Autism and Military Support

Support for Military Families

Juan and Guarionex sitting next to each other

Autism Speaks has long recognized that raising a child with autism can often present additional challenges and advocacy needs for military families. For instance, frequent relocations can disrupt the services your child receives.

Accordingly, we have advocated and built resources to help support these families who selflessly serve our country.  Our latest includes:

Additionally, we have compiled a list of helpful resources to support military families:

Autism Research Institute: Military Families: Insurance Reference Learn about autism services available to military families, including evaluation, ABA programs, respite care, and integrative doctors.

Military OneSource from the U.S. Department of War (formerly known as the U.S. Department of Defense):

Operation Autism: A Resource Guide for Military Families

Partners in PROMISE A nonprofit protecting the rights of military children to special education. Includes family resources for navigating a new diagnosis, IEP and 504 plans, and post-secondary services

Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) A health benefits program for military veterans and their families that covers the cost of some autism services, including applied behavioral analysis.

Support groups

Autism and prospective service members

The U.S. Department of War (formerly known as the U.S. Department of Defense) classifies autism spectrum disorder as a disqualifying condition for military enlistment. Each service branch follows this federal standard but can consider waivers for exceptional cases. In fact, among the 1,800 people with an autism diagnosis who applied for military service in recent years, about 500 were approved to serve with a medical waiver.  

The military’s medical standards manual details the general medical waiver procedures, though requirements vary slightly for each branch of service. Typically though, applicants must provide a detailed medical history including treatment summary, undergo physical and psychological exams, submit academic and employment records, and provide letters of endorsement.  

Military recruiters typically facilitate the waiver request to the appropriate branch’s Medical Waiver Review Board or Surgeon General’s Office, for a risk assessment and final decision. If you’re interested in joining the military and applying for a medical waiver, you should get in touch with a with a recruiter from the branch you would like to join:

It is important to note that enlisting and knowingly concealing your autism diagnosis is considered fraudulent enlistment, which is a violation of federal law. If discovered, you can be discharged, denied veteran’s benefits and subject to possible criminal penalties.

Autism and Selective Service Requirements

Almost every young man with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 18 and 25 must register for Selective Service, even though a diagnosis is a disqualifying medical condition for military enlistment.

The exceptions are:

  • Men living in a hospital, nursing home, long-term care facility, or mental institution on or before their 18th birthday. They must also have no breaks of institutionalization longer than 30 days and must remain institutionalized until their 26th birthday.
  • Men who are confined to home (including group homes) on or before their 18th birthday. They must be unable to leave home without medical assistance and remain homebound until their 26th birthday.

The role of the Selective Service System is to maintain a pool of potential military servicemen in the event of a draft. But registration does not mean automatic induction or service eligibility. If called up, each man would then be evaluated. Those with a disqualifying condition, like autism, could be given an exemption.

Resources

Autistic service members and veterans

There are cases of service members who either enlisted before receiving an autism diagnosis or were diagnosed after joining the military and allowed to remain in service. But many feel pressured to hide their diagnosis because they are afraid of stigma or even losing their career. Resources for and experiences from them are scarce, but among them are first-person stories and calls for acceptance.

Resources

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Learn more about our work ensure equitable healthcare treatment for autistic people and specifically improve access to mental health care: