Expert: Jason Grabill - 8/29/2007

Question
QUESTION: I am an Irish/US citizen living in Ireland. I really hope to join the US Army sometime soon. I am on a low dosage of brain medication due to a breakdown I had a few years ago. I should be coming off this soon enough. The other separate issue is my autism, it's very mild, would it disqualify me from enlisting in the army? I pray and pray for positive answers. Surely they could give me a waiver..?

ANSWER: Conor:

 You can't enlist into the military with any form of autism, it's not a waiverable condition, sorry.

Jason

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: That's gotta be wrong. I read of a 'moderately' autistic teen who was recruited in Portland, Oregon. I also read they give waivers to those with 'ADHD' and Ahstma. There are numerous reasons that I can justify that you're answer should be inaccurate. Surely, they might not even ask for medical records. I've heard of many recruiters 'bending' the rules and encouraging people with conditions or minor offences of drug-use etc..to lie? Surely there must be some way I can get into the army?

Answer
Conor:

 To begin with, your answer is incorrect in that you are assuming recruiters will just break and bend the rules (your words) just to enlist YOU.  Wrong answer kiddo.  The recruiters who enlisted the ADHD kid were court martialed and booted from the military.  The answer is NO and that is what it will remain.  If you find some recruiter dumb enough to actually enlist you, you'll wash out of boot camp when (note that it is WHEN, not 'if') your condition is discovered.  At that point, you'll be given an "other than honorable" discharge,(for fraudulent enlistment) at the very least, and if your recruiter is determined to have fraudulently enlisted you, he or she will be demoted, possibly thrown into jail, and most assuredly tossed out of the military with a bad conduct discharge as well.

Since you have 'read' of these things (asthma is only waiverable if it was childhood prior to age 13 and never since then), and ADHD is only waiverable if it was never diagnosed and you never had meds.   Therefore, by your own question, you are DQ'd since you are on meds.

So, the answer, like it or not, is again, "NO".  That's just the way it is.   Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

If you don't believe me or are still determined, contact a recruiter on your own.  I'm telling you to tell the truth, because if you don't, you'll be worse off in the long run, with a bad discharge if you manage to somehow get in.