just like the rest of them.
Learn it yourself!”
giving dignity to who I am."
생각했습니다.
I still didn’t have a uniform.
저는 여전히 제복이 없었습니다.
to get one, but I was told it wasn't.
거절당했고
that I’d be getting a uniform.
말을 들었고
Why? What changed?”
you show up every morning, dedicated,
훈련받는 것을 보며
to get my uniform.
이런 생각이 들었습니다
and a pair of boots, nothing more.
chock-full of gear:
두 개를 받았고
sleeping bag -- the whole nine yards.
8미터 짜리 침낭이 있었습니다
and put on my uniform,
제복을 입을 때마다
at the garrison base,
말을 들었습니다.
were to get injured during the training,
져야 하기 때문입니다.
all those issues and confusion,
and in the end, they let me go.
제 훈련을 허락해 주었습니다.
I was permitted to do more and more.
점점 많아졌습니다.
during one of the training days,
tandem rotors landed right down to us,
엄청 흥분되었죠.
exhilaration in the air.
to be getting on board.
to ride the Chinook.
if the pilot shouted out orders,
to follow the instructions?
있다는 말이었죠.
toward the helicopter.
보고만 있었습니다.
discussing, mulling it over.
심사숙고하며 상의를 했고
“Come on! Get on the helicopter!”
헬기에 타라는 장교의 말에
It was such a thrill.
and supporting one another
in everything they do,
다른 생도들과 똑같이
some pictures here.
that’s the name of the group I belong to.
브루인 부대입니다.
who oversee the ROTC program.
부사관과 병장입니다.
it was a bit of an awkward phase.
and what I’m capable of doing,
알아가면서
well, when you train and sweat together,
훈련하고 땀 흘리며
of camaraderie right away.
makes them like family.
마치 가족 같았습니다.
we learn theories of warfare,
how to do reconnaissance,
your way out in the mountains.
I’ve been provided with interpreters
NCOD, here at CSUN.
구했습니다.
at 4:30 in the morning,
a few classes with us.
before class starts.
수업 전에 찍은 사진입니다.
when we were new to training.
처음 훈련 받을 때 찍었고
of the entire Bruin Battalion.
지휘관입니다.
it’s rather inspiring.
you can see he’s the epitome of a soldier.
and capabilities instead.
and I respect him for all that.
모든 부분이 존경스럽습니다.
I almost didn’t get on.
치누크 헬기입니다.
and how to execute them ideally.
알려주십니다.
a group of us went to Las Vegas
라스베이거스에 갔을 때입니다.
troops' physical training standards.
시험하기 위해서였습니다.
marksmanship and numerous fitness events.
and satisfied the requirements
요구조건을 충족하여
Proficiency Badge right here.
독일연방군 우수 군인장을 땄습니다.
Sergeant Richardson.
리처드슨 부사관입니다.
from any of us cadets.
실없는 소리를 못합니다.
with a 40-pound rucksack
등산했을 때입니다.
that I’ve developed name signs for them.
수화 이름도 만들게 됐습니다.
because he's always very sarcastic.
이렇게 부릅니다.
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
참전용사로 복무한 적이 있죠.
whose nickname is "Refrigerator,"
별명이 '냉장고'라서
intellectually in class.
He's a top athlete.
운동신경이 최고이며
because of the scar he has here.
이렇게 부릅니다.
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
to President Obama
이 분의 연설이 끝나고
“It’s a great pleasure to meet you.”
영광이라고 했습니다.
and said, “It’s nice to meet you,”
만나서 반갑다고 했고
who refrained to clarify.
이 말을 전하지 않았습니다.
and just quickly moved on
with the rest of the soldiers.
that I'm deaf or not.
알고 있었는지는 모르겠습니다.
gung-ho, full speed ahead,
which finishes up this May.
5월에 만료되고
you need to pass a medical exam.
so I’d fail a hearing test.
통과 못하겠죠.
to continue to the third level,
of the PT workouts in the morning,
nor the army base trainings.
기지 훈련을 못 받는다는 말을 들었습니다.
give back as well.
audit them, and that’s all.
참관만 할 수 있는 거죠.
and cadets have empathized
why this has to be the case.
to speak with the higher-ups
that I’m one of the top cadets,
모든 종목을 통과한
and receiving high marks on my exams.
you’re disqualified.
청각 장애인은 자격 박탈이다."
to find various ways.
there's a deaf cadet at The Citadel,
The Citadel 이라는 군사학교에
his fourth year there
predicament that I'm in --
and the officers have told me
포기하지 말라고 했습니다.
to Henry Waxman,
with his advocacy for my cause.
일을 진행할 계획이었습니다.
and support to lobby.
여러분의 도움이 필요합니다.
African-Americans were told
but now they've been allowed.
현재는 가능합니다.
지금은 우리 차례입니다.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Keith Nolan - TeacherKeith Nolan doesn't believe his deafness should be a barrier to serving his country -- and is making the case for increasing the role of citizens with disabilities in the military.
Why you should listen
Keith Nolan was told that he couldn’t enlist in the army because he was deaf -- but he didn’t take no for an answer. After he finally convinced a commander to let him audit ROTC classes, he proved himself a top student and earned his uniform. Although a standard military hearing test prevents him from enlisting, his continued fight has inspired many would-be soldiers with disabilities -- and a vigorous online campaign on his behalf.
Keith Nolan | Speaker | TED.com