'I want to serve my country': Deaf man locked in ongoing battle to join the Army



A deaf man is fighting to be allowed to serve his country by join the Army.

29-year-old teacher Keith Nolan is determined to achieve his lifetime dream of working in military intelligence.



After a decade of applying repeatedly, Keith Nolan was finally accepted into the Army's Reserve Officers Training Corps' (ROTC) program, after a commander agreed to let him sit in on the classes.



Keith Nolan was rejected from an ROTC program countless times because he is deaf

Nolan became a top performer in the program at California State University, and his instructors were so impressed they let him wear a uniform.

But military policy requires cadets to pass a hearing test to be commissioned by the Army.

Nolan was distraught when he had to say goodbye to the other cadets when the course ended in May, Fox News reported.

He said in sign language : 'All I really want to do is join the Army.'

'I want to do my duty, serve my country and experience that camaraderie, and I can't, owed to the fact that I'm deaf.'

He added 'I am convinced that there is a non-combat position that I can do in the military without harming our armed forces' effectiveness and readiness.'

Nolan uses sign language to talk to his interpreter

Capt. Sid Mendoza, a supervisor on the training program said Nolan was one of the top performing cadets.

With the help of a deaf interpreter, Nolan excelled, showing up at 5 a.m. exercises even though he was not required to and earning a perfect score in his military sciences class.

Nolan, who was born deaf to deaf parents, has wanted to join the Army ever since he learned of the experiences of his grandfather and great uncles who fought in WWII.

Keith Nolan, right, and his interpreter, Rita Alexander, left, use sign language to communicate

His father, Kevin Nolan, successfully won a city council seat against a 20-year incumbent and taught his son to rise above his disability.



Congresman Rep. Henry A. Waxman is working to help the driven young man. Nolan wants Waxman to sponsor a bill allowing deaf people into the armed forces.

