Amputee Vies to Complete ROTC, Fly in Air Force

January 4, 2012 — He may have lost his leg. But Matt Pirrello certainly hasn’t lost his dream. Pirrello, an Ohio University ROTC student who lost his leg in a training accident 18 months ago, hopes to become the first amputee in the country to complete the ROTC program and earn a U.S. Air Force commission, the Columbus Dispatch reported. It’s a dream he’s had since he was 7, when he used to run around his house with friend, making engine noises for their airplanes. Still, it isn’t going to be easy. Although others have flown with prosthetic legs, only Lt. Ryan McGuire, of Texas, was injured before becoming an Air Force pilot in May — and McGuire was in pilot training when he was hurt in a boating accident, the Dispatch reported. Second, most of the service members who have returned to flying have been below-the-knee amputees, which means they still can push the rudder pedal on a plane more or less normally and reposition their feet to get to the brake. However. Pirrello lost his right leg about mid-thigh, which makes flying more difficult. “I’m in that gray area,” the 21-year-old Pirrello told the Columbus Dispatch. “If you’re in the Air Force when you’re hurt, it’s a matter of retention. If you’re not in the Air Force, it’s a matter of whether they will accept you despite your injuries.” To continue his military career, Pirrello has to win an exception to policy and prove to the Air Force that he has the physical strength and leadership skills to serve, the Columbus Dispatch reported. He and his ROTC commander plan to file his paperwork early this year. But he probably won’t learn his fate until early this summer. If he can’t get his wings, Pirrello said he would like to command unoccupied drones or do some kind of intelligence work. Whatever happens, his supporters say his story is one of strength, hope and healing. “Matt is unstoppable,” Lt. Col. Alejandro Cantu, commander of the Air Force ROTC detachment at Ohio University, told the Dispatch. “He has amazing character, drive and attitude. He’s everything we’re looking for in the Air Force to serve this great country of ours.”

Matt Pirrello ran his first race, the 5-kilometer Jingle Bell Run/Walk at the Dayton Mall, in December 2011. He hopes to become the first amputee to complete the ROTC program and become an Air Force pilot. Photo credit: http://mattpirrello.wordpress.com/photos/ Matt Pirrello runs at Ohio University with his athletic prosthetic leg, training for an ROTC physical-fitness test. He excelled in his first year in ROTC, before his injury. His military career hinges on proving to the Air Force that he has the physical prowess and leadership skills to serve. Photo credit: Brooke LaValley/Columbus Dispatch

• 2012 - 02/22 - Borschberg Begins Simulated 72-Hour Solar Flight
• 2012 - 02/20 - NASA Celebrates 50 Years of Americans in Space
• 2012 - 02/16 - Tiny Robots Swarm Fly in Formation
• 2012 - 02/16 - Civil War Balloon Replica to Take Flight This Summer
• 2012 - 02/09 - Application Deadline Approaches for EAA Scholarship