Aspergers- armed forces/emergency services

Post Reply New Topic

Anyone know if they'll kick one out of the Army in case one was diagnosed with AS while already serving with a a few more years left in one's contract?

I was DXed with Asperger's while serving in the Air Force by a military psychologist.

I'm still in.

Whether they keep you or boot you will depend on your chain of command. In my case, my squadron commander liked me and wanted me to stay in.

*sigh*

The exact same thing happened to me.

Thread resurrection, I know.
Even in Special Forces/Special Operations, that's not what the psych eval is looking for. They are looking for sociopaths, psychopaths...people who will do more harm than good in such a unit. That said, I would concur...just don't admit to it. Easy day. I spent 9.5 years in the military, with 6.5 of those years in and around the Special Operations community. The only real challenge for an aspie that anyone else might not face would be in units like Civil Affairs or Army Special Forces, where you have to be a "people person." It CAN still be done, though, so don't get discouraged.

As for sensitivity to sound...well...I can say from experience, that the first "combat," deployment will likely fix that...30%+ hearing loss makes you considerably less sensitive. Photo-sensitivity, on the other hand, was a lot harder for me to work with. Things like sun-glasses...in the more rule-bound parts of the military, you can't wear shades in formation unless EVERYONE is wearing them...to maintain idiotic uniformity.

I did find that the overly logical mindset worked out much better for me in SOF than in the conventional military...SF/SOF tend to actively look for thinkers.

I did, however, experience the same issues with respect for/from other ranks that others have mentioned...since I respected my superiors, I assumed I'd automatically be respected by those I was superior to...and it didn't work that way. Luckily, I had a few senior NCOs who were more than willing to work with me and teach me, instead of just yelling and/or criticizing...

Hey ho. Look on the bright side, at least you wont end up being sent home from afghanistan in a black rubber bag with essential parts missing all for some pointless cause.

When I was leaving school and before I was diagnosed with the assburgers I tried to get a commission as a Royal Air Force aircrew officer but failed my medical due to asthma. All I wanted to do from about the age of 7 to 17 was fly Tornado bombers. In hindsight I think it was a hidden blessing. It could (and probably would) have been my face in the obitrary slot on the evening news. Didn't seem so at the time, I was devastated.

With the economic recession, 3 mouths to feed and rising cost of living i've got a damn site more priorities than those evil jihadis, I can tell you.

I work in a hospital and do quite well in emergencies, in part because I can be technical and unemotional. I'm not so good at things where I'm supposed to be sympathetic and compassionate, like labor and delivery.

For some reason, the civillian sector isn't allowed to discriminate against the disabled or homosexuals in the same way that the military can get away with it.

In some ways I guess its sensible. The last thing an army or marine foot patrol needs is for one of their squad mates to start having a meltdown in the middle of the battlefield.

I think if the nation of aspergia is ever realised its defence department will have to be a mainly push-button operation.

...or delivering the news to about to be bereaved next of kin. I'd always image thats an awkward one.

The US forces somewhat recently added ASDs to the list of exclusions to joining (doesn't matter how mild you are).

The Oz ones are the same; same with the UK.

Police forces tend to be even stricter.

Last edited by Dillogic on 27 Oct 2012, 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'd be fired in a minute. I'm not good with showing sympthy, even when I feel it. Luckily, it's not part of my job.

In a way they are hurting their own war efforts. I'd always imagined us auties would make the best snipers due to our eye for detail. I had a marksman badge from when I was in the cadets.

ONe more reason to avoid formal diagnosis.

Really depends on your circumstances and motives for pursuing diagnosis. Military service isn't for everyone and by the time I was diagnosed i'd already been turned down for non related medical reasons.

Anyway f**k em. If theres ever another big war and they need to start desperately recruiting they can whistle. I 'answered the call', but i wasnt wanted. F**k em. I will never wear a military uniform in the name of this country on principle. Especially not after its behaviour in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

Personally I think its BS that AS people can't join the forces in any capacity, hey, in some fields they would outperform their NT contemporaries.

Actually, yes. One of the training evolutions in designated marksman or sniper training is called the "kims memory game." Essentially, it's an exercise in noticing very minor details and differences very quickly. Aside from that, I found that my tendency to be logical instead of emotional tended to work out well in combat. Luckily, I've never been prone to meltdowns...for those that are, I wouldn't recommend the military, even in a non-combat role...most people don't think about the fact that even support personnel have a direct affect on the mission of combat troops...and a meltdown by a supply guy that delays a movement of supplies can easily get an Infantryman killed. As for getting an official diagnosis or not...well...I still work as a contractor for the military, and am considering going back into the Army as a reservist...so I most certainly won't be seeking a diagnosis. I really don't see any way in which a diagnosis would benefit me anyway.

I'll go ahead and throw the offer out there...if any of you are curious about the military, I've 'served,' in two branches, both in combat arms and as a support guy. I'll try to answer any questions honestly, and to the best of my ability...that said, I'm definitely not an expert on all things military, or anything of that nature.

^One hears a lot about silly rules that have to be followed 'because it's the rule,' even if it doesn't make sense; also, of having to obey orders that are stupid and are given by 'superiors' who aren't really superior in any measurable way other than rank.
Your experience?

As an Infantryman, I dealt with this sort of thing QUITE a lot. People with an IQ seemingly less than my shoe size are put in charge due to their ability to blindly follow orders. I always had a lot of friction with those types. Simply put, I'm a thinker...so that didn't work for me. On the other hand, in my experience, on the SOF side of the military, illogical rules are...relaxed. We tended to call each other by first name...jobs were assigned with no regard for rank, but for ability. Uniforms were...generally ignored, unless someone "important," was looking. Instead of being micromanaged, we were given an objective, and told to find a way to accomplish it.

The difference: average infantryman is around 18-19, with a high-school education, at most. Average Special Forces enlisted man is 28 years old with a Master's degree. The maturity level is much higher, so the chain of command is ABLE to relax.

As it was put to me once, "People think we're unprofessional...but that's not true. We're so professional we don't have to obey idiotic rules to prove our professionalism."

I'm not sure on the restrictions there, but I saw on a post not too long ago that AS was added to the prohibited list here in the States. Sorry I can't find the link, but if you tell a recruiter you have what classifies as a psychological condition they're not likely to show much interest.

As a combat infantry vet and a former recruiter, I can say that as long as you can get by without meltdowns or meds, you can make it. Recruiters are always chompin at the bit for qualified applicants, as long as you can keep your mouth shut you can get in. They're not going to search your medical records so you don't have to worry about that. Just expect a lot of scare tactic stuff at the military enlistment processing station threatening about fraudulent enlistment.