My 10th Grade son wants to enter the USCG. A recruiter said ADHD would require a waiver but transgender can enlist with no problem? Why?

SSG Charlie Carlson — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:26:04 -0500

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Dec 31 at 2017 12:39 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:39:02 -0500

ADHD is a medical disorder that needs to be appropriately assessed. Transgender is not.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2017 1:00 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 13:00:34 -0500

Entirely unrelated issues.

Response by A1C Ian Williams made Dec 31 at 2017 1:07 PM

A1C Ian Williams — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 13:07:03 -0500

Good luck to you SSG Charlie Carlson and congratulations on having a son who wants to serve his country.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Dec 31 at 2017 3:04 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 15:04:17 -0500

Attention Deficit can be a serious problem for all involved. The dangers of serving are bad enough without adding ADHD to the mix. I wish him all the luck in the world tho, and if he can show it's a past thing, hi chances will improve.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2017 3:18 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 15:18:53 -0500

Honestly- enlisting in any branch of service is not a walk in the park. If it was more people would be doing it. I’ve seen people need wavers for moles removed 10 years ago. Needing a waiver isn’t uncommon for anyone and chances are that should a transgendered individual choose to enlist they are going to have a number of the same exact issues that non-transgendered people do.

Response by SSG Charlie Carlson made Dec 31 at 2017 4:04 PM

SSG Charlie Carlson — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 16:04:32 -0500

I did find out that my son can enlist with ADHD but he cannot be on any medication for two years prior to enlistment. His goal is to become an AMT (Aviation Maintenance Technician) or Rescue Swimmer and later a pilot. He has a very powerful swim stroke and is not afraid of being in the open ocean. He thrives in this which I guess comes from his being born on Oahu, Hawaii.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Dec 31 at 2017 4:53 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 16:53:08 -0500

SSG Charlie Carlson If I Could Do 21 Years being B-Polar, Asperger's as F**k (Actually it Helped in My Chosen Field) Having Crohn's Disease and Viral Bursitis in Both Shoulders I can see No Damn Good Reason Your Son Can't Serve.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2017 5:00 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 17:00:14 -0500

well that is easy, politics.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Dec 31 at 2017 5:09 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 17:09:04 -0500

What about Lycanthropy, I mean what has one to do with the other

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2017 6:07 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 18:07:28 -0500

Since you obviously wanted to start another thread about transgender people being allowed to enlist so you could list your “reasons” they shouldn't be allowed in, then just do so. Your attempt to disguise it with the fig leaf of your son having ADHD and needing a waiver is lame.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2018 10:41 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 22:41:56 -0500

A waiver isn’t an automatic disqualification, just an extra step. Coming in transgender from the several briefings I’ve had to sit through isn’t a walk in the park enlistment either. There are extra steps with that as well, mainly going through a process of finding a Military doctor to say “yes you’re trans” so that DEERS codes can be adjusted. So PT standards, billeting, uniform issue , etc can be made. They can’t just self declare they’re transgender (from an Army stand point). So one might have to take extra steps for an ADHD waiver but the enlistment process for a trans isn’t easier.

For the physical aspect of initial training...from what I understand if an individual doesn’t need or hasn’t needed medication to help with ADHD they’re fine. If they’re currently on it it’s a no-go. Same with everything else, they’re not sending you to basic with a medical condition. There’s too much training to get done to worry about if Private Stuffy took his medicine today. Same goes for if a trans needs to.

Response by CH (LTC) Robert Leroe made Mar 18 at 2018 6:03 PM

CH (LTC) Robert Leroe — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 18:03:43 -0400

Many psychiatrists are troubled by the over-diagnosis of ADHD, and question whether it ought to be a "disability."

Response by SGT Lisa Fields made Aug 6 at 2018 5:45 PM

SGT Lisa Fields — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 17:45:37 -0400

No behavioral issues are related to transgender individuals. You have served with them your entire career you just did not know it.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2019 10:25 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 22:25:26 -0500

Obtaining SSDI payments for your son for extra money and privilege is now going to come back around and bite you in the ass. Your son will pay the bill.