undiagnosed add/adhd and enlisting in the marines
Hey everyone,
I'm planing to write a story with a character who has add/adhd but has never been diagnosed with it. He expresses very strong symptoms, though (e.g. recklessness, disorganization, tardiness).
If he were to enlist in the marines would it be believable that his behavior/answers raise red flags, during any kind of evaluation, psychological or physical? He could even have poorly healed injuries (he gets into a lot of fights and he's also physically abused) but I'd rather not make them any injuries that actually incapacitate him in any form (at least not until old age).
I know that ADD/ADHD disqualifies you to 99% as a candidate, but I couldn't find anything about undiagnosed cases. I need to have him NOT qualify for the army, and therefore be unable to join (or at least get discharged within a month, tops) but it has to be a surprise for him. (He even stopped taking drugs well in advance to make sure he qualifies.)
Also, he doesn't necessarily have to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, it'd be enough if a symptom he expresses (or an incident that results from a symptom) would give the marines a different reason to disqualify him. I don't know, though, which could give them a strong enough reason for that?
The year he tries to enlist would be sometime between 1992-94 when he's 18-20, if that makes a difference. Setting is Dallas, TX.
I googled undiagnosed ADD/ADHD in teens and adults, symptoms, etc. and various stuff about enlistment qualifications which helped me out a lot, but it were these specific details that I couldn't find answers to. So here's me hoping, someone with a more detailed knowledge of add/adhd in relation to the military can help me out.
Thank you :)
I'm planing to write a story with a character who has add/adhd but has never been diagnosed with it. He expresses very strong symptoms, though (e.g. recklessness, disorganization, tardiness).
If he were to enlist in the marines would it be believable that his behavior/answers raise red flags, during any kind of evaluation, psychological or physical? He could even have poorly healed injuries (he gets into a lot of fights and he's also physically abused) but I'd rather not make them any injuries that actually incapacitate him in any form (at least not until old age).
I know that ADD/ADHD disqualifies you to 99% as a candidate, but I couldn't find anything about undiagnosed cases. I need to have him NOT qualify for the army, and therefore be unable to join (or at least get discharged within a month, tops) but it has to be a surprise for him. (He even stopped taking drugs well in advance to make sure he qualifies.)
Also, he doesn't necessarily have to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, it'd be enough if a symptom he expresses (or an incident that results from a symptom) would give the marines a different reason to disqualify him. I don't know, though, which could give them a strong enough reason for that?
The year he tries to enlist would be sometime between 1992-94 when he's 18-20, if that makes a difference. Setting is Dallas, TX.
I googled undiagnosed ADD/ADHD in teens and adults, symptoms, etc. and various stuff about enlistment qualifications which helped me out a lot, but it were these specific details that I couldn't find answers to. So here's me hoping, someone with a more detailed knowledge of add/adhd in relation to the military can help me out.
Thank you :)