Why wouldn't someone with asperger's/pdd-nos function in the military???????????

I have been wondering what kinds of problems someone with a history of Aspergers Syndrome or PDD-NOS might have if they were in the military. I also would like to know if anyone thinks those kinds of disorders can be controlled to an extent that the person would be able to handle military service. I know someone with that syndrome who lied about it and got in telling me he doesn't care about the chances of fraudulent enlistment and that he wants to take advantage of all the recruiting violations going on. I have also met some people in the army that did lie about it and didn't care about integrity or the chance of getting dishonerably discharged. They have gone and done quite well in the army. The army has already lowered the standards on ADD and ADHD. If they haven't already they should do the same on AS/PDD-NOS but what are some problems that someone with those kind of medical problems might have in the military?Why wouldn't someone with asperger's/pdd-nos function in the military???????????
As a person with AS, I think it should be decided on a case by case basis. I don't think any individual with AS should join without having gone through ROTC first. That's because once you join the military, you cannot get out of the military; it's a crime to leave the military once joined. Lastly, I don't think it's perjury not to mention that you have a certain disorder.



As a fellow, Aspergian, I think for some people with AS, it could be a good idea to join the military; it provides discipline and helps the individual perform to their best. I wouldn't join because I am not physically fit enough to handle basic training, but many people with Aspergers do very well with individual sports activities (i.e. running). I do very well with teams and can put my mind into the situation at hand (I wouldn't be talking about the music during combat; how ludicrous is that). I don't have sensitivity to any of the 5 primary senses, but realize that many do. For an individual that has been a social misfit, I think the military can change that person's life around and if they can handle it, it will turn their life from one that is having difficulty finding a job to one that is more successful, more disciplined, and more mature. Succeeding in the military sure helps someone in not making sure excuses run their life and these are very unconscious thoughts and beliefs as excuses don't have to be expressed.



I think it would be accurate to say that an AS person who has noise or visual sensitivity may not be a good fit for the military. I find it easy to work in a team, but I sometimes have some nuances that might turn people off.



I think the only individuals that should join the military are those who actually want to make a career out of it and they should take up ROTC before even considering to join. When you're in combat, you must be trained well. If you're not trained well, you're not going to come home alive. That's why a military draft isn't a great idea because the most dedicated soldiers are those who make a career out of it. It's similar to saying you shouldn't handle poisonous snakes unless your a herpetologist (a person who handles reptiles for a living).



Still, I think you did a great job and I am glad to have your perspective. Thumbs up all the way!Why wouldn't someone with asperger's/pdd-nos function in the military???????????
It has a lot to do with the skewed sense of "focus" that someone with Asperger's has. Someone with this disorder can function in normal society, to a point, but a characteristic of Asperger's is that they tend to focus on one subject to the exclusion of ALL else. It'd be great if that focus was "obey all orders my commanding officer gives me and be the best soldier I can" but chances are, it's not. What if they're obsessed with music? That's not going to do them or their fellow soldiers any good if they're in the middle of the desert and they can't stop talking about what music they like, what music they've played, which particular 20-second portion of one obscure song they love better than anything else...you get the picture.



Asperger's varies widely in intensity (one of the most severe forms is Autism) and at the moment there's no one medication for it, though several are used and many more are in development. The military could decide one day to lower the standards (if the drop in enlistment continues they may HAVE to) but until they can control this disorder a bit better, they will probably continue to restrict enlistment for Asperger's.



(And please be careful about trying to deceive the military when enlisting. Sure it's fine if they never find out, but if they DO find out, dishonorable discharge could be the least of someone's worries.)Why wouldn't someone with asperger's/pdd-nos function in the military???????????
Having been in the military and also being a mom of an Aspie I can answer this somewhat. Aspies tend to get overwhelmed and in Basic the goal is to overwhelm so one can adapt and overcome. That noise level, the yelling, the moving quickly (lots of aspies have motor delays) would be far more difficult. And I am only talking about basic, can you imagine in the stress of combat? My son can go months seemingly under control and then a siren goes off or an alarm somewhere and he gets totally overwhelmed. The other thing is in the marines you need to work as a team very often. Aspies tend to work best by themselves without deadlines. That simply would not be a good thing in the military. I could go on and on but the AS/PDD-NOS restriction is in the best interest of the individual.