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EgaoNoGenki
Deinonychus
Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Posts: 328
Location: Manhattan, KS
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 Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:39 am Post subject: Can we join the military with Asperger's? |
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Or is it a disqualification?
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tweety_fan
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 03, 2007
Posts: 2352
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:40 am Post subject: |
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| not sure. |
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Tantybi
Phoenix
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Age: 31
Posts: 1053
Location: Wonderland
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:46 am Post subject: |
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I don't know if it's a disqualification or not, but I'm Aspie and I was in the military. It actually taught me a lot about people and how to deal with them.
Maybe just stick with the idea that the military is on a need to know basis. I doubt they will ask, so just don't volunteer it. I doubt if they did know that it would be an issue unless it was obvious to the recruiters that something was off. I heard the psych evals are getting tougher, but considering that would be in comparison to the psych eval I got, I doubt they have gotten far enough to consider anything about autism in it. FYI, my psych eval was, "Did you ever smoke marijuanna?" No. "Are you sure?" Yes. "Yes, you smoked marijuanna or yes you are sure." Yes I am sure I never smoked marijuanna. "Not even a puff?" Not even I smoked but never inhaled. "Okay, you are done here." |
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kip
Eternally Indisposed...
Joined: Mar 14, 2007
Age: 22
Posts: 1101
Location: Las Vegas NV USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:38 am Post subject: |
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My medical was under my social security number, so I had to tell them everything. And yes, a DX of AS IS a disqualifying condition. So are depression meds, and anything for ADD.
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Magneto
Deinonychus
Joined: Jun 13, 2009
Posts: 367
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:42 am Post subject: |
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| I'd be disqualified from joining the military, because I ask for justification behind orders. Apparantly that's not what you do. |
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legionsdad
Blue Jay
Joined: May 19, 2009
Age: 35
Posts: 90
Location: Cali
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| I was in the army for 7 years, I was a paratrooper. I didn't know I had aspergers till 5 years after medical discharge. I always knew I was different, didn't understand how? I loved the army, hated promotions. |
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zer0netgain
Phoenix
Joined: Mar 03, 2009
Posts: 1344
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:06 am Post subject: |
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| Magneto wrote: | | I'd be disqualified from joining the military, because I ask for justification behind orders. Apparantly that's not what you do. |
Which is sad because people with AS tend to be that way....ironically, if you give them that justification, they can do their jobs better...sometimes finding better ways to get it done. |
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TiredGeek
Raven
Joined: Jun 22, 2009
Age: 38
Posts: 106
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:09 am Post subject: |
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| that is a shame, they're missing out because I have known some very good special ops people that were probably undiagnosed Aspies. |
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JPanzer
Deinonychus
Joined: Oct 23, 2008
Age: 14
Posts: 313
Location: East Sussex, England.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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I asked a recruiting Sergeant if people with AS could join the Armed Forces and he said it depends on what job you choose and if you have any other medical conditions, depression etc etc.
Since i either want to work in the R.A.F // Army as a rear line officer working on plans, developing new doctrines etc i most probably would be permitted.
I could certainly join GCHQ though.
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jimmister
Raven
Joined: Oct 05, 2008
Posts: 122
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:23 pm Post subject: Re: Can we join the military with Asperger's? |
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| EgaoNoGenki wrote: | | Or is it a disqualification? |
It may, depending on how high-functioning you are. I am very high-functioning, but I doubt I will ever get to join. I don't want to join, anyway. |
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Callista
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 04, 2006
Age: 26
Posts: 3850
Location: Central USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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I know an ex-Marine Aspie. She did fine in the military, but she didn't disclose it.
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Willard
Suicide Mohel
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 1533
Location: CSA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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It's always been a puzzlement to me, the attraction to military life. I get the positives of strict routine, but as has been stated here already, the pressure of having to follow orders w/o justification would drive me nuts - I'd be in trouble constantly, until they threw me out with prejudice.
I just wanted to point out that part of the handicap that is Asperger's Disorder involves processing stimuli under pressure. In other words, we think fine, but we generally don't think fast, especially in a crunch. Not an issue at a desk job, but quite a drawback should you ever find yourself in a firefight.
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Callista
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 04, 2006
Age: 26
Posts: 3850
Location: Central USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I think it depends on your ability to automatize your reactions. If, for example, you had a standard pattern of actions for finding yourself in a firefight, and you went through that pattern, then you wouldn't have to think fast.
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Katie_WPG
Velociraptor
Joined: Sep 08, 2008
Age: 23
Posts: 441
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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I suppose it would depend on how much that recruiter knew about AS.
But, when they hear things like "Prone to "meltdowns" when seeing bright lights or hearing loud noises" do you REALLY think that will instill confidence in them, regarding people with AS? Or will they just assume that the person will either:
A) Go postal, and start shooting everything in sight when a roadside bomb goes off?
B) Shut down completely, and jeopardize the mission?
Not saying that a person with AS wouldn't be a good soldier, but if someone is the kind of person who thinks that the SUPERMARKET is too stressful, then I wouldn't blame army recruiters for turning them away. |
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Willard
Suicide Mohel
Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 1533
Location: CSA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Callista wrote: | | Yes, I think it depends on your ability to automatize your reactions. If, for example, you had a standard pattern of actions for finding yourself in a firefight, and you went through that pattern, then you wouldn't have to think fast. |
A standard pattern of actions for dealing with single or multiple assailants firing with a possible mixture of handguns, automatic weapons or grenade launchers from one or more different directions simultaneously. Loud noises, bright flashes of light, a constantly and rapidly changing environment, the pressure of imminent injury and/or death, strangers with lethally hostile intent. Hmm. Good luck with that.
I realize good training goes a long way (and I understand the purpose for all the training is so that you will have somewhat automatic responses even when dazed and overwhelmed by external stimuli), but a brain dysfunction that slows processing to a crawl and causes cognitive shutdown puts a lot of weight on the other side of the scale. I'm just saying I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig to put it to the test in actual battlefield conditions. I don't think I could stim fast enough to dodge a bullet. 
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