Autistic Boy Recruited into the Army

Bishka · May 31, 2006

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

Here are just a few points from the article. It's basically about a recruiter who came up to this austic boy (Jared) and recruited him into the army. The article also talks about inappropriate recruiting tactics.

And in Colorado, a high school student working undercover told recruiters he had dropped out and had a drug problem. The recruiter told the boy to fake a diploma and buy a product to help him beat a drug test.

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.

"Jared would play with buttons for hours on end," she said. "He'd play with one toy for days. Loud noises bothered him. He was scared to death of the toilet flushing, the lawn mower."

And the recruiters think he will do well in war? I doubt this....

Jared didn't speak until he was almost 4 and could not tolerate the feel of grass on his feet.
Doctors diagnosed him with moderate to severe autism, a developmental disorder that strikes when children are toddlers. It causes problems with social interaction, language and intelligence. No one knows its cause or cure.

Recruiters in Portland and nationwide spend several hours a day cold-calling high school students, whose phone numbers are provided by schools under the No Child Left Behind Law. They also prospect at malls, high school cafeterias, colleges and wherever else young people gather

See what this law is doing?

She said she begged Velasco to review Jared's medical and school records. Brenda said Velasco declined, asserting that he didn't need any paperwork. Under military rules, recruiters are required to gather all available information about a recruit and fill out a medical screening form.
"He was real cocky and he says, 'Well, Jared's an 18-year-old

Can I hit this man? Seriously....someone as autistic as they make this boy out to be, needs his mother, and his father and the family. There is no WAY this boy could make it in the war.

But Jared doesn't understand the dangers or the details of what he has done, the Guinthers said.

During a recent family gathering, a relative asked Jared what he would do if an enemy was shooting at him. Jared ran to his video game console and killed a digital Xbox soldier and announced, "See! I can do it!"

This should say something, he can't differeantiate between real and fake, this man/child has no clue what he is getting himself into.

After he had spoken for a few moments, Velasco suddenly grabbed the reporter's tape recorder and tried to tear out the tape, stopping only after the reporter threatened to call the police.
With the Guinthers' permission, The Oregonian faxed Jared's medical records to the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion commander, Lt. Col. David Carlton in Portland, who on Wednesday ordered the investigation.
The Guinthers said that on Tuesday evening, Cpl. Ansley showed up at their door. They said Ansley stated that he would probably lose his job and face dishonorable discharge unless they could stop the newspaper's story.

Wow......

Thoughts on this???

evearael · May 31, 2006

This is sick. That kid wouldn't make it through basic training in one piece, much less Iraq.

They said Ansley stated that he would probably lose his job and face dishonorable discharge unless they could stop the newspaper's story.

Dishonorable discharge would be appropriate for such gross misconduct.

Bishka · May 31, 2006

evearael said:
This is sick. That kid wouldn't make it through basic training in one piece, much less Iraq.

Dishonorable discharge would be appropriate for such gross misconduct.

Agreed. What made me sick was some of the ways that the 'recruiters' tried to get to the kids. This war needs to stop.

Abram · May 31, 2006

evearael said:
This is sick. That kid wouldn't make it through basic training in one piece, much less Iraq.

Living in Portland where this is all happening I heard about it last week. Jared was sitting with his girlfriend on his lap during the entire interview. He looked fine and capable to go to war. I think if anyone wants to go, Let him. It was his parents that ended talking him out of it and the only way out was to make a case that he's autistic. If my child was the same and had a desire to go to war, Let him. If he can't get through basic training then at least he tried. If he does, what a accomplishment, I'd be proud.

Whats sick is telling him he can't because he's autistic. That will sit in his head till his last days. "I want to do that, but I'm..." There's is a lot a autistic kid could do for his country. Probably better then most "normal" kids there. Maybe not a sniper sitting on a hill for days strait, but there is so many jobs that need to be done.

Bishka · May 31, 2006

Abram said:
Living in Portland where this is all happening I heard about it last week. Jared was sitting with his girlfriend on his lap during the entire interview. He looked fine and capable to go to war. I think if anyone wants to go, Let him. It was his parents that ended talking him out of it and the only way out was to make a case that he's autistic. If my child was the same and had a desire to go to war, Let him. If he can't get through basic training then at least he tried. If he does, what a accomplishment, I'd be proud.

Whats sick is telling him he can't because he's autistic. That will sit in his head till his last days. "I want to do that, but I'm..." There's is a lot a autistic kid could do for his country. Probably better then most "normal" kids there. Maybe not a sniper sitting on a hill for days strait, but there is so many jobs that need to be done.

I don't think you understand, this boy doesn't understand the difference between video games and real life. He thinks he can, but with my experience with autistic children (I have two siblings with it), I doubt it. He may be able to help a bit, but there is no way in hell this boy will ever be able to make it.

I'm not trying to beat him down, or shut off his chances, but I've been around autistics, basically my whole life, they don't understand. No matter how much they look like they do, they don't. They look like normal people, and it in my cases act like it, but once you get down deep, they have differences, and having those differences in the army could get these children and Jared killed.

Abram · May 31, 2006

beckysoup61 said:
I don't think you understand, this boy doesn't understand the difference between video games and real life. He thinks he can, but with my experience with autistic children (I have two siblings with it), I doubt it. He may be able to help a bit, but there is no way in hell this boy will ever be able to make it.

I'm not trying to beat him down, or shut off his chances, but I've been around autistics, basically my whole life, they don't understand. No matter how much they look like they do, they don't. They look like normal people, and it in my cases act like it, but once you get down deep, they have differences, and having those differences in the army could get these children and Jared killed.

I understand your point very clear. If I had a autistic child I would allow him all the same choices I had. Why repress the kid for being different. *This will sound bad* but even if death could happen. This same child could be sitting in a car the very next week and get in a accident and the same result would happen. If I was autistic and I went to war (even as a cook) I could come back and have the stories to tell. Then instead of the news reporting what they did, they could write about how brave he was.

There are so many neat things I learned only because I tried. I was a special kid myself and I'm so glad mom let me go at times when all of her want to keep me home.
Live and learn...

Feathers in Hair · May 31, 2006

Abram said:
There are so many neat things I learned only because I tried. I was a special kid myself and I'm so glad mom let me go at times when all of her want to keep me home.
Live and learn...

Being a special kid has all sorts of meanings. Simply because something was of benefit to you as a child doesn't mean that it will do the same for another. (Granted, it doesn't mean that it won't be the same for another child- just that this is something that is not really justifiable as easily as that.)

With the growing research on autism, I find it very painful that they'd make this choice.

Smoke · May 31, 2006

beckysoup61 said:
They said Ansley stated that he would probably lose his job and face dishonorable discharge unless they could stop the newspaper's story.

This is an unusually blatant case of fraudulent recruiting, so I wouldn't be surprised if he faces some serious consequences. However, fraudulent recruiting happens every day, making counter-recruitment a very pressing need. For more information:

Voices in the Wilderness: Counter Recruitment.

American Friends Service Committee: Counter-Recruitment and Alternatives to the Military Program.

Autistic Boy Recruited into the Army

Bishka

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evearael

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Bishka

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Abram

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Abram

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Feathers in Hair

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Smoke

Done here.