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Army Recruiters Sign Up Autistic Man
Even with the current military engagements, all four services claim to have met their recruitment goals in March for the 10th consecutive month. However, despite the positive reporting a look at who they're recruiting suggests that the Army is definitely feeling a big strain as they try to meet their recruitment goals. In Oregon, Army recruiters recently signed up an autistic 18-year-old despite rules prohibiting enlistment of anyone with a 'mental disorder that interferes with school or employment.' Just a year ago recruitment was halted nation-wide for a day so recruiters could be retrained after other questionable behavior by recruiters. Is the Department of Defense really meeting goals, or are goals being changed to meet reality: a lack of fit recruits?
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Ludicrous
I can say categorically that this guy was not authorized to join and that recruiters certainly do not have to pull stunts like this (assuming they knew he was autistic, which they may not have) to meet the mission.
By the way, only 1/10 recruiters are full time recruiters, the rest of them are out doing the job for 1 year (for Corporals) and 2-3 years for everyone else. Those guys know they are going back to a unit and will have to put up with the people being recruited, so even if they are tempted to go for the "low hanging fruit", they have it in the back of their mind that this guy could be in their squad or platoon when they get back to the "mainstream".
Also, aside from the usual regulatory things that can get a Soldier in trouble, recruiters have things called "Recruiter Improprieties", which is a fancy way of saying they are being investigated for trying to enlist someone not qualified, or performing other ethical breaches to get someone qualified (i.e. getting a "ringer" to take the ASVAB for an applicant) or doing something unethical with an applicant (i.e. making an applicant wash his car). There is regular reinforcement training for recruiters that they have to go through on ethics, and it's pretty well beat into their heads that stupid stuff will get you caught. People squeal like pigs when they are caught, and they always point back at the recruiter, whether he or she was involved or not. Concealed medical is almost always revealed at basic training when the applicant can't perform some function expected of him or her. Even people who were on psychological meds (depression, schizophrenia, etc.) are almost always caught at this point and the recruiter involved is raked over the coals.
Yes, some recruiters try to take a shortcut, but they are nailed to a degree that even most people with Army experience would be surprised at. This is one of the reasons why enlisted personnel with recruiting or drill sergeant experience get a real boost to their career if they do well. Nothing particularly bad happens to those who don't, but the ones who bone it on ethics can face some real career stoppers.
In short, this guy sure did NOT get in via official sanction and I'm sure some recruiter somewhere is getting ready for having a microscope shoved somewhere very uncomfortable.
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not a policy issue by Anonymous :: NR0 :: Show
it sounds like recruiters are feeling the pinch and breaking some rules. it doesn't sound like army policy supports this kind of behavior. it is definitely a problem though if these guys feel like they need to break the rules to fill the ranks.