To not tell Army Cadet teen who has heart completely set on a military career that they won't get in?

[CadetMum]

DC is an army cadet and doing amazing there, the instructors have said they can see potential in them and dc has even been put forward for promotion alone. It's all they want to do. Either a medic or a dog handler.

Cadets is the only thing they enjoy and the only time they will happily leave the house.

The problem is there isn't a chance DC will get in due to some SPld, recent school anxiety which will likely result in medication and very probable Asperger's as well as a history of inhalers. Although not had asthma problems in years DC was given an inhaler last year for a chest infection.

It's all they want to do but looking at the entry recently I extremely.doubt they would be taken. Do I let them try and find out for themselves or do I try steer them away. I have tried before in a oh this looks good kind of way with no success.

If anyone knows any military type similar jobs I would be grateful for ways to point DC!

Just keep supporting him/her

My DS is in cadets, and dreams of joining army or police (for the sense of purpose, camaraderie and solidarity, a non-office job, ) and I don't know if he'd get in (allergies, dyspraxic, flat feet...)but don't want to crush his dream at 14

So we'll just wait and see, and keep other options open too (uni applications etc)

Either way, kids can get a lot out of cadets even if they don't end up joining the army

I wasn’t diagnosed til my 40’s at university but I was universally known in my family as the clumsy one. I passed all my fitness tests 1st time in training & im also flat footed. Take it a step at a time, medical is done last after exams & interview. It wasn’t over complicated, though I failed my 1st due to a ear infection. If the cadet instructors think that he’s suitable & capable then that goes a long way. In my last few months I worked in a recruiting office; there was one candidate that on paper didn’t fit the criteria but the recruitment officer fought to get him through (he had a criminal record which is a big no no).
I would speak honestly to his instructors for their opinion & take it from there.

I have met quite a few people in the military who are on the spectrum. Probably not diagnosed. I don't think that is a show stopper. The anxiety will be the main issue.

Crikey, if Aspergers was a bar to entry, we'd have about 8 people in the army.

I'm being facetious but if he can pass the entry tests, that won't be Saab issue. The asthma might be tho.

Hi OP,

If you really want more detail on entry requirements then JSP 950 (can be found on google) details medical standards in more detail.

But, generally speaking, if he/she does not have a diagnosis of asthma (as per NICE guideline, not just because he had an inhaler once for a wheeze) then it shouldn't be an issue.

Mental health is more complicated, but depends on whether he/she required medication and the elapsed time before applying.

There is a tendency in recruiting to tell people they don't meet the requirements - that is not their decision. That decision is made on review of their records and at a medical appointment.

And on a different note - the career path for medics is better than for dog handlers! But saying that, if they want a civilian qualification (eg paramedic) they might find it easier to do that before joining the army. As PP have said, the RAF and the Navy are also good options!

Hey OP
Not Army but serving RAF and we have both of those trades. Personally they aren't trades I would recommend to anyone close to me; it seems our medics do a lot of administration work whilst in uk and dog handlers lots of guard duty but on deployment they have a hard gig.
I joined young but wish I had got my professional qualifications outside and experience UNI etc.
Anyway one suggestion from me is to look into direct entry nursing. That way you join up and do basic training and then go to university to get your nursing qualification in your military group. That way you get paid a wage and cheap accommodation whilst earning your degree and come out at the end with a higher qualification/ rank/ pay band.
Your cadet leaders should have some contacts with local bases so you can try to organise visits to see people in their various roles and get a feel to see if it's something they fancy. We also get a lot of work experience kids coming on who spend the week going round all the various roles to see what everyone does.
I'm not sure if the reserves have such a strict entry criteria so this could be another option if you are not successful as a regular entrant x

Ex-reservist and former cadet instructor here - spent most of my adult life in a uniform until a few years ago.

I only got diagnosed as dyspraxic (by my GP for work) last year but I managed. One of the things that came up at my officers' board was that I couldn't catch a rope but that didn't stop me becoming a senior NCO, even if the drill instructors despaired of me. No one was bothered by my mild eczema and hay fever. I've had two superb cadets who were extremely dyslexic and nothing the RN recruitment office could do could get them through the written exam but they had a great army career, both of them. I was diagnosed asthmatic while a reservist and I could have stayed in as the combination of my rate and job meant that I would never serve on a ship without a doctor but I decided myself to go to the cadets. I loved my time in both and still am in touch with several of the friends I made.

Incidentally, a friend's husband was a Royal Marine, failed the medical for the police and has had a long career in the prison service, as per a pp above.

Every service is different and they are the best people to speak to as sometimes it's a question of severity.

Thanks so much for all the advice and suggestions, it's massively appreciated.

My Dc wanted to join the army, with a heart condition we knew they would not be able to.

Joined the merchant navy instead. Absolutely loves it.

Merchant Navy Cadet Training

BlueSky I never even thought of that! Thanks.