If you can decide whether or not to join the army...
Don't. It's shit. Sure there are good times, but for each good moment there are 1000 bad ones. :grin:
Unless, of course, you are
really,
really,
really,
really into it.
Trust me, I know.
Well, I'm completely paranoid about being drafted.
My mother says not to worry because if (though actually when fuck those baby-boomer politicians to the innermost ring of Dis) they reinstate it, the won't touch anybody with AS with a ten foot pole.
And I think I met somebody with AS on another forum who was rejected by the Army.
On the other hand, I read a story in which the Army illegally tricked a kid with actual autism into joining because they were that desperate for troops.
So I don't know.
If you want to get in, minimize your AS tendencies as much as possible during the interview.
If you want to avoid it come draft, maximize them during the hearings.
but my question is: is it possible to pass the test legally? :?
Oh wait, you're in the Netherland.
Don't know Dutch Laws.
For the United States ate least it is possible.
Unless you already have an official diagnosis, in which case the Army keeps you out, and if you Lie you can get in serious trouble.
if its in the united states, is it possible to join or pass the test, or not? :?
The army, as I said, has been accussed of illegally recruiting low functioning autistics.
So I'd say even if they don't want you, in the US they'd be desperate enough to give it a try right now.
Can't help with Holland though, hadn't noticed that you were in the low countries initially.
Mind, I haven't taken the test here in the US or anywhere else, but I can't see why an Aspie would fail it. There is nothing subtle about the types of social skills the military is looking for: give order, follow it. Simple. If you follow instructions you're in. What they are trying to weed out are personalities that will refuse to conform, or will get unpredictable under pressure. The military life is so structured and predictable ... I guess it depends on the individual, but don't many Aspies do really well when the rules are clear and life is predictably structured? I could see my son doing very well in military life (and I do have military training, so I have some idea what it's like, although that is a whole other story), although the first time he got an order that was completely wrong I'm sure he would refuse to take it. But, hey, some orders shouldn't be followed, really. And, honestly, I don't WANT him in the military. At all. ANYWAY, I wouldn't think that simply being Aspie is enough to rule someone out, if they really do want to serve.
In the US, you can have any PDD and be accepted into the army, as long as you've been employed without accomodations for a year, or graduated high school without accomodations.
I heard that the US military recently changed the age limit to 41 years old for joining. When they start getting desperate for bodies to send to Iraq, they'll take almost anybody.
In order to become an officer, you have to go through basic training first and work your way up from the bottom.
You shouldn't join the army in my oppinion, Seriouslly, They yell at you and stuff.
My daughter was diagnosed as a teenaged as having ADHD because of 'behavioural problems' at school.
She wanted to join the army and they rejected her because of her diagnosis. However, she has kind of sneaked in through the backdoor by joining the TA (British volunteer reserve army) after being an army cadet. I think she believes that with some good references from her commanding officers in the TA then she's hoping to transfer/reapply to the regulars.
Personally, I believe she's Aspie like me but I haven't told her because I believe she's already aware she has some difficulties and has some insight into what they are, which means she's better able to address and cope with them.
I'm worried that if I told her I believed she's Aspie then she might have to disclose that knowledge and she might get chucked out, and then she would blame me.
I would like order and structure but certainly not being yelled at (unless it was as part of a group where we all got yelled at). Not that I would care for being shouted at any time but the main thing that would concern me would be getting singled out. Lack of privacy would be another issue but I'd be fairly happy to do "civvy" work.
You got no chance if you are in the UK, in my youth, I tried.
They took one look at AS, and rejected me, although I did pass the test.