Case stirs military recruiting questions; Austistic man in brig, facing court-martial

[MindPilot]

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The Marine Corps is investigating how an autistic man now facing court-martial managed to join the service and graduate from boot camp in San Diego.

His case raises broader questions about the enlistment process – regarding such matters as recruiters who distort applicants' personal information – and the fairness of the military's criminal justice system. Pvt. Joshua D. Fry was diagnosed with autism at age 8.

(snip)

Fry graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in April 2008 even after telling commanders and medical personnel there about his autism, according to court documents.

Weeks later, during infantry training at Camp Pendleton, the Corps charged Fry with possession of child pornography and being absent without leave. Fry, 21, now sits in the base's brig.


Read more: http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jun/01/1n1fryz024316/

[stanwyck]

1. A young man from our neighborhood, who everyone

knows has Aspergers -- which has been described, perhaps not accurately, as a mild form of autisim, was accepted into the Army and made it through basic training. He was dishcarged after serving six months. It's a mystery to all of us how he was accepted into the military.

[AllentownJake]

2. Lower standards implemented under the Bush administration

They started taking high school drop outs and people with criminal records. There is also probably a fair amount of immigrants serving in our armed services who are not citizens.

They lowered the test scores one needed.

You also need to understand the recruiters are under enormous pressure to meet their goal.

For an autistic person, the written test might not be a problem, however they should never have gotten through the physical or psychological exam.

Than again we are sending wounded guys both psychologically and physically who still need time to heal back into combat. In fact we are purposely giving them lesser diagnosis to keep them in the service and prevent them from collecting disability.

Hopefully the President is addressing this.

[melm00se]

3. you don't need

to be a citizen to be in the military

There is also probably a fair amount of immigrants serving in our armed services who are not citizens.

you do, however, have to be here legally.

[MindPilot]

4. "you do, however, have to be here legally"

That can be arranged.

I recall a report in the local news a year or so ago that the US military was actively recruiting in Tijuana.

They promised citizenship after completion of enlistment.

[paulsby]

9. that';s by design - non -citizens

it is not required to be a citizen to be in the US military.

fwiw, the same is true of several other militaries. i have a friend who served in the IDF despite the fact that he is a US citizen.

in fact, non-citizens can "earn" citizenship via service in the military

[Odin2005]

5. People with Asperger's in the millitary are probably not uncommon.

Many of us would do well because of the formality, order, and strict lines of command.

[kiva]

7. Thanks for addressing this, I was curious about it.

Many of the things I've read about Asperger's talks about the need for structure, and I've wondered whether structure that's imposed from outside--like the military--works well.

[stanwyck]

8. It's possible in the case I referenced,

(of the young man in my neighborhood), that is was not the Asperger's which was the problem, but another condition (panic attacks), not associated with his Aspergers. Physically, he did well. My understanding is that he was having some problems with homesickness. He comes from a very supportive family who he had not been separated from before.

[RainDog]

10. some people with aspergers have a hard time with changes and disconnection

from the support of family members (since they may not easily socialize with others if the others aren't aware of the aspergers.)

recruiters visited my house and called for my son (who has aspergers) and I had to go to the recruiting office to tell them (he was 17) to take them off his freakin' list b/c they would not want him because he is a pacifist/buddhist who doesn't even say mean things to people! - honestly, he's the sweetest person I know - even tho he's not always aware of others wants, etc. -when he is, he is very, very kind... I also know a guy who also has some mental retardation and aspergers and he remembers my children's birthdays every year, sends cards where ever he is.... the "rain man" stereotype doesn't work for aspergers because people may have so many variations or other conditions they deal with.)

that said, I remember one autistic kid was recruited and his parents had to threaten legal action to get the military to release him because he signed up on his own. someone with asperger's, I'd be inclined to believe, would be more likely to be a victim of hazing and brutality in training b/c they wouldn't necessarily know they weren't following orders as expected... but, again, people are different.

[maddezmom]

11. very well said

:thumbsup:

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

6. "McNamara's Morons"

What happens when you round up 100,000 vagrants, mental hospital patients, drunks and the insane and draft them into the army?

Under his direction, an alternative army was systematically recruited from the ranks of those who had previously been rejected for failing to meet the armed services' physical and mental requirements. Recruiters swept through urban ghettos and Southern rural back roads, even taking at least one youth with an I.Q. of 62. In all, 354,000 men were rolled up by Project 100,000.

http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2002/05/29/mcnamara/index.html

[Blue_Tires]

12. wow...my dad made mention of the army doing that

but i had no idea it was THAT many!!

[KamaAina]

13. Yikes! And all this time I thought I was safe from them...

well, I do turn 45 in August. Of course, they could always just raise the cut-off age... :scared: