Why does being half deaf disqualify my service in the Navy if I want to be a doctor and won’t be placed in combat?

Sailors at sea on ships are ALWAYS in combat. It's simply a matter of with whom. The greatest, and the most constant enemy is Mother Nature herself. She is an unforgiving, uncaring bitch, and will make you pay for any tiny mishap. Followed closely by Mr. Murphy. This is what pisses me off when sister service members laugh at Sailors from some imaginary high horse where they think Sailors don't face danger, or that we're somehow lesser because they're in a desert somewhere and we're not. Some of them, reading this, are going to roll their eyes and think to themselves 'this guy is nuts'. That's okay. Life at sea is outside their frame of reference. Then, of course, throw in ACTUAL combat....there's lots of ways to die at sea. When I was in, a shipmate lost his arm because he walked past a steam pipe that burst right when he was there, severing it.

You simply MUST be able to respond to any and all contingencies. I'm a Merchant Mariner. I broke my thumb once when a winch brake snapped it's lock and slammed it. They sent me home and didn't let me go back to work until it was fully healed. Why? You gotta be able to respond to any emergency. I could not have fought fires or flooding with a broken digit. Long story short, any impediment to becoming an instant firefighter, damage controlman, de-waterer or ancillary medical assistance is plenty of reason to stop you from going to sea. I know that sucks, and I hope you find some satisfactory outcome. That is, however, the cold, hard reality of it. That said, your decision to serve is admirable. Thank you.

LT Brad McInnis PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CWO3 Dennis M. PO1 Brian Austin PO3 Steven Sherrill

So I gave you the tough love in my one response. Now let me try to bolster you some.

Your decision to put yourself on the line for the rest of us is both humbling and admirable. Young men and women like you are what's going to keep America alive going forward. It may be that you can't ever go to sea in the Navy (which I'm not 100% sure of), but I am POSITIVE there are positions available for you across the 7 (Yes, there ARE 7) uniformed services. So my suggestion is that you look into them all, and don't let a let down or two discourage you. NOAA and NHS are NOT combat services, and likely have much less stringent requirements. But even then, I would still talk to USCG, USAF, USA, USMC recruiters. I firmly believe you can find a place for yourself if you want to.

What is your definition of "placed in combat?"

If you serve a board a Navy Ship, that ship may be deployed in theater. You may be in combat at any moment. Furthermore shipboard life is loud and dangerous in peacetime or war. If you cannot hear an in extremis warning, you may become a casualty. If you are non-deployable, then someone else has to pick up your slack.

If you serve in the Fleet Marine Force, Doctors are assigned down to the battalion level. You may be in combat at any moment. Furthermore field life is loud and dangerous in peacetime or war. If you cannot hear an in extremis warning, you may become a casualty. If you are non-deployable, then someone else has to pick up your slack.

Notice a trend.