Autism disqualification for the Air Force?

Post Reply New Topic

Hi Everyone,
So I am considering on going into the Air force. What I am wondering is would they disqualify me for having autism? If you guys can help me out and maybe give some resources or if your in the air force and have autism (How did you get in?) that will help a bunch.

I was never diagnosed. So I applied & made it in a-ok. I was lucky to have been able to pick a trade that interested me - weather. I was lucky as well, as it was one where you worked around the clock & usually alone in the middle if the airfield. I did server two years in the Navy as my second posting. I survived that a-ok. What I couldn't manage was a hard-core army position where I had to deal with lots of people working a day job. I quit soon after arriving. It was very stressful for me then.

Are you diagnosed? Is it in your records? I'd say go for it. See what you can get & make a go of it. I ended up spending 38 years in it. I quit the Army at 21 years, did 12 years Reserve, then 4-½ years regular force with the RCAF.

If you can get in with the right job that fits your demeanour, it is great!

So long as you are diagnosed, you cannot join the military.

Brightonpete is in Canada. Maybe it’s different here.

I rather hope so, the us military can be ridiculous on what it allows and then complains because no enough people want to join. Then again, there are worse things than being forced not to risk your life.

May I ask how you know? I just want to know if there is any back up resources that you looked at and all. Did a recruiter tell you this or something?

I have no direct links for you write now, however I have asked people my family knows that are involved in recruiting and also you can find lists upon lists of disqualifiers online, of which autism is on.

My own father had trouble getting in and all that was about was glasses.

So about a year or so ago I tried to join. I was disqualified for something called MARFANN's Syndrome but I heard talk up at MEPS about autism being a disqualifier. That might just be hearsay, but I was also up there 5 times(took them 6 months to tell me to screw off) and I think I heard that autism would stop you a few times. I wasn't diagnosed with autism until about 3 months after being sent a letter saying I was permanently and completely medically disqualified.

Right but it's not only this. It's also the treatment of people. But if you like to lay down in the mud or to jump as soon as somebody wants you to do it and to have nothing to say at all once you dislike something than it may be your thing. Once I was in the army in east Germany it made me hard. Because of my lack of empathy I would have killed without even feeling bad about this. But I think that it's good that I didn't had to do so. But it's what you have to expect - to be treated like sh*t and to be forced to kill other people that you don't even know. And the USA always tries to wage a war or to cause a war anywhere in the world because of the political influence of the military-industrial complex who wants to sell weapons. But is this really what you want to live for?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_ ... operations

One last thing. Women weren't really accepted in the army and more thought as that they just attended the army to become layd by officers.

I'm sorry but I only asked if I get disqualified or not for having autism. I didn't ask for your opinions about the military. Thanks for the people who responded to my question. I appreciate it

Okay, no worries. I researched it a bit more and looked throughout the internet and it sounds like i would be disqualified for it. Thanks!

Oh i see, sorry that happened to you. Now this gives me some help because you experienced what happened and all. Thank you for sharing.

Only if you tell them that you have autism (or if your symptoms are obvious). If they do a background check for your security clearance, your psych eval might expose you as autistic, too.

I enlisted in the Navy for six years. This was about a decade or so before I was officially diagnosed, so self-disclosure was never a risk. However, the XO of my first ship gave me the nick-name of "Mr. Spock" because I was so serious about my duties.

Yes, it's not my problem of course. You'll have to enjoy it.


How do you think about this now?

Most of the people I have known who have been in the army did take with them the memories of those they killed. They did feel remorse for it. It's just that they felt what they were fighting for was more important. I personally disagree with that but conviction is good regardless.

I am told a story of my father, who while in the military ended up having to deal with and bring to Justice a guy who killed his own daughter. Yet he still visited him in prison despite the fact that he was completely disgusted by it.

I get more annoyed sometimes by the people who have not served in the military but still support it in their own words. Like once in awhile reading a Facebook post, generally one of those stupid share bait posts that they happen to share, but would be congratulating someone for the amount of kills they got or something like it was a video game. That I can't stand.

In Canada, I've heard of someone with eye problems joining the Navy, but being restricted from certain tasks. He ended up in logistics.

Maybe it's similar for Autism? You can join, but only have certain roles?