There’s more than one way to serve your country
Saying that he does not meet enrollment criteria, the Army released 18-year old Jared Guinther, who is autistic, from his recruitment contract yesterday, two days after an Oregon newspaper reported about his parents’ objections.
Writes Sara Skidmore in an Associated Press article:
Gaylan Johnson, spokesman for the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, said Guinther’s disability was not disclosed in the medical exam and information regarding his condition was not available to the command until after the enrollment process was complete. The command oversees medical exams for the Army.
Guinther’s mother told The Oregonian she informed recruiters about her son’s disability by telephone as Jared was being tested, but that he was accepted for enlistment anyway.
An investigation is under way into whether recruiters improperly concealed Guinther’s condition.
My fellow autism parent Jemaleddin, who spent six years in the military, noted that
if there are jobs that are appropriate for an autistic recruit, I don’t see any problem with enlisting him or her. They aren’t set up to handle that sort of thing now, but I can think of lots of jobs that could be done by autistics.
In searching for services and programs for Charlie, we have often looked into some offered by the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC). While “retarded citizen” is not how I refer to Charlie, he is most definitely a United States citizen and I hope that, as he and other younger autistic citizens grow up, we will find ways for him and them to serve our country.
E pluribus unum.
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