[nfbwatlk] Blind Soldiers Still Serving, Thriving In New Positions, Huffington Post, May 21 2010

[Mike Freeman]

Wow! Bravo!

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nightingale, Noel" <Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov>
To: <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 4:26 PM
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Blind Soldiers Still Serving, Thriving In New Positions, 
Huffington Post, May 21 2010


>
>
> Link:
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/21/blind-soldiers-still-serv_n_585038.html
>
> Text:
> Blind Soldiers Still Serving, Thriving In New Positions
> MICHAEL HILL | 05/21/10
>
> In this April 8, 2010 photo, Capt. Scott Smiley gives a tour of his 
> staff's offices in West Point, N.Y. Smiley is one of only a few blind 
> soldiers to remain on active duty since the fighting in Iraq and 
> Afghanistan. Though unable to return to his old infantry duties, Smiley 
> has thrived in stateside postings like his latest at West Point, where he 
> graduated in 2003. He now commands the Warrior Transition Unit here for 
> ailing or wounded soldiers. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
>
> WEST POINT, N.Y. - Since a car bomb blinded Capt. Scott Smiley in Iraq, he 
> has skied Vail, climbed Mount Rainier, earned his MBA, raised two young 
> boys with his wife, won an Espy award and pulled himself up from 
> faith-shaking depths.
>
> Smiley, 30, has snagged attention for his big accomplishments. But the 
> daily ones are telling, too, including the recent tour he gave of his 
> staff's offices at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he plans 
> to attend President Barack Obama's address of the Class of 2010 on 
> Saturday.
>
> Unable to see the path around the workers' cubicles, Smiley stepped 
> forward with a joke to the camouflage-clad officers he was showing around: 
> "I walk around, and when I hit things, I move," he said.
>
> An aide trailing him said softly, "Turn right, sir," at a doorway. Smiley 
> turned.
>
> Smiley, of Pasco, Wash., is one of only a handful of soldiers who chose to 
> remain on active duty after being blinded by fighting in Iraq and 
> Afghanistan, a practice that's rare but one that military officials say 
> benefits both parties.
>
> Though unable to return to his old infantry duties in Iraq, Smiley has 
> thrived in stateside postings such as his latest at West Point, from which 
> he graduated in 2003. He now commands the Warrior Transition Unit at West 
> Point for ailing or wounded soldiers.
>
> Voice software allows Smiley to listen to e-mails, books and pamphlets. 
> Aides help him navigate and tell him what order he's signing. It's a 
> little like changing his son's diapers at home: He's fine as long as he 
> knows where everything is.
>
> His resiliency and energy helped him earn the 2007 Soldier of the Year 
> commendation from the publication Army Times, as well as an ESPN Espy 
> award in 2008 for best outdoor athlete.
>
> He earned his master's of business administration at Duke University and 
> has spoken to the Olympic and Duke teams coached by Mike Krzyzewski, a 
> fellow West Point alum. He has a memoir coming out this year titled "Hope 
> Unseen."
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfbwatlk mailing list
> nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbwatlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nfbwatlk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbwatlk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.com