War Based Equality

In an October 14, 2004 Department of Defense news release a significant shift in military policy is revealed:

President Bush shared this new vision last December during a visit to wounded troops at Walter Reed. "Americans would be surprised to learn that a grievous injury, such as the loss of a limb, no longer means forced discharge," the president told the soldiers.

"In other words, the medical care is so good and the recovery process is so technologically advanced, that people are no longer forced out of the military," Bush said. "When we're talking about forced discharge, we're talking about another age and another army. This is a new age, and this is a new army. Today, if wounded servicemembers want to remain in uniform and can do the job, the military tries to help them stay."

Normally, I would applaud such a shift in policy if it reflected the president's commitment to hiring people with disabilities throughout all of government but it doesn't. The reasons behind this dramatic shift in policy represents just how desperate the need for military personnel is for an American military stretched too thin. While I support people with disabilities who want to remain in the military, I believe it is important to examine the motives of the administration supporting such affirmative-action.