Anyone else with Asperger's planning on joining the Army?

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I am about to face my last year in High School, and after that I am enlisting in the U.S. Army. Obviously I will have to keep it concealed that I am an aspie (my doctor has agreed to withhold my medical records).

I am just wondering if there is anybody else who is also joining the military. If anything, it is a shame that we have to hide our "disease". If we can preform our duty as well as the next man, and we can stay cool in most situations, then why cannot we enlist?

Would love to hear some input!

I've been in the army - before I knew about my Aspergers.

We lived 12 men in one room, with two sinks, two baths and one toilet.

It was tough to be around that many all the time. When the other went to the city to party at night I had to stay home so as to regain some social energy. The others got annoyed with me because of this. Also, I was threatened with being beaten up by a guy in our room. I was not well liked among the others. Most of them were not exactly academic types like myself, many were to tend the guarding/police business afterwards.

I'm glad I did it, but I'm also glad I shall never do it again!

Some quick advice from a solo backpacking trip in Europe -

You may want to get used to potentially having to share living quarters with others BEFORE it happens. Practice sleeping at home with earplugs and a sleep visor. Then take that for a week in various hostels around your own city. Pick rooms with at least 8 people, preferably 12-16 to loosely emulate what a real barracks may be like (even that is probably small). A barracks, no matter where, will not be more tranquil than a hostel. If nothing, it will also help you get to meet more people and be more secure being social in totally unfamiliar environments - the experience will be a great confidence booster.

I was in the US military in the late 70's. MAJOR MISTAKE. Way wrong planet. Social alterity gets sniffed out fast and the consequences are institutionally punished. Bunking w/ professional killers is not advised.

I almost made the mistake of joining the army. Long Before I knew any thing about aspergers. I thought my behavioral problems where because of a lack of discipline and that joining the army would whip me into shape. It turns out that I could not join the arm services because I had drop out of high school. How that I know what I know and look back at that moment in time. I'm glad I didn't join because it would have udderly destroyed me.

Personally, I find it hard to imagine why anyone who is naturally socially awkward (forgive me for putting it that way) would dream of doing this. I find it hard enough having dinner in a restaurant with more than 4 people, let alone being that close to so many people all day long. I suspect they won't be particularly understanding about your disability either, if they find out about it. The most likely reason that they would want to avoid having people with Aspergers in the army is to protect you from your self. Hard though that might be to like. However, it's your choice, not mine.

I won't go too much into details, but it didn't work out for me....twice.

I thought my "failure to cope" was an issue of not being prepared enough, but nobody effectively knew of AS back then. When I was more mature, I worked hard to get in a second time, and hated every second of it, and it didn't end well. Ultimately, the problems I had the first time posed issues the second time.

Now, I could say that if I knew then what I now know, I could likely make a go of it because NOW I understand all the ways AS affects my life. Back then, I was coping and adapting as I learned of my "issues."

If someone has AS and takes the time to identify and work at dealing with the issues it poses in their lives, maybe they could make it work. Going in with anything less than a very high level of preparation in your coping and adaptation skills is asking for a bad outcome.

I was in the army for 5 years, and am in the reserves now. If you can get through basic training and AIT, then you'll probably be alright. The key is finding an MOS you enjoy and friends in your unit who will stand by you when things get tough. For basic, my best advice is to get into shape NOW, before you get there. Everything will be easier when you're not exhausted all the time.

I'm Taiwanese. I might consider applying to the National Defense Medical College to study medicine after high school.
If that's the case then I will be enlisted in the military as a medic.

Note: Med schools in Taiwan=6 years of studying +2 years of PGY (Previously 7+1)
Graduates from said military med school have to serve for at least 17.5 years

I believe auntie blabbie on these boards was in the armed services. You might try to get in touch.

Actually thought about joining the equivalent of the army in my home country. Been to the local office, mainly for asking about going to the university via our army (would have made it cheaper, and my family isn't that wealthy to easily pay the studying fees for two of their children at once). Took my mother with me, because over here, taking your parents for such things is a big plus and makes it appear more honest and serious.

And what do I have now? The chance of joining the army in its classical sense completely destroyed. Because of a mother who can't keep that fact shut. Of course, it's nothing you should be ashamed of. That still doesn't make it smart to tell everyone about it.

Still hoping that the different nations and armies don't work that close together. Or that they just don't believe it and want to see the diagnostic sheet. Which doesn't exist any more.

No, I don't think so. Too demanding, and I doubt they would accept me in.

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I appreciate all the replies so far, and it has given me a good idea of what to expect. I also forgot to mention, the MOS I am trying to obtain is 27D Paralegal Specialist (I am out to become a defense attorney).

While I prefer to be a loner, I can put up being near people every hour of the day (I already have to do this every day at school and at work). I am already physically able, and recently I have become much more mentally stable. Six months ago it would be a different story.

I just hope I am not making a mistake. It is my only option though. I don't want to go to university since I have no money, I don't want to mooch off living with my parents and go to community college, if anything I believe this would be best for my career. Understand though, that is not the sole reason why I am joining the service.

From what I have heard and researched, I believe it is mostly mental. BCT will test your mental endurance, the only physical challenge is PT (Physical Training). AIT tests your diligence in the classroom.

You aren't allowed to join the US forces if you have a diagnosis of an ASD. It's pretty much the same in most similar places too.

Can't give you a specific "yes or no" answer to your question there. If you deal with rules very well, with the odd social interaction, then you'll do fine. However, there are some issues with noise, a rapid changing environment, and the fact that you're trained to kill people. I was in the Canadian Armed Forces, and found that it was difficult to deal with, but that's just me.

Youtube has a huge repository of combat footage and watching it makes me wish I could be over there. The funny thing is I would be more concerned about living in a barracks than being shot at. Other aspects of military life are probably pretty amenable to AS since it is so regimented in every way.. You would know exactly what is expected of you in almost every situations. But even though I would be an officer if I went in now I can't guarantee I wouldn't have to live in barracks at some point which I could not handle.