Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Army Recruiting 18 yr Olds w/ Autism


This is un-fucking-believable (via The Oregonian): Jared Guinther is 18. Tall and lanky, girls think he's cute, until they try to talk to him and he stammers or just stands there silently. Diagnosed w/ autism at age 3, Jared is polite but won't talk to people unless they address him first. It's hard for him to make friends. He lives in his own private world. Jared didn't even know there was a war raging in Iraq until his parents told him last fall shortly after a military recruiter stopped him outside a Portland mall last fall, and offered Jared a $4K signing bonus, $67K for college and more buddies than he could count. Jared's dad says: "When Jared 1st started talking about joining the Army, I thought, that isn't going to happen. I told my wife not to worry about it. They're not going to take anybody in the service who's autistic." But they did. Last month, Jared came home with papers showing that he not only had enlisted, but also had signed up for the Army's most dangerous job: cavalry scout. The job entails "engaging the enemy w/ anti-armor weapons and scout vehicles. He is scheduled to leave for basic training Aug. 16. The Guinthers are eager to hear whether the Army will release Jared from his enlistment. Jared is disappointed he might not go because he thought the recruiters were his friends." (OMG... that last line is breaking my heart.. Jesus... seriously). What kind of scumbag cretin recruits a kid w/autism? A kid w/autism for THE most dangerous job in the Army? A morally bankrupt scumbag cretin, that's who. Who needs to be sent to Iraq asap w/ a very special job awaiting him: cavalry scout.
Posted by Tina :: 1:04 AM :: 12 Comments:

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