No Aspies in the military?

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What happened to old fashioned drafting "If you can fight then you do fight"

At the time, I would imagine. If you would like to illustrate how, at the time, you were not, you may do so.

Or, if you feel you have a word which is more descriptive of your state of reasoning at the time, you may offer that as well.



I participated in a military auxilary program towards officer training school but was unable to enter into a contract due to a decline in my physical health, which, despite encouragement from my superiors, I decided not to pursue a medical waiver for. I greatly enjoyed the time I spent in the military environment and had I not been so afflicted I would have continued with my training.

you just love rubbing salt into the wounds you inflict, don't you? you could give insult comics a run for their money. anyways, may you live long and prosper.

It is not an insult. We are all subject to idiocy at some point in our lives. For example, a large number of individuals took out sub-prime rate loans in the late 90's and a large number of lenders loaned to individuals who should not have been given loans. They both made short sighted, bad, uninformed and idiotic decisions.

With respect to the military, consider that when one joins the military they typically indenture themselves to four to six years of being under the direct authority of a system which will control the most minute details of their lives and agree to participating in situations which may very well cost them their lives.

Such a contract should not be entered into lightly without thorough investigation of what one is getting themselves into.

Recruiters are sales peoples. Just as a sales person would not tell you the bad points about the product they are selling, and just as a loan officer will not tell you if another company offers a lower interest loan, a recruiter will not tell you the bad points about joining the military.

You obviously did not have an enjoyable military experience and you seem to place the blame for that on the recruiter. Unless the recruiter blatantly lied by a means other than omission, I do not see how it is fair that the recruiter should be blamed.

It is not their job to make informed choices for you, and if one can never admit fault on their part for such things, one is doomed to make similar bad choices in the future.

The year I spent in the military was completely useless, and it was voluntary!

I would like to blame the entire institution for not meeting any of my expectations, but it was really I who failed to put up with any of it and serve with any commitment. It just didn't fit me and I felt contempt and distaste for almost all of it, including the people involved. I learned that I could never survive in that kind of environment, and that there were certain situations and people I need to steer well clear of.

At least they never found a use for me and they spent a lot of resources and training in vain. I wasn't the only one who wasted my time.

In the years before and during military eligibility this is a good reason NOT to get a formal diagnosis unless you REALLY need counselling, meds, or to be on disability or whatever. If there's no record of diagnosis anywhere, you've kept your condition to yourself, and you honestly think you can hack military service then it might be an option for you. If nothing else it's at least a steady salary for 4 years, college money, and VA benefits.
I was in the air force and while some aspects of it were more challenging for me than others I look back on it and consider it to be time well spent.

Consider the historical precedents. A lot of very successful military leaders were clearly not what could be termed neurologically normal. In fact most of them were downright bonkers eccentric in one way or another. Likewise, an ability to specialise with fanatical precision can be VERY useful in certain military situations. Not to mention (as always) its a SPECTRUM and thus everyone is different and capable to varying degrees of every kind of activity.

with greatness often comes a tincture of madness.

Case I'm familiar with: Bernard Law Montgomery, Field Marshal, CIGS etc. Deeply eccentric, odd, and by study of his history, certainly not an NT. One of the most successful generals of WW2. By all accounts pigeon-chested and quite a weak sickly child as well.

I did not know this. I've actually considered joining the military so this is pretty upsetting.

I what capacity. Are you going for a leadership role or a technical specialty?

ruveyn

Doesn't matter. All roles in the military eventually turn into "leadership roles."

Well I never got that far into it but I would of wanted to do what everyone else did with no accommodations or anything like that. No use thinking too much about it now I guess.

I have to agree that a formal diagnosis will probably hurt you more than help you unless you really need the medication and whatever other accommodations.

Gee, and here I was in the military until less than a year ago and my unit wanted to promote as well as reenlist me!

Last edited by seaside on 08 Aug 2010, 4:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Pretty much yes on the leadership thing as you go up in rank even to E-4 which is probably as far as you'll get in a 4 year term. Not much leadership but maybe over a few that are junior in rank and it may just be for a detail or something not directly related to your MOS.
Either way you are expected to lead if the opportunity comes where you are senior and would need to lead.

I think the reason for the ban on aspies isn't so much for practical reasons. If you make it though basic and tech school without getting weeded out you should be good to go and most commanders know this.
I figure the reason is because now that the military acknowledges Asperger's Syndrome as a disorder they cannot knowingly allow it because if the potential issues that are related to it.

Agreed. Truth is, the military IS a discriminatory organization. They don't allow any number of people in for a variety of reasons. You can always apply for a waiver of any condition, but seeing as every military branch is meeting recruiting goals, it's unlikely to get approved.

It's one of the reasons I advise people that, unless they are experiencing serious issues in their life, they shouldn't bother with an "official diagnosis." It can bite you in the butt in ways you may not expect.

As for myself, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I made it through Basic and tech. school, but my life blew up when I made E-5. It isn't worth it, and only serves to highlight my weaknesses. I'm getting kicked out. Much love to any Aspie who has been able to make the profession of arms a life-long career.