Why is it bipolar can join military but aspies can't?

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I very much doubt the military would take people diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

I thought about the military too for a while as a means of escaping my situation and achieving "the glory" that forefathers had won on battlefield, I've had a diagnosis since I was like 15 so that was never in the cards and to be honest when I thought about joining in hindsight I know there would of been no way I could of handled it at the time. I think I could maybe do it now, I've matured a lot over the years but still it's an impossibility. It's too bad you had to go to a recruiter to be told this.

I guess he could of gotten a waiver because he thinks the diagnosis was in error and they agreed or was never officially diagnosed bipolar or maybe he's delusional and just completely making it all up? Who knows, my brother is bipolar and he'll completely imagine ridiculous things to the point that I take everything he says with a grain of salt.There is no way they'd take some kid who was diagnosed bipolar and was hospitalized, I don't know how somebody bipolar doesn't need medication according to medical professionals. Maybe the bipolar person thinks that, I don't think any doctor does.

"He says they said..."

Is he actually IN the military or not?

I don't think its fair either, even if it isn't what you expect it to be, I think its good to get out there and experience something bigger than yourself. The notion that the military is too good for spies is some elitist bs. Its pretty much an open secret that enlistment is a program for america's wayward souls, kind of like prison but with better resume padding.

The peace-corps doesn't give you the free college, but it still gets you out of the house. If you're feeling ballsy, you can try the french foreign legion, but you'd have to pay to travel there and there isn't a guarantee you'd get accepted.

I think the others are right about your friend though, he probably didn't get accepted like he claims.

Since I did not know that I had AS when I joined, there was no deception on my part, no medical history to be discovered, and no behavioral problems to betray me.

Lack of eye contact? When at attention, you stare straight ahead, and you never make eye contact with the D.I., unless you want to do a hundred push-ups.

Lack of coordination? Marching doesn't require any real grace; just walk with your back straight, eyes forward, and in step with everyone else.

Poor verbal communication? Repeat after me: "Yes, sir!", "No, sir!", "One! Two! Three! Four!". The D.I. has no interest in much else.

Aversion to bright light, loud noise, rough textures, and bad smells? Well ... you just have to get used to all of that.

Otherwise, just wear the uniform you're supposed to wear, be where you're supposed to be and when you're supposed to be there, do what you're supposed to be doing, and salute anyone who outranks you.

But we have Aspie members here on WP who have served in the military.

i read an article in the past few weeks (sorry, don't remember which online source) that said the military is considering lifting the ban from service on mental illness. good news, as the ban was based on unfounded stigma.

^ I'm glad the military is coming to their senses on this, for all of the unapologetic focus on perfection, they wind up with a lot of smokers and alcoholics who've learned to coast their way into retirement. I've seen so many opinionated, out of shape people in uniform complain every time their little club gets a little bigger. Nowhere else have I heard people so eager to explain why other's aren't good enough to do what they do.