How should I handle a situation where I think my soldier is autistic?

Step 1: Relax. Truth be told, damn near everybody falls somewhere on the spectrum.
Step 2: Nothing wrong with your concerns, just don't try arm-chair diagnosis; you're not qualified, and it won't help him/her or you. No telling what the underlying problem might be.
Step 3: If his/her behavior interferes with the mission or is dangerous, do not ignore that! Talk to your chain-of-command, go to behavioral health (or see if they're willing to go with you). If they are just odd but technically and tactically proficient, continue to work with him/her soldier to soldier; even more so if you're their team leader.
Step 4: Good luck. Okay, that's not really a "step", but there you go anyway.

Thanks for taking a look at this. Autism isn't an onset condition, it typically develops and comes out in a child shortly after birth. If a soldier is on the spectrum hopefully they are going to know it already because they have a diagnosis and have received help in throughout their school years. It would be very rare in this day and age for a family not to have recognized behaviors since early childhood and gotten assistance. Their condition is probably not something they are going to come out with openly because they have been working hard at overcoming their condition and modeling their behaviors.

Stimming - an almost involuntary urge to move - shrugging, head nodding, walking around, lack of direct eye contact & turning away while listening, lack of filtering in communications - say it as they see it with no regard to feelings, a tendency to be a loner with not much social interaction and by the book behavior - black or white obedience/adherence with no shades of gray are some signs that you may be seeing. If they have made it into the military then they are definitely high functioning meaning they are fully capable of adapting - with encouragement and sometimes repetition - and keeping up with their "typical" peers.

I have just given you the description of my 17 year old son who was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder at 3 years old. He's a junior in high school, an honor role college prep student, writes for the school newspaper, acts in the drama club and is college bound. Yes he has the "quirks" described but if you saw him in the hall or out in public you'd never think twice about him. That's after 14 years of getting him the assistance and scholastic intervention needed for him to be successful.

That is probably the background (I would hope) of the individual you are describing. As other esteemed colleagues have said, try to understand what autism is in that soldier's case - if you had 1000 people with autism, you'd have 1000 different variations of symptoms. Seek help from health professionals to that end. The last thing a higher functioning individual wants is to be treated differently where its noticeable. My son is almost defiant to his specific education provisions - getting extra time on tests, redoing work if the grade is less than 75 and having a teacher's aid available to him. He doesn't want to be treated any different than his friends Treat him just as you would every other soldier but provide them the additional help they may need with a mentor soldier.

My best to you and your soldier.

1. Don't panic, and certainly don't make any knee-jerk decisions.
2. Learn about autism.
3. Get him/her some professional assistance, as needed.
4. Don't let anyone else complicate or take advantage of the situation.
5. Embrace the leadership challenge.

Take a deep breath. This is relatively simple. First remind yourself you are not a doctor (unless you are). You discuss with your leadership sharing your concerns. From there your command should take over. I will say that I find it hard to believe that this would not be caught at MEPS, basic or AIT. In any case put it in the hands of your command. Thank you for your service.

Continue to be a support for the soldier. Don't judge. As others have said talk to your chain of command. The most you can do for this soldier is to be a leader and be sure they are being taken care of. Plus dealing with this situation will give you experience with dealing with soldiers and the unique issues that they have.

Ask him and then go from there. Most Autistic people are textile learners. So having them do things hands on helps.

There’s always a higher echelon of command you report to. Whether that mean you write a very tactful email or letter to your division officer or officer in charge, that’s on you. No need to take it high and to the right unless it directly effects patient care. If it falls on patient care, find your next echelon of command. I was a PCM for a sailor who was discharged on a similar accord. Follow your guidance on disciplinary action at your level to “treat the symptoms”. Discipline the service member based on his lapses in judgement and for the mishaps that happen. Good luck!

I tell the Mrs. all the time that "I'm seriously concerned the boy is on the spectrum" in reference to my stepson... I don't really mean it... is this one of those instances? Or did he somehow manage to slip through the cracks at MEPS?

Per DoD regulations (whether they ought to be amended or scrapped on this point is another matter), an autism or aspergers diagnosis is a bar to enlistment, so he might not have ever been diagnosed, or he hid it well enough at the start (enlisting under false pretenses is yet another, seperate issue). However he got into your formation, though, he _is_ in your formation, and there are a good many "other" autists and aspies throughout the Force who make do, sometimes even doing pretty well and serving as credits to their units, whether they ever were clinically diagnosed or not, pre-enlistment or post-commissioning, or at any other time.

So if you think he's autistic, learn what you can about it, then take what applies to your Soldier and see if it helps you relate to or understand him any better, and keep only what works. The *worst* thing you could do, short of dumping him out with an involuntary discharge, is padding the standards to accommodate his disability, whether he really has one or not. Give him the same chance to acquit himself as a Soldier that everyone else receives.

You have a place to seek guidance out of official channels. This person may or may not be. Could be something else. At one duty station where we guarded nukes, we had two soldiers, one would wear aluminum foil hats when ever he worked with Radio equipment. Thought the signals were damaging him. The other soldier would go all "deep space 9" on you, when ever you asked him a complicated question. Cock his head and stare off into space for minutes on end if you let him. You should of been there when the Brigade Commander got a demo of that "skill set."

I am glad to see so many people chiming in for support, I wish I knew then, what I know now about mental health issues, and had the support network to seek advice from.