Should I apply for exemption from service?

[Libecht]

I'm 18 years old. In my country, every man must fulfill his 4-month military service. But officially dignosed Aspies can apply for exemption from it.
As far as I know, military is a terrible place for Aspies: living with lots of strangers without any privacy, following every commands however unreasonable they are, basically no time for relaxation or hobbies. So I really really want to avoid it.
HOWEVER, when applying for job in the future, the interviwer is likely to ask about why I exempted from service. Then, he/she will know that I have some "mental issues".

What should I do? I absolutely hate to serve in military, but campared to the possible difficulties finding a job......I don't know...

 

[StephF]

Asperger's Syndrome is not a mental illness.

 

[Elemental]

Hi Libecht StephF is right to say that autism & Aspergers syndrome are not mental illnesses in themselves but it is true to say too, that many people on spectrum can also be prone to high anxieties & stress-related depressions. Also: compulsive behaviors & other internalized stuff like that, which is still sometimes termed & treated as mental illness.

It's a tough one, your issue. I understand that Central site does have members on here who have served in their country's armed forces & perhaps one of them will read your post & be able to provide more insight into your concerns.

I think myself, if I were in your situation & did not want to serve, that I would be emphasizing my genuine concerns about whether I might be a danger to myself or other people in that environment. As someone who has previously acted very impulsively & without due regard to consequences & / or danger & as someone who is subject to extreme emotional states which can change very rapidly & which can often only. be accommodated in solitude, I would not feel myself able to perform to the standards required & would also fear being a detriment to other people. Possibly a life-threatening one, given the armaments aspect.

In putting forward my case like this, I would hope to be considered a responsible person who was giving due & serious consideration to the potential safety & comfort of others before myself & as someone who was also diagnosed with autism / Asperger's.

 

[Libecht]

Asperger's Syndrome is not a mental illness.

No but it IS to most employers, sadly.

I think myself, if I were in your situation & did not want to serve, that I would be emphasizing my genuine concerns about whether I might be a danger to myself or other people in that environment. As someone who has previously acted very impulsively & without due regard to consequences & / or danger & as someone who is subject to extreme emotional states which can change very rapidly & which can often only. be accommodated in solitude, I would not feel myself able to perform to the standards required & would also fear being a detriment to other people. Possibly a life-threatening one, given the armaments aspect.

Unfortunately that would still result in the same consequence: questioned by interviewers

 

[Ylva]

The military is structured, and you can harden yourself to the presence of other people in your bedroom and other personal space.

Often I find it's good to treat uncomfortable situations as challenges.

One day at a time.

Eta: Or maybe they'll send you home if you start having meltdowns. When I was your age, my mother was also obsessed with me being eligible for every kind of job with any kind of employer.

 

[Judge]

I'm 18 years old. In my country, every man must fulfill his 4-month military service. But officially diagnosed Aspies can apply for exemption from it.
As far as I know, military is a terrible place for Aspies: living with lots of strangers without any privacy, following every commands however unreasonable they are, basically no time for relaxation or hobbies. So I really really want to avoid it.
HOWEVER, when applying for job in the future, the interviewer is likely to ask about why I exempted from service. Then, he/she will know that I have some "mental issues".

What should I do? I absolutely hate to serve in military, but compared to the possible difficulties finding a job......I don't know...

By your own account, which is likely to negatively follow you for a much longer time? Four months of military service, or potentially a lifetime of having to account with prospective employers as to why you never completed compulsory military service?

Also you might want to investigate your country's military bureaucracy to see if they publish "separation codes" to describe why one is denied or exempted from military service. Find out how legally accessible such data might be for prospective employers.

In other words, your best option in such a situation just might be to serve the best you can and get it over with in what seems to be a relatively short amount of time. If they offer only a consideration for exemption it sounds like they aren't all that picky, so it probably decreases the chances of being discharged by the military, which could also haunt you in looking for work.

Unfortunately we have a saying for such a situation called "Catch-22". Where your real options may actually be more limited than you think. I sympathize with you on a personal level though. I once nearly enlisted in the military. However my instincts told me not to. And at one point earlier in my life we had compulsory military service where I would have had few options.

 

[clg114]

I'm 18 years old. In my country, every man must fulfill his 4-month military service. But officially dignosed Aspies can apply for exemption from it.
As far as I know, military is a terrible place for Aspies: living with lots of strangers without any privacy, following every commands however unreasonable they are, basically no time for relaxation or hobbies. So I really really want to avoid it.
HOWEVER, when applying for job in the future, the interviwer is likely to ask about why I exempted from service. Then, he/she will know that I have some "mental issues".

What should I do? I absolutely hate to serve in military, but campared to the possible difficulties finding a job......I don't know...

When I was your age, there was a two year military obligation in the US. Back then no one knew anything about Asperger's and I was un-diagnosed, so I had to go. You are right, the military is a terrible place for a Aspie. I did not like being in the military. However, looking back on the experience, I am probably better off because of it. Now days, in the US, there are a lot of benefits for joining the service. If you do it right, you can get your formal education paid for. You should look into it. If you are just going to fulfill your military obligation, what is four months? You are 18, four months is not much out of your life and you would probably benefit from the experience. Think of it as a adventure.

 

[King_Oni]

Even if you don't disclose it, I would expect there'd be some kind of psychological assessment. Perhaps you'd fail that, and there's no real need for you to "worry" about disclosing Asperger's. Not everyone is suitable for the military, regardless on whatever you have an actual diagnosis. And I would suspect, that even if 4 months is probably nothing "crazy" in terms of serving in the army, I'm not sure if the government and/or army is willing to spend time and money on people of whom they don't know if it will cause more harm than good.

On the other hand; how heavy does having served in the military weigh on your resume in your country? If it's important for employers, you might start thinking about a good reason why you didn't serve there; because telling them "I failed the psychological assessment" is a bit of a red flag to some companies I guess.

Any other reasons why one can be exempt from serving? The government might want you to do some other service instead though

 

[Datura]

I hate the notion of manditory military service, but four months seems like barely enough time to be properly trained, let alone serve.

I suppose the answer to your question is largely dependent on the severity of your issues. You may hate sharing quarters with other people, but do you think you could at least tolerate it for four months? Can you follow orders all day without menatly breaking? If you did break down, what would be the concequences? If you think you might be able to tolerate four months service then I would advise you to go for it as it will likely help your carrer in the long run. If you are fairly sure you can't then go for an exemption and deal with the consequences.

 

[abby normal]

joining the army was #1 on my list of things never to do, but you know how life is what happens when you've made other plans? I was 23 and homeless and homelessness gets old real quick-like, due to Reagan recession of early 80s was laid off of work and there was no more work to be had for one with no skills, no factory jobs or anything, not even phone solicitation for pete's sake! so I had to go back home to ma and pa with tail between legs, they told me to join the army and get a useful civilian skillset, all my siblings had been in the military during Vietnam 15 years before, so I reluctantly went to see joe army and signed on the dotted line for 4 GD years of indentured servitude. I was in no way shape or form prepared for it! too nearsighted to effectively shoot a rifle any reasonable distance, too clumsy/lacking in proprioception to do much of anything, one leg shorter than the other so marching was off also. they told me the army had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get me and they weren't far from the mark. but there were even worse screw-ups in basic training than me distracting the drill sergeants so I slipped through the filtering process. I was yelled at constantly, browbeaten, cursed at, spit at, slapped and kicked. if they had not shaven my hair off they would have grabbed that too, they tried. it was later explained that they were toughening us green recruits up for the rigors of war. at the end of it, my weight [am 6'3"] dropped to about 130#. then I was sent to job training which was the total opposite of basic training. graduated at the bottom of my class and was sent to a permanent party locale that did not want me. but they had to take me. I clumsily did the job I was trained to do [operating room/central material supply tech] for 3 and a half years, counting down the days when I could get the hell out. had no real friends or buddies, I basically was an outlier. but I bided my time and when I got out it was like being released from prison with some dislocation in time due to being segregated from civilian life for 4 years.
my advice for the OP is that 4 months is a comparatively short period of travail to go through, I would give it my best shot and if I fell short, well at least I tried.

 

[A BROUHAHA]

I'm currently serving in the U.S. Army and have been for the better part of a decade. While I can see where the environment can cause problems for some people, there are many people with autism that have served and continue to do so. It all comes down to you as an individual, while the military generally provides a very structured environment that many people with autism can appreciate, it is also a very physically and mentally stressful place (depending on your job and ability to adapt).

Now for your situation your country requires that you serve 4 months, so if you were to apply for some exemption you have to ask yourself are you doing it because you can't serve, or you don't want to? If you can't the scenario solution seems simple, apply for the exemption, but if you just don't want to evading service might land you in hot water as well.

This is of course assuming that Aspergers/autism is permitted in your military, and that you pass they psych eval you are likely to receive.

Hope this helps, best of luck!

 

[AspieCialGuy]

Hi
I haven't read through all the replies but I can tell you this from my perspective:

I have Aspergers and I joined the Australian Army when I was 17 and served for 9 years. It was the toughest thing I have ever done in my life, but it was also the best thing I have ever done in my life. I was not diagnosed till I was 43, so I faced many of my life's challenges as just that - life's challenges. And they teach you how to deal with challenges in the military which can be applied to civilian and life situations - you won't be taught how to deal with life's challenges as a civilian (unless you have uber-awesome parents that are really 'switched on'.)

I think that the world and society as a whole will not give you special treatment or a "get out of jail free" card because you have Aspergers. To the general public they see nothing wrong with us because most of the struggles are internal. So I think that you can choose to do something that is challenging and hard (and maybe become a stronger Aspie) or you can use your AS as an excuse and find a way out.

It depends more on your character as a person, which may have little or nothing to do with Aspergers.

I believe I am more successful than 90% of NTs in this world because I faced my toughest challenges and succeeded when I was at a critical point in my life (17) from that point on, civilian challenges were easy.

Having said that, if you don't want to serve, then don't (be a conscientious objector) but don't use Aspergers as an excuse; it just gives other Aspies that may want to join the Army a bad reputation.

I understand that there are varying degrees and 'flavors' of Aspergers, so my feedback is for those that can handle general civilian life without regular meltdowns, panic attacks or anxieties.

I think the handicap for a lot of Aspies is not Aspergers, it's attitude and expecting that the system will nurture and protect you and give you special treatment. It's a shame that can't happen (in some cases) but essentially I think Apsergers just means we have to work twice as hard as NTs to get by in life. But we don't have a choice. It's evolve and adapt or perish (so to speak)

 

[Ylva]

I believe I am more successful than 90% of NTs in this world because I faced my toughest challenges and succeeded

Having said that, if you don't want to serve, then don't (be a conscientious objector) but don't use Aspergers as an excuse; it just gives other Aspies that may want to join the Army a bad reputation.

He said it's a valid reason in his country. If it's already considered a valid reason, it's not going to affect anyone's "reputation" if he uses that reason.

I think the handicap for a lot of Aspies is not Aspergers, it's attitude and expecting that the system will nurture and protect you and give you special treatment.

I think the handicap is the attitude of others, including the infantilizers, the personal space invaders, and the people who think it's funny to physically hurt you. I don't think it would have occured to even 10% of us that the system would be "nurturing" or "protective".