# Deaf people blocked from armed services **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 25, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341 "2016-06-25T18:40:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/61 "2016-07-09T18:23:45Z")
Update: the Congressional Budget Office did a study about replacing 80,000 military personnel with civilians to do non-combat sort of jobs. The cost savings would be between $3 billion and nearly $6 billion annually. > **[Replacing soldiers with civilians could save billions: Report](https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/08/replacing-soldiers-with-civilians-could-save-billions-report.html)** > > A US federal agency claims the U.S. military could save up to $5.7 billion annually by replacing military personnel with civilians. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/62 "2016-07-09T20:19:44Z")
The US military is the wealthiest military in the world, by far. If we wanted deaf people in the military, we would have them with no loss of effectiveness. We just don’t. Welcome our trans soldiers! I wish congress would force the DoD to actually account for its budget. As it is, the only part of the budget congress has any idea about is personel, so of course that’s what get’s targeted. How about we apply a little fiscal responsibility and accountability to all those pork barrel weapons programs? We could afford deaf interpreters for every deaf person wanting to join the military. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/63 "2016-07-09T20:59:16Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I wish congress would force the DoD to actually account for its budget. As it is, the only part of the budget congress has any idea about is personel, so of course that’s what get’s targeted. How about we apply a little fiscal responsibility and accountability to all those pork barrel weapons programs? We could afford deaf interpreters for every deaf person wanting to join the military. What part of the DoD budget can’t you get “any idea about?” Do you have any idea what you are talking about, or are you just tossing stuff on the wall? And we can “afford” interpreters now, but DoD isn’t a social program (yet). ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/64 "2016-07-09T21:03:22Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > We could afford deaf interpreters for every deaf person wanting to join the military. Can we afford assistants for every blind person wanting to join the military? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/65 "2016-07-09T21:06:07Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > What part of the DoD budget can’t you get “any idea about?” Do you have any idea what you are talking about, or are you just tossing stuff on the wall? > > And we can “afford” interpreters now, but DoD isn’t a social program (yet). Of course it is. Blacks, women, gays and now trans. Deaf is going too far? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/66 "2016-07-09T21:08:35Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Can we afford assistants for every blind person wanting to join the military? Sure. Take the F-35’s budget. I’d rather have a deaf person watching my back than an F-35. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/67 "2016-07-09T21:11:51Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Sure. Take the F-35’s budget. > > I’d rather have a deaf person watching my back than an F-35. This forum is for serious debate. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/68 "2016-07-09T21:14:01Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > What part of the DoD budget can’t you get “any idea about?” Do you have any idea what you are talking about, or are you just tossing stuff on the wall? Do you have any idea what you’re talking about or you just run around saying what, what, what? That’s an amazing gotcha you got there. Does it ever actually work for you? Do you know anything about the military or DoD or accounting or congress or anything at all? > **[Why the D.O.D. Can’t Balance Its Books](https://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/02/11/Why-the-Defense-Department-Cant-Balance-Its-Books)** > > Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta last week pleaded with lawmakers to delay upcoming sequestration cuts, telling Congress that the spending decrease represent “one of the greatest security risks we are now facing. This budget uncertainty could prompt... That’s just one link it took me all of one second to google up. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/69 "2016-07-09T23:31:23Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Do you have any idea what you’re talking about or you just run around saying what, what, what? That’s an amazing gotcha you got there. Does it ever actually work for you? Do you know anything about the military or DoD or accounting or congress or anything at all? > > [Why the D.O.D. Can’t Balance Its Books | The Fiscal Times](http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/02/11/Why-the-Defense-Department-Cant-Balance-Its-Books) > > That’s just one link it took me all of one second to google up. You have no idea the difference between a budget and an audit do you? And yes, I’d guess I have more than a little idea about how this works.🙂 > [@levdrakon](#): > > I wish congress would force the DoD to actually account for its budget. As it is, the only part of the budget congress has any idea about is personel, so of course that’s what get’s targeted. Congress knows (and so could you if you knew what you were talking about) exactly what the budget buys. So Congress has more than “any idea” about the budget. Its public and it’s online. Audibility is a whole different thing. And not what you think it is. My God you are all over the map. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/70 "2016-07-09T23:34:38Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > My God you are all over the map. So you have no idea. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/71 "2016-07-09T23:41:22Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > So you have no idea. Got it. OK smart guy. What budget doesn’t Congress have any idea about? What specific budget doesn’t get approved by Congress? What specific budget isn’t reviewed by Congress after it’s executed? Please be specific. Because in my 15 years of working DoD budgets as a military Officer I can’t name one, so I hope you can help me out on this. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/72 "2016-07-09T23:47:40Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > So - again, do you think deaf people should be allowed to be fighter pilots? Air traffic controllers? Not everyone has to be Rambo. The military has plenty of obese men running out the retirement clock behind a desk. There’s plenty of room for people who do nothing but read, write, think, and transmit information. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/73 "2016-07-09T23:53:16Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Do you have any idea what you’re talking about or you just run around saying what, what, what? … Do you know anything about the military or DoD or accounting or congress or anything at all? It is completely clear that your knowledge of DoD, accounting, or Congress is no deeper than what you can google. Each year, DoD produces probably tens of thousands of pages of budget documents for Congress to explain not only the proposed budget, but the budgets of the next four years. I would guess that two-thirds of those budget documents deal with weapons programs, either in R&D or procurement. An audit of the Pentagon is in all likelihood a huge commitment of time that will have very little positive results. We know where the money starts - with the annual appropriations bill - and where it ends - with buying F-35s, civilian manpower, and so on. But an audit is essentially focused on how the money gets from point A to point Z, and also totally irrelevant questions such as what is the current value of an asset of a B-52 bought in 1961. Why the value of that aircraft has fuck-all to do with stewardship of taxpayer dollars. If you can provide further evidence of your “expertise” on DOD budget matters, I very much look forward to engaging with you on the extent of your knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/74 "2016-07-09T23:56:11Z")
You’ll get that, when you give me a dollar value on why Deaf Peeps can’t serve their country. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/75 "2016-07-10T00:12:35Z")
Look what came across my FB feed: [https://www.publicintegrity.org/2016/07/05/19869/congress-funds-problematic-weapons-pentagon-does-not-want?utm\_content=bufferc86a4&utm\_medium=social&utm\_source=facebook.com&utm\_campaign=publici-buffer](https://www.publicintegrity.org/2016/07/05/19869/congress-funds-problematic-weapons-pentagon-does-not-want?utm_content=bufferc86a4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=publici-buffer) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/76 "2016-07-10T00:14:37Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > You’ll get that, when you give me a dollar value on why Deaf Peeps can’t serve their country. It’s rather pitiful when someone accuses others of not knowing anything about a topic, and then can’t even make a case for their own “expertise.” ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/77 "2016-07-10T00:16:14Z")
Now you’re just linking random articles on DoD?? How’s your list of budgets not reviewed by Congress coming? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/78 "2016-07-10T00:22:20Z")
How’s your argument against Deafs in the mil coming? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/79 "2016-07-10T00:29:45Z")
The fact that Congress and the Navy want another Littoral Combat Ship that the Secretary of Defense doesn’t want is stone cold proof that Congress doesn’t have any insight on why weapons are being bought. Am I describing this correctly, **lev**? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341/80 "2016-07-10T00:33:00Z")
Is there a reason the Sec Def couldn’t be, you know, deaf? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaf-people-blocked-from-armed-services/758341.md?page=5)