Military Now Recruiting Autistic Kids

[TomInTib]

This has probably been posted earlier, but I wanted the LeftCoasters to see this outrage.


Jared Guinther is 18. Tall and lanky, he will graduate from Marshall High School in June. Girls think he's cute, until they try to talk to him and he stammers or just stands there -- silent.

Diagnosed with autism at age 3, Jared is polite but won't talk to people unless they address him first. It's hard for him to make friends. He lives in his own private world.

Jared didn't know there was a war raging in Iraq until his parents told him last fall -- shortly after a military recruiter stopped him outside a Southeast Portland strip mall and complimented him on his black Converse All Stars.

"When Jared first started talking about joining the Army, I thought, 'Well, that isn't going to happen,' " said Paul Guinther, Jared's father. "I told my wife not to worry about it. They're not going to take anybody in the service who's autistic."

But they did. Last month, Jared came home with papers showing that he not only had enlisted, but also had signed up for the Army's most dangerous job: cavalry scout. He is scheduled to leave for basic training Aug. 16.

more of this surreal crap:

http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/1146882329307730.xml&coll=7

[wuushew]

1. Is autism incompatible with military service?

n/t

[gordianot]

5. Yes generally it is or should be.

There is a wide spectrum of involvement with Autism.

Drug, alcohol abuse, and mental illness should also be incompatible with the Presidency.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

8. So true.

But, alongside the drugs, alcohol, and mental illness . . .

. . . the guy is a dipshit! :mad:


There oughta be a law . . .

[TomInTib]

7. Do you want someone who cannot relate to those around him

covering your butt?

I spent 3 tours in Vietnam. Crazy people are fine, detached people will get you killed.

[wuushew]

9. I don't believe in the mission

so maybe this is a victory against neo-imperialism.

[TomInTib]

11. Whether you believe in "the mission" or not, this is outrageous.

Where does it stop?

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. No.

There are more vocational roles available in the military than are available in real life. Many (most?) people on the spectrum could contribute in a meaningful way.

The irony of military service is that they were the pioneer in integrating the races. It would be somewhat consistent if they would pioneer integration for those with developmental disabilities.

This should not be construed as support for the unethical and predatory practices of recruiters.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. I honestly don't see the military as a good fit for a kid with autism

I can't see this kid contributing in any meaningful ways. But more importantly, I don't think the military will do anything positive for him.

[lumberjack_jeff]

32. Maybe, maybe not.

My feeling is that (assuming the young man is not legally incompetent) this is a decision between him and his prospective employer.

"Autism" isn't one thing, any more than "the military" is one thing. It's like a venn diagram, there are people within the autism spectrum who could perform many of the jobs within the military.

As a parent of a child with autism, It is my hope that he'll be allowed enough self-determination to choose any careers for which an employer considers him suited.

The gut reactions from people to this story are the reason why I was initially resistant to seeking a diagnosis for him. It is to a large degree a method for everyone to place him in a box of their choosing.

People join the military all the time, hoping to get a certain specialty. Sometimes it doesn't work out and the military chooses a specialty for which the individual is suited.

I work with Special Ed teachers on my sons behalf almost daily. I have great respect for what they do. But with all due respect, they've learned to not say "I can't see this kid contributing in any meaningful ways" to me.

[AndyTiedye]

26. His Job Would Be Finding IED's the Hard Way

I guess an autistic person could do that, but does he really understand what he signed up for?
He doesn't even know there's a war going on!

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. IMO, as a special ed teacher,

I would say the military is NOT a good choice for a kid with autism.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

2. I heard about this.

Hope the recruiters are just thrilled with themselves.

They probably think that it's funny.

[TomInTib]

12. Those bastards out to be ordered to go on 'scouting' missions

with the poor guy.

Crazy guys are great in combat, but autistic...?

[CrazyOrangeCat]

20. All I know of 'scouting missions' . . .

. . . are from movie scenes, since I was too young for Vietnam by a couple years. But I cannot invision a more terrifying experience.

Teenagers with no ability to communicate do not need to be subjected to that. Unbelievable.

[bdamomma]

3. OMG

this is just beyond words, how can these people sleep at night.:puke:

[Ilsa]

4. His parents need to jump in there and get him released.

Good Goddess, they don't know what they are getting into. Maybe when they see him off whatever meds he might be on, or if his doc sees he might be taking some seriosu shit, they'll release him from his contract. My autistic kid is on several meds, and a number of people with a variety of ASD are on meds.

[ECH1969]

6. The US military finding places for societies undesirables

[genieroze]

10. What's next going to HS special ed classes?

[gordianot]

14. Not uncommon.

I have seen it happen many times.

[TomInTib]

18. Aww..., c'mon.

They are not recruiting SE students, are they?

How do you know this? Are you a teacher?

If you are, I apologize for my sentence structure.

[gordianot]

23. Yes, an administrator, been happening many years.

This has been going on for a long time. I will admit this is the first time I have heard of recruitment of a student in the Autistic Spectrum.

At least deaf students, the blind are safe, as well as Health Impaired.

You can walk, talk, take an ASVAB you can enlist.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Under NCLB, the schools are required to release names of ALL their kids

to military recruiters.

[TexasLawyer]

13. The Army is still trying to recruit my German foreign exchange

student who lived with us three years ago! She's back in Germany, but they don't give up!

[TomInTib]

15. Really? Did she have a US Social Security number?

That is even more strange than 80year-olds receiving call-up notices.

[TexasLawyer]

28. No. No SS# and she was about 90 lbs soaking wet--

but very smart. She accidentally took an "aptitude" test at her high school (here in Houston) that ended up being an "Army aptitude" test.

[TomInTib]

29. And that fell into the matrix? That is really disturbing..

I just do not know what to say (and I have been drinking, so I would not make any sense, anyway).

[proud patriot]

17. as an preschool assistant for autistic kids

this infuriates me

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Yeah me too

This is just too sick for words.

[TomInTib]

27. I t's things like this that keep me on DU in spite of all the craziness

I have seen your posts for quite some time, and now find that you are working with autistic kids.

Small world (without going into detail, I am watching the Astros and the Giants).

[Viva_La_Revolution]

22. the recruiter was Olbermans Worst Person in the World tonight!

:bounce:

There's no way that kid should be shipping out. :(

[NorthernSpy]

30. how's this different from recruiting child soldiers?

Jared is 18 years old -- chronologically.

But he sure doesn't seem like an adult. Mentally speaking, will Jared be something like a child soldier?

:think:

[gordianot]

31. The military likes 18 year olds.

They take more risks, by the time they are 20 they have started to shed illusion of invulnerability.