Can you still join the US Army if you have ADD or ADHD?

[Sierra]

If you have ADD or ADHD, can you still join the Army?

[MaDuce]

Yes

[Sierra]

Yesok in that case, maybe I will go get tested for it. Didnt wanna get tested if it would prevent me from joining.
Thanks!

[Merik]

No you cant.

[ibstolidude]

what were we talking about?

[Maj C]

Another company had a kid claim he had ADD and that's why he wouldn't train and talked back to his DI. I was assigned to do Summary Court Martial on him - said he needed his medication - I said he needed to get his mind right and gave him 29 days in the brig.

29 days later he's sitting in front of my company office - I'm like - are you joining Lima? Well do you have your mind right? He was fine...graduated like the rest. I think ADD is way over diagnosed and is just an excuse for poor parenting or to dope up our kids.

[MaDuce]

Yes they are allowed with approval.

[Sierra]

AHHH! So whats the answer. Yes, No, Yes under certain conditions?

[Haiw]

The answer is 'ask the recruiter'.

[Sierra]

The answer is 'ask the recruiter'.ahh. Good idea.
Thanks! :)

[Sierra]

You need to be evaluated by Army Doctor and if you are on meds, then you cant join.

[angry cow]

if you're diagnosed then it sucks to be you. Do NOT get diagnosed unles its affecting you in a dramatic or diblitating way. Its their job at MEPS to keep you out if you have anything "unsatisfactory" about you. If they can't find it, then it probably never mattered in the first place. Do NOT mention to them anything, you "think" might be wrong with you, you're not the doctor, they are. Let them deal with it and keep you're friggin hyperactive mouth shut!

Oh and good luck!

[Sierra]

if you're diagnosed then it sucks to be you. Do NOT get diagnosed unles its affecting you in a dramatic or diblitating way. Its their job at MEPS to keep you out if you have anything "unsatisfactory" about you. If they can't find it, then it probably never mattered in the first place. Do NOT mention to them anything, you "think" might be wrong with you, you're not the doctor, they are. Let them deal with it and keep you're friggin hyperactive mouth shut!

Oh and good luck!Ya after hearing this, I am not going to go to a doctor or get diagnosed. Even though I think I have it, no way will I go to a doctor now.

[EvanL]

Ive had ADHD my whole life. And as you get older it doesnt affect you as much. The only time i have it is when something boring is happening. When i was younger i would zone out during movies and tv.

[SerbPVO]

Sure you can!
They need all the cannon fodder they can get for I-RACK.

Just kidding ;)

[TriggerPuller]

I dont know about this but how can one be a good soldier if you have it! If I knew I sure wouldnt want you in my unit!

TP

[EvanL]

Studies have shown that people with ADD work well under stress as they are able to focus on more than one thing at a time.

[Apogee]

MAJ C,
I was one of those over-diagnoised, over-medicated childern. I was on ridilin for a number of years, but found out that you could not come to the academy taking that. Academy admissions people reccommended that you be off any type of ADD/ADHD meds for 3 years before applying here. I was a junior at the time, but I had my doctor write my a letter and immediatly stopped using the medication.

My grades maintained or got better after getting off of the drugs. To date, I've been pretty sucessful here at West Point (although I still can't spell). So the short answer is, just be careful about really needing it. Don't just use it as a crutch.

[Salty Dog]

it depends how bad it is. if you take medication alot, then no. but if you haven't taken your medication, or stopped taking it, you might be able to get a waiver.

[Maj C]

we had several kids who would refuse to train or claim they needed they're ritalin...most just needed a kick in the butt...the others we sent to psych ward. I'm not a doctor but like USMA Scuba says it seems to be used a little too often...I mean what the heck did we do before they called it ADD? I think we just applied some discipline...

[HELEX]

What is ADD or ADHD, can you explain? I think I will know what it is but these american designations are unknown to me.

[digrar]

If your planning on joining the Infantry, you might want to wake yourself up one night (unmedicated) and go out to your back yard and stare in to the darkness for a couple of hours. Then the next day you might want to try sitting still and alert all day, crawling a few meters away and pretending to scan an area for an hour every other couple of hours. Thats about as boring as it gets and if you can handle that without your normal ADD reactions, go ahead.
Two things are pretty common in armies all around the world. 1, Hurry up and wait. 2, Opperations are 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror. Can you handle the waiting and boredom?

[panzrman]

Let's put it this way. If you answer yes to just about any of the med pre screening questions, it means: Your Enlistment Stops.

If you answer No, it means:
Numerous Opportunities

:lol:

Don't forgrt though, the military also takes into account your Moral ( law violations ) and Educational ( can you pass the entrance exams, finish school, etc.. ) backgrounds.

So bottom line is as already mentioned, go talk to a recruiter.

[obd]

haha but if you ask the recruiter he will become suspicious and not let you join. hehe just kidding, ask the recruiter but put a paper bag over your head. Better yet, send your mother in to ask the recruiter.hahah sorry just joking..... Honestly I think you can. One of my freinds definately had ADD but Im not 100% if it was diagnosed and he is currently a Marine. He didnt take any meds for it so maybe that was important....dont know about the army though....good luck.

[big_les]

Ibstolitude, I had to chuckle at your post :)

[Haiw]

I dont know about this but how can one be a good soldier if you have it! If I knew I sure wouldnt want you in my unit!

TP
Yeah but you wouldn't want most of the people on this site in your unit anyway... ;)

[MaDuce]

Depends how bad if your bouncing off the walls and tellen the DI to f*ck off then no you can't join. But if you can bearly tell then it doesn't matter. I mean Einstine had ADD.
As for HELEX's ?

(A)ttention (D)eficit (D)isorder
ADHD is same except add hyper for the H. People with thease disorders tend to zone out and in 30% of cases have behavioral problems.

[NcDeuce]

I dont know about this but how can one be a good soldier if you have it! If I knew I sure wouldnt want you in my unit!

TP

http://198.65.139.154/images/buddies/badassbuddy_com-add.gif

Hopefully, the psychological testing and evaluation will weed out the bad ones.