This situation applies to Holland, not the US/UK... however, I think it's something everyone can consider food for thought.
Back when I was a teen, I was worried. Cause at some day, I realized... in a few years I'm 18, and I have to enlist in the army. And be in the army for about a year or so. At that same age I grew my hair, had some facial piercings, thought about tattoos... and those ideas kinda stuck to me. Thus, I had a hard time letting go. As a matter of fact, they're pretty much just a part of me. My looks and such, are part of my identity, they define who I am of sorts. That's not superficial, but I'm more than just words on paper. I am an appearance as well. And that was only for starters the problem I had with the army.
So anyway. Enlistment, the big scary word. I did a presentation about the army when I was in elementary, cause I once got a "soldier's handbook" when I was 9 years old. It had all kinds of procedures about gasmasks, rifles, ammo, schematics on tanks and helicopters, rank insignia's... all that information was a lot of fun to me. I used to dress up like a soldier during our national "carnaval" festivities (which is like Halloween, just in february or march, and with less scary things and more clowns and stuff). People dressed up as indians, cowboys, clowns... some people just bought a soliders uniform, bought a toy gun and just went out like that. And nowadays, I even wear some camo cargo's just because they're comfy and I actually like the green forest camo print in a way. At least it's a break from the black pants I wear.
So, when I was 15, they decided to cancel enlistment. Or at least, not make it mandatory. So I was relieved.
Now... almost 15 years later... I'm getting a diagnosis and it got me thinking. What if... what if I was enlisted, had a screening and medical check-up and I was deemed not "healthy".That I had mental issues. Or what if I was fine, but during the first few days I had a breakdown cause I couldn't handle that kind of "workethic". I should've went by therapists a lot earlier and might have had my situation sorted out earlier and better.
Now, there's a few things I'm seeing as a result of not being enlisted in general youth since then.
A. people with serious "issues" take way longer to get help cause they actually have to figure out themselves if they actually need help. (even if that means I'm not fit for the army, I might get some attention and/or a job suited for my needs)
B. in general I think it's fair to state that a lot of "youth" nowadays does not comprehend the concept of respect and/or decency.
C. a lot of people don't finish school cause they don't think it's "fun"... (while in the army you'd at least learn a skill)
D. a lot of people don't learn skills you actually might need in life (the prime example being driving a car. I know way too many people that are a bit older than me, that actually got their license in the army. I'm seeing a lot of people that can't afford lessons, thus don't drive a car, which leads to them not being able to participate in all jobs where needed)
E. overall health of people. (I can't imagine the army being happy with "fat" people. So you had some more education about how to live healthy and had to practice it as well)
In 2011 the government decided that everyone who leaves high school needs to do some volunteering for 30 hours. As means of a social contribution. Yet, there's no guidelines. So actually you can do "something". If I were to help out 30 hours for free at my local tattoo shop, that would be fine. Granted, the store owner should have use of me, even if it's cause I can draw well and might help him out there.
The opposition already gave a heads up that such a small job, is hard to land for "gifted" kids. And I think it's safe to say, that I could also count aspies in such way, as well as other people on the spectrum. Some of us are quite "quirky" and exccentric, and it's a part of us. But they don't really have a solution for "special needs" kids.
To make such things even more interesting; The mandatory volunteering (that's an oxymoron) is now an integral part to even get your high school diploma. Which in the end means that people who are just really smart in a theoretical sense do have a slight handicap here. And that might even be "worse" if they just think you're "quirky" because you think that's a fun way to be.
So recapping the dates, I finished high school in 1999, thus there was no volunteering, I turned 18 in 2000, there was no drafting. So I actually feel that the period of 1997 to 2011 leaves out a group that's stuck in the middle by means of "support" and being pointed towards a direction. And that doesn't even include only the ones ON the spectrum, it includes everyone. But being on the spectrum "early" on, might get you some services you actually need to benefit from later in life.
I am aware that those "services" were not around for any older members on the board (or even people in general on the spectrum), but let's look at it this way. I don't think the circumstances in how you did land a job, jobexperience, eventually finished college and the whole nine, was the same experience it was now. For one... I remember that at my high school there was no groupwork, 15 years later they even grade you on your ability to be a "teamplayer". I even found that out when I was at University in 2007. I never learned to be a teamplayer, on top of not being a social person to begin with. (I'll let the discussion about "they should've looked into such things before they admit people to their university" slip for now, maybe another time)
But like I said, in general it only applies to Holland, but the entire situation about education, employment, learning skills and such, it might apply to everyone
Back when I was a teen, I was worried. Cause at some day, I realized... in a few years I'm 18, and I have to enlist in the army. And be in the army for about a year or so. At that same age I grew my hair, had some facial piercings, thought about tattoos... and those ideas kinda stuck to me. Thus, I had a hard time letting go. As a matter of fact, they're pretty much just a part of me. My looks and such, are part of my identity, they define who I am of sorts. That's not superficial, but I'm more than just words on paper. I am an appearance as well. And that was only for starters the problem I had with the army.
So anyway. Enlistment, the big scary word. I did a presentation about the army when I was in elementary, cause I once got a "soldier's handbook" when I was 9 years old. It had all kinds of procedures about gasmasks, rifles, ammo, schematics on tanks and helicopters, rank insignia's... all that information was a lot of fun to me. I used to dress up like a soldier during our national "carnaval" festivities (which is like Halloween, just in february or march, and with less scary things and more clowns and stuff). People dressed up as indians, cowboys, clowns... some people just bought a soliders uniform, bought a toy gun and just went out like that. And nowadays, I even wear some camo cargo's just because they're comfy and I actually like the green forest camo print in a way. At least it's a break from the black pants I wear.
So, when I was 15, they decided to cancel enlistment. Or at least, not make it mandatory. So I was relieved.
Now... almost 15 years later... I'm getting a diagnosis and it got me thinking. What if... what if I was enlisted, had a screening and medical check-up and I was deemed not "healthy".That I had mental issues. Or what if I was fine, but during the first few days I had a breakdown cause I couldn't handle that kind of "workethic". I should've went by therapists a lot earlier and might have had my situation sorted out earlier and better.
Now, there's a few things I'm seeing as a result of not being enlisted in general youth since then.
A. people with serious "issues" take way longer to get help cause they actually have to figure out themselves if they actually need help. (even if that means I'm not fit for the army, I might get some attention and/or a job suited for my needs)
B. in general I think it's fair to state that a lot of "youth" nowadays does not comprehend the concept of respect and/or decency.
C. a lot of people don't finish school cause they don't think it's "fun"... (while in the army you'd at least learn a skill)
D. a lot of people don't learn skills you actually might need in life (the prime example being driving a car. I know way too many people that are a bit older than me, that actually got their license in the army. I'm seeing a lot of people that can't afford lessons, thus don't drive a car, which leads to them not being able to participate in all jobs where needed)
E. overall health of people. (I can't imagine the army being happy with "fat" people. So you had some more education about how to live healthy and had to practice it as well)
In 2011 the government decided that everyone who leaves high school needs to do some volunteering for 30 hours. As means of a social contribution. Yet, there's no guidelines. So actually you can do "something". If I were to help out 30 hours for free at my local tattoo shop, that would be fine. Granted, the store owner should have use of me, even if it's cause I can draw well and might help him out there.
The opposition already gave a heads up that such a small job, is hard to land for "gifted" kids. And I think it's safe to say, that I could also count aspies in such way, as well as other people on the spectrum. Some of us are quite "quirky" and exccentric, and it's a part of us. But they don't really have a solution for "special needs" kids.
To make such things even more interesting; The mandatory volunteering (that's an oxymoron) is now an integral part to even get your high school diploma. Which in the end means that people who are just really smart in a theoretical sense do have a slight handicap here. And that might even be "worse" if they just think you're "quirky" because you think that's a fun way to be.
So recapping the dates, I finished high school in 1999, thus there was no volunteering, I turned 18 in 2000, there was no drafting. So I actually feel that the period of 1997 to 2011 leaves out a group that's stuck in the middle by means of "support" and being pointed towards a direction. And that doesn't even include only the ones ON the spectrum, it includes everyone. But being on the spectrum "early" on, might get you some services you actually need to benefit from later in life.
I am aware that those "services" were not around for any older members on the board (or even people in general on the spectrum), but let's look at it this way. I don't think the circumstances in how you did land a job, jobexperience, eventually finished college and the whole nine, was the same experience it was now. For one... I remember that at my high school there was no groupwork, 15 years later they even grade you on your ability to be a "teamplayer". I even found that out when I was at University in 2007. I never learned to be a teamplayer, on top of not being a social person to begin with. (I'll let the discussion about "they should've looked into such things before they admit people to their university" slip for now, maybe another time)
But like I said, in general it only applies to Holland, but the entire situation about education, employment, learning skills and such, it might apply to everyone
