IDF corporal Itai Sviri may be hard of hearing, but says it has never stopped him from doing anything – including serving his country.

Sviri finished high school with honors and decided to enlist in the IDF. Now he’s on track to become a non-commissioned officer.

Sviri told Arutz Sheva, “My hearing loss is considered light to moderate. Without a hearing aid my hearing is 40% of a regular person’s. But with a hearing aid, I hear almost as well as anyone. I need a hearing aid during the day, but I do not let that limit me in anything.”

“I try to be as much as I can be,” Sviri said. “I worked hard and did the best job possible, and now the Army is sending me to be an NCO.”

“I do not feel like I’m hard of hearing,” Sviri added. “Because people don’t care about it.”

Sviri said he has also experienced unpleasantness and negativity in life, but chooses not to despair. “The hearing aids I wore in the past were obvious, and my childhood was not easy. Making friends was hard, but I eventually learned to get along.”

“I don’t worry about it, and don’t let it limit me, or stop me from doing the things I want to do,” he added.

Sviri enlisted in the IDF six months ago, and has completed his basic and specialty training.

“I was assigned to a base in the north,” he said. Now the officers say I will be a noncommissioned officer. I am already in charge of training, management, and human resources for the base. I work morning and night.”

Sviri said his being hard of hearing taught him a sage lesson, “My advice? If you can dream it, then you can do it.”