Issue about Joining (Asperger's)

[YorkshireCoast]

Hello all, first time posting. Just a question really about joining up with Asperger's, I'll be turning 30 soon and I've just hit that point in my life where I'm not really sure what I want to do. I'm wanting to do something totally different and have been looking at joining the RFA, although I have Asperger's, well I should say I had it, as it honestly doesn't affect me at all anymore, I have been in relationships for years where my partner didn't actually know I had it till I told her. I work as an Archaeologist so work on lots of building sites, so always around what you would call (laddish guys) and that's never been a problem either, structure and change to thay structure doesn't bother me, which is one of the main things with Asperger's/autism. Now when I was about 18 or 19 I tried to join the Army, and went through most of the process no bother, but I got turned down. As when I was younger I would obviously get assessed yearly for Asperger's, and like the stroppy little s##t of a teenager I was I made the off hand comment "I wish I was just dead" which obviously got recorded and the Army brought that up, and was one of the reasons I got turned down. I didn't appeal against it, I just decided to go University. So really the question is, is there any point applying, or will I just get turned down, I've seen a few posts on here with similar questions, but the person asking hasn't replied saying if they were successful or not (I'm guessing not)

Thanks for reading this far

 

[soleil]

YC

When applicants are in the medical stage of the application process, there are several possible outcomes. Some candidates have nothing in their medical history which requires further examination and they go straight through. There are some people, though, whose medical records indicate that they have had a condition in the past, it could be all kinds of things and these candidates are referred to SMO(SE) - Senior Medical Officer (Service Entry).

Your case would be referred to SMO(SE), I would have thought. This isn't a bad sign, though. It just means that more information needs to be gathered for the right decision to be made.

There is a document called JSP 950 which goes into detail about the different conditions which can have an impact on an application - what it says about Asperger's is:

40. Candidates diagnosed with autism (F84) or similar disorders by a specialist autism service are normally graded UNFIT. Candidates diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (F84.5) by a specialist autism service may appear unremarkable on examination but should normally be graded UNFIT. If there is doubt about the diagnosis or the condition is mild and does not cause disability, candidates should be referred to the single Service occupational physician responsible for Service entry. In cases of mild, entirely non-disabling Asperger’s Syndrome, the single Service occupational physician may advise single Service recruiting staff psychiatric assessment is not required. This because pre-entry tests of suitability for military life (eg selection interviews and tests) are as good a form of assessment as a psychiatric assessment.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/627901/response/1498281/attach/2/20190823%20JSP950%20Part%201%206%207%207%20V1%206%20FINAL%20FOR%20PUBLICATION.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

There is every point in applying and I think that you should - if you don't, you will annoy yourself in the future by pondering on what would have been the outcome.

I think that you will be referred, but you can deal with that. You just need to be patient when it happens.

I note, by the way, that you are looking at RFA roles rather than RN - is there a reason for that?