Wounded or Disabled But Still on Active Duty (washingtonpost.com)

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In another era, the commander of a cavalry troop who lost a foot and leg would have been heralded for his bravery and likely issued a medical retirement. In a shift in military culture, the U.S. armed forces have recently announced new efforts to keep seriously wounded or disabled soldiers on active duty.

Policy has really changed in 20 years. I had a massive pulminary embolism and a cardiac arrest when I was on active duty 20 years ago. One of my vocal cords was paralized when they shoved the breathing tube down my throat, and the military was planning to discharge me because of the paralized vocal cord. The vocal cord started working again (after I repeatedly tried to yell on Easter Sunday 1984) and I wasn’t discharged, but I did remain on restricted duty for most of the remaining time I was in the Army. Reenlistment definitely was not pushed when it was time for me to either reenlist or get out – 2 1/2 years after the massive pulminary embolism/cardiac arrest.