[blindlaw] Introduction

[Dittman, Robert]

Good afternoon all,

I wonder if I may have a moment of your time to introduce myself.

My name is Robert Dittman, and I have a Seeing Eye Dog Snickers. We are Jurist Doctor candidates attending St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, TX.  I have been blind since birth as a result of retinopathy of prematurity and I have never allowed my blindness to stand in the way of my goals.

                I answered the call to the bar (and for me it is a calling) as it literally took me by surprise when I left my former career as a technology trainer because I realized I wasn't happy in what I was doing, and for some reason I had this feeling that "You will be an advocate for others, and make your mark on the world."  So, here I am, and every day I find it to be a challenge and a wonderful adventure.


                This term is the second half of my second year of law school.  As you all know, normally a law student completes three years of law, however I am taking just a bit longer.  I am expected to graduate in December 2012, and expect to sit for the Texas bar exam February 2013.  All told my first year went well.  Or, as they say, there were at least fifty-six people dumber than I was. I completed all my "bar subjects"  including normal 1L courses of contracts, property, torts, Federal Civil Procedure, Constitutional law, and criminal law.  I put off taking Federal procedure and Constitutional law and took them alone so that I could take the time needed for those extremely hard courses without having anything to distract me from them...  It paid off in the grades.



                The first summer between my first year and this past fall, I completed community property, as well as completed an externship with the United States Coast Guard Office of Legal Affairs in District 8 here on the Gulf Coast. It was wonderful because I was able to combine my love of the Military, and in my case, as I am a United States Coast Guard Auxiliarist, my love of the Coast Guard and my future role as a lawyer. I was even able to get assigned as an Auxiliarist while doing it.  This meant that I went to duty in uniform, The coast Guard got administrative hours, and I had the experiences. I was able to work with cases ranging in courts-martial, Medical malpractice, to Deep Water Horizon operations.  I loved it!!!



                Next Snickers and I were able to study abroad as part of the Center for World Legal Problems sponsored by the St Mary's Law School, and the University of Innsbruck.  We lived in Europe for a month where we completed courses in International business transactions, Supreme Court, Constitution, Terrorism and World Legal Problems (yes that is the long name of one course), and Lawyering Abroad.  It was quite an experience traveling and living in Europe for a month.  Snickers enjoyed the food and we made some friends some of whom are law students including other blind people and one even had a dog.



                When we returned stateside, we were selected to serve as a research fellow at the Center for Terrorism Law here at St. Mary's University School of Law.  Part of the requirement is to be the subject matter expert in an area of threats.  I was tasked to research topics including "Can a terrorist acting alone or sponsored use a containership to deliver a weapon of mass destruction into a port of the United States", "How can the federal government make full use out of the Coast Guard Auxiliary without the protection of employment safeguards which are granted to other uniformed service members found in title 14, or title 38, or federal employees found in title 5", and, a scenario where military forces engaged a drug cartel and if such engagements would be protected under title 18, U.S.C, section 2331.  It turns out that some of my papers may be published according to the center director and I am very excited about this prospect.



                This term I am taking Texas Civil Procedure 1, National Security law, and Federal and state Evidence.  I have been asked to stay on with the terrorism center and continue to research topics of future threats and solutions.



This summer begins the path toward my third year.  I will be taking the Multistate Professional Responsibilities Exam as well as Family Law.  I also have been told to apply to work in our Center for Community Justice clinic where I will be helping to draft wills, power of attorney, and medical powers and wavers.  These are all skills I will need, and I am excited to learn the skills as a student.



After I pass the bar when I am a full attorney, I have a goal to serve in the Uniformed Services on active duty or in the reserves.  I plan to apply for a title 10 waver that authorizes the secretary of each service for example the secretary of Homeland Security to wave  any medical defect for example (blindness) as long as that defect does not affect the completion of duties that person may be assigned. (10 U.S.C. SEC 12205(c))  I have found seven (7) blind persons currently on active duty including a CAPT in the U.S. Army at West Point as an instructor, and a Blind paraplegic Marine serving in the infantry.  While their blindness is the result of combat related service, the fact remains they were retained and able to contribute.  I believe I am also able to contribute given my fifteen years of uniformed service including six years with the Civil Air Patrol from 1995 to 2001, concurrently two years with the United States Marine Corps as an honorary Marine from 1998 to 2000, a semester of United States Army Reserved officer Training Corps in the Fall of 1997 (the first documented blind cadet), four semesters of United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from spring 1998 until summer 1999, and ten with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary from 2001 to present. In that time I have graduated from several schools such as Reserve Enlisted Basic Indoctrination (boot camp for the Coast Guard Reserve), Instructor development school, and Leadership and Management School where I was later assigned as an instructor. I have also served for a few days on a ship underway the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas in 2002, was a radio operator in the pits of a rifle range calling in commands from the range safety officer, and was qualified in search and rescue as a communications officer.  I have also completed several courses in the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and Incident Command System.    Given all this training and experience, there must be a place for me.  If I don't ask, they can't say yes.  We will see what happens.  I have never wavered from this goal, and never will.



                Many of the people I pitch the idea to are positive including a former Marine Corps Judge, Recruiters from the Texas Army National Guard JAG Corps, ship mates in the Coast Guard, and the Texas members of congress who have all offered to write letters of support.  If I have to take it to the president, I will.  I am committed to finding a way for my talents to be utilized in uniform in a status that provides me the opportunity to continue my service in a paid capacity.



The fact remains that the military is vastly different than previous years, and I believe that to deny people service to country when their talents can clearly be utilized is missing the value that person brings to the table.  There was a time when the contributions of women,  and people of color were ignored as unfit for military service.  We have moved past that time, so, I hope in time all are judged by their abilities and what they bring to the mission rather than the presupposed burdens they place upon it.  Given the inclusive climate that the repeal of the Don't ask, Don't Tell policy signals, it seems the military is moving in an inclusive direction that in time will see the value of all. I hope given my young age of thirty three, I am able to continue to avail myself of the privilege of service to country.





                I thank you for your time, and look forward to your counsel and guidance.

Robert Dittman
Research Fellow, Center for Terrorism Law,
Jurist Doctor Candidate, St. Mary's University school of law
EMAIL: rdittman at mail.stmarytx.edu<mailto:rdittman at mail.stmarytx.edu>
PHONE: (210) 389 - 3388
"True Justice is blind."