I originally saw this story in Viewpoint, the magazine of the National Council of Young Israel. It originally appeared at the IDF website (along with profiles of two other “handicapped” soldiers) with the title, There is no such thing as impossible. Here’s a taste:
The doctors of the committee had to restrain themselves from laughing when Segev requested that they allow him to use a weapon in Officers’ School, and take part in operations in Lebanon. How could a person with a 21 physical profile lie in ambush in the heart of Lebanon? It did not make sense to them. How would you cock your weapon? The members of the committee asked him. Segev asked them to wait a few minutes and left the room. He ran outside, and looked for the first soldier carrying a weapon. He borrowed the soldier’s weapon, and returned to the room. Segev explained to the members that he had practiced in shooting ranges unofficially throughout his service. All that remained was their permission. So he put the butt under his arm, and cocked the gun. “Besides,” he said with his winning smile, “During operations in Lebanon, your weapon is always cocked.” The doctors, still in shock, signed the documents. It is no easy feat to deny someone with charisma radiating from his every pore.
Crossposted at Soccer Dad.
Blind Marine re-enlists
When a person or some punk kid says “It’s too hard, boo-hoo, woe is me”, outside of the need of kicking them in the behind to get them off top-dead-center…point them to those who adapted and overcame the obstacles in their path.
Very inspiring.
I think it IS possible to go to far the OTHER way, and say that “anything is possible if you work hard enough”. I cannot be an astronaut or a brain surgeon, no matter how hard I work. I just don’t have the aptitude. And people would do me a disservice by insisting that I pursue those improbable goals at the expense of all else.
But generally, our society needs the message these men bring.
Horatio Nelson lacked an arm and an eye. Douglas Bader lost both legs in an air crash, taught himself to walk (even dance) again, and when WWII broke out talked his way back into the RAF as a fighter pilot. He rose to the rank of Group Captain (=bird colonel) and had 30 kills before being shot down and taken prisoner.
Men like Segev, Bradford, Nelson, and Bader put the rest of us to shame. If they can carry on as they do, surely we can endure our small travails and rise above them.