| What do you think about the decision to exclude people with Asperger's from the US military? |
| I think it is a good decision. |
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14% |
[ 21 ] |
| Overall, I think it's good, but there should be an examination or something similar to that effect. |
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12% |
[ 18 ] |
| Overall, I think it's a bad decision. People should only be excluded for physical disabilities or severe mental disabilities. |
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40% |
[ 58 ] |
| This is a terrible decision. This is discrimination! |
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31% |
[ 45 ] |
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| Total Votes : 142 |
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ryanms92
Butterfly
Joined: Dec 18, 2009
Posts: 16
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 Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:20 am Post subject: |
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| Leekduck wrote: | this is a massive blow to many members of my family, we are a millitary family, My Great Grandad (Probably Autistic) Was a seargent in india and owned much land and was a millionare! my Grandad was also a Military-Person, having gone to a Military school in india and served in the second world war and was asked to join the army as a seargent cos he was so good (He said no though)
This is in britain though so im not sure if it effects us |
As far as I know, the United States is the only country that has this policy. |
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Leekduck
Phoenix
Joined: Jun 01, 2010
Age: 19
Posts: 620
Location: Britain
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| Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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What happened to old fashioned drafting  "If you can fight then you do fight" |
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Chronos
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 23, 2010
Posts: 5231
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| Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:36 pm Post subject: Re: No Aspies in the military? |
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| auntblabby wrote: |
  well gee, thanks a helluva lot, fella  i was "taken advantage of" by a recruiter so i must be an idiot
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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.
| auntblabby wrote: |
have you served in the military? |
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. |
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auntblabby
Chief Assistant to the Assistant Chief
Joined: Feb 13, 2010
Posts: 18225
Location: the island of loveable toy humans
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| Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: No Aspies in the military? |
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| Chronos wrote: | | At the time, I would imagine. If you would like to illustrate how, at the time, you were not, you may do so. |
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. |
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Chronos
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 23, 2010
Posts: 5231
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| Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:28 pm Post subject: Re: No Aspies in the military? |
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| auntblabby wrote: | | Chronos wrote: | | At the time, I would imagine. If you would like to illustrate how, at the time, you were not, you may do so. |
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. |
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Castanea
Emu Egg
Joined: Jul 17, 2010
Age: 24
Posts: 3
Location: Stockholm
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| Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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Raptor
Phoenix
Joined: Mar 09, 2007
Posts: 4504
Location: Southeast U.S.A.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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Macbeth
Voluntary Thane
Joined: May 28, 2007
Posts: 3481
Location: UK Doncaster
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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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.
_________________
"There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart,
that you can't take part" [Mario Savo, 1964] |
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auntblabby
Chief Assistant to the Assistant Chief
Joined: Feb 13, 2010
Posts: 18225
Location: the island of loveable toy humans
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Macbeth wrote: | | 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. |
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Macbeth
Voluntary Thane
Joined: May 28, 2007
Posts: 3481
Location: UK Doncaster
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| auntblabby wrote: | | Macbeth wrote: | | 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.
_________________
"There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart,
that you can't take part" [Mario Savo, 1964] |
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Jacoby
Phoenix
Joined: Dec 11, 2007
Posts: 4025
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| I did not know this. I've actually considered joining the military so this is pretty upsetting. |
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ruveyn
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 22, 2008
Age: 76
Posts: 29318
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Jacoby wrote: | | 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 |
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XFilesGeek
Pretentiousness personified.
Joined: Jul 25, 2010
Posts: 1792
Location: The Oort Cloud
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| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:01 am Post subject: |
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| ruveyn wrote: | | Jacoby wrote: | | 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." |
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Jacoby
Phoenix
Joined: Dec 11, 2007
Posts: 4025
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| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:49 am Post subject: |
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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. |
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seaside
Snowy Owl
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Joined: Jun 11, 2010
Posts: 162
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| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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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 Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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