Unemployed son wants to join army. Help!

[jomojomum]

As he's been unemployed for over a year and with only a few days at a truly awful job working in a factory, my 20 yr old son has decided to join the TA. I can understand why and part of me knows that the discipline and work ethic will be good for him, but he has had serious mental health issues in the past, which he has been told won't affect his application(!) He is a very good shot and wants to become a sniper (which to me sounds like a sitting target as the person the enemy would most like to kill), I am so scared for him. He says he'd rather die doing something worthwhile than being unemployed any longer.
We went through hell with the mental health issues (OCD and mild Psychosis) and I think if he is stressed it could easily come back. However I know being rejected by the army would also be a massive disappointment to him. Can anyone advise me? I know I have no say as he is over 20, so cant stop him if this is what he decides to do, but he will listen to advice

he is an adult. YOu have to let him do his own thing, as hard as that may be.

Yes, I know I have no choice what he does. I just wondered if anyone else has experienced a similar situation, or knows anything about the army's recruitment of people with mental health issues.

Do you think he has got what it takes?

The army is quite tough, and if he gets through training then you can only commend him

I think, to be honest he will struggle big time, he has all sorts of issues with his OCD, but he is so keen to do something meaningful after dossing around for 18 months. But I am very concerned that he can cope with even basic training. His Dad says "Good on him, it will make a man of him etc".

His dad could be right. I am sure every parent of soldiers are scared for their DC, but they must be so proud too. Maybe the discipline of the army might actually be good for his OCD? I really would encourage him as much as you can even if it isn't what you yourself would choose for him. MH issues don't make him incompetent.

Life is what you make of it. I feel you are doing your son a diservice writing him off because he has a history of MH issues. Maybe he will be rejected, but unless he applies then he will ever know.

Everyone seeking to join the TA must pass a health assessment. Here's a useful link. The military is exempt from DDA. It looks as if it may not be as straightforward as your DS has described it so far.

Withholding information during the recruitment process is classed as "failure to recruit" (I think) and leads to summary dismissal.

Your DS needs an early opportunity to discuss his health history in full with a medical assessor (the recruitment office can arrange this) as an individual judgement will need to be made in his case.

Thanks for all your comments, (I am not writing him off in any way, and am already very proud of him. He wants to do this to challenge himself, and I agree that if he can do it, he will benefit in many ways. But he does have severe OCD issues which anyone who knows about the condition will tell you gets worse with stress.)
Thanks so much Edith for your info and link, which does list OCD as something which may stop him joining. I'll make sure he has a look at the website so he is forewarned. What is DDA?

My DS (17) recently joined the TA and is absolutely certain that he wants to join the Regulars as an officer after Uni.

He suffered from depression for a few months a couple of years ago and also had anxiety for a few months after his older brother died and I was diagnosed with cancer.

He disclosed both on his medical form and the doctor asked him about the circumstances and marked him as fit to train. Your son absolutely must disclose his problems, personally I think the TA is going to be a lot easier to join than the Regs, but of course he is still likely to be deployed at some point.

Is he getting treatment, I think that is the key to whether he'll be accepted.

DDA is the Disability Discrimination Act.

Unlike other employers, the military can insist on recruits meeting certain health/fitness standards and do not have to make any adjustments to accommodate those who do not.

How are things, OP? Also,not sure whether your ds is going to join the regulars (ie full time) after TA? Although they get paid for TA including bounty and training days, it's not by any means a full time job, unless they are deployed,which wouldn't be for at least a year after he's attested.

Sorry I didnt reply before, Thanks so much mumble for your advice and for sharing about your son, you must be really proud of him. I Have told my son to disclose his history (hope he will!) His interview is today with the TA. He says he can leave at any time in the first 2 years which makes me feel a bit easier. I have wished him luck but still in my heart am scared about his future. I think the OCD may rear its ugly head and prevent him continuing, but we'll see.
Thanks also to you, Edith for explaining the DDA, and armys position, which makes sense.

My son looked at the RAF - their medical exemption list was 4 pages long and included a lot of mental health problems. My son has recently been diagnosed with IBS and even that means an application would be turned down.
The forces do seem very srict. I was like you though, it can be just another person saying they are not good enough which doesn't help. However, I guess they have to find out on their own. It's certainly hard.