If you faced being drafted

[RFayette]

I am having a hard time finding official documentation concerning the military's policy about Asperger's, but it's pretty much a universal consensus on forums (when the question is asked) that revealing one's Asperger's diagnosis is an instant disqualifier (or any autism spectrum disorder) with respect to military service.  Since it's likely to get asked, it effectively bars someone with such a diagnosis from joining the military, which is too bad.   My kindergarten teacher apparently thought I had autism, but fortunately I was never taken to a psychologist for a diagnosis; hence, for all intents and purposes, I don't have it.

The military has gotten very picky.  You could probably get in, especially if you had a skill we lacked, but it would be a large red flag and it wouldn't take very many more smaller red flags to prevent you from enlisting.

Good thing I wasn't diagnosed, then.  

I love long-distance running and have a fairly disciplined workout regimen (consisting of a lot of daily pushups, pullups, crunches, and squats), so I don't think I'd have a problem with the physical aspect of military service, and I figure that I could do just fine in a technical role like computer programming or data analysis.  I've also never really had problems with authority, so it seems hard for me to envision service being too problematic.  I am curious what Antonio considers to be aspects of his personality that make him a bad fit for the military.

Out of curiosity dead0man, what are examples of "other, smaller red flags" with respect to military service?

[Antonio the Sixth]

I am curious what Antonio considers to be aspects of his personality that make him a bad fit for the military.

I only thrive when I'm allowed to live life on my own (very slow) rhythm, following my own routines, and in relative quiet. I can't stand external pressure and strict requirements. I hate having to share my personal space with people I'm not very close with (I've never had a roommate or flatmate). The sort of (quintessentially masculine) camaraderie that develops among conscripts would work terribly for me. I'm very emotionally expressive and needy, so I'd obviously be dismissed and told to "man up". I'd most likely end up as the odd one out who gets bullied as a way to reinforce group cohesion. Also, I've never really exercised in my life (when I do sports it's only for my enjoyment) and I could certainly not stand that amount of physical activity.

Again though, I'm not saying that would be true for all people with Asperger's. We're people like everybody else with our own personalities and preferences, and Asperger's is only a tiny facet of them IMO.

[dead0man]

Out of curiosity dead0man, what are examples of "other, smaller red flags" with respect to military service?

Any arrest, lots of traffic tickets, lots of debt, minor drug use, being outside of the normal human size range, being too old (I think 26 is the highest you can enlist without a waiver, but the closer you get to that age, the less they want you), being too skinny and probably a few dozen other things I don't know about or can't think of.

[Green Line]

Why are so many of you cowardly?  If our grandparents generation had the same attidute thay most of you have, we would have been screwed.

[Murica!]

Why are so many of you cowardly?  If our grandparents generation had the same attidute thay most of you have, we would have been screwed.

lmao

[Badger]

Why are so many of you cowardly?  If our grandparents generation had the same attidute thay most of you have, we would have been screwed.

lmao

He's right you know.

Of course our grandparents had Tojo and Hitler to fight. Not wars in Iraq and Vietnam......

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Why are so many of you cowardly?  If our grandparents generation had the same attidute thay most of you have, we would have been screwed.

lmao

He's right you know.

Of course our grandparents had Tojo and Hitler to fight. Not wars in Iraq and Vietnam......

Depends on how old your grandparents are.