[blindlaw] Introduction

Wed Mar 2 23:56:37 UTC 2011

Hi Robert...a fellow Texan here in Houston!

I'm a paralegal and have enjoyed working in the legal field since 2000.
Congrats on your achievements and maybe I can make the short ride to the
City of the River Walk for your graduation.

Will

Will Burley
713..614.3322
William.burley3 at gmail.com 

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experienced, efficient and excellent virtual paralegal services to sole
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utilizes our services and receive a $25 referral fee.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Dittman, Robert
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2011 3:11 PM
To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] Introduction

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."

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