In the army

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Beth
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In the army

Post by Beth »

Hi,
Recently I was diagnosed as having "borderline learning difficulties" whatever that means. I'm in the army so it wasn't a big expensive assessment, it took like half an hour with some civilian woman doing the test and she wasn't a psychologist or therapist or anything like that so not too sure what to think.
I asked the army because I believe I'm dyspraxic. I'm in training at the moment and have signed a contract so I've got years left. I want to be good at my job but I'm not and the army's not a very forgiving job if you know what I mean. They have names for people who struggle to follow orders and complete the simplest of tasks and none of them are nice. I don't think I would have joined had I heard of dyspraxia before.
Don't get me wrong I like my job and I want to do well but I generally don't and it affects my self esteem. Is anyone on here in the military with dispraxia? I want to know how to cope, I want to know tips that will make me better at my job. So much of the job is practical, like drill, map reading, using weapons. Any help?
Robert Scotland
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Re: In the army

Post by Robert Scotland »

I was a army cadet and found marching hard and shooting as well because of my dyspraxia
Vimes
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Re: In the army

Post by Vimes »

Hi. My first thought is that you need to push for a proper diagnosis. "Border-line learning difficulties" is not a meaningful diagnosis. It could mean any number of things. You need to know exactly what you have before you go forward.
gregkhion
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Re: In the army

Post by gregkhion »

Agree with Vimes a proper diagnosis is needed for you.

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Mr_Tom_one
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Re: In the army

Post by Mr_Tom_one »

Hi Beth,

My purely personal opinion would be to try to decide if the things you struggle with are things you can overcome through practice, or if it's so much a part of you that it will just be frustrating as a career path. For example I find it hard to be organised and get places on time, but it's something I've learned to stay on top of and so it doesn't stop me from getting to work. Recently I've worked doing DIY for people, I don't charge much per hour because I know I'm slow, but I feel I can do a good job this way. However if I had to work as something like a chef in a busy kitchen, it wouldn't matter how on time I was, I couldn't do the job.

It might be that you can find a place in the army where your problems are less of an issue, maybe once you've got through the basic training. I know there are lots of areas - engineering, communications, millitary music etc. If you found that you weren't suited to any of it though then maybe a proper diagnosis would be the next step, as the other guys have suggested.

I would find my dyspraxia (I'm still waiting for my official test to be scheduled but I believe I have it) would make the army too difficult for me, mainly as I'd find it hard to process orders and react quickly under pressure. I think there would be loads of similar roles that are slightly less full on though, for example as a mountain walk or outdoor guide, personal trainer, sports instructor or something.

Good luck with it anyway!!
Yossarian
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Re: In the army

Post by Yossarian »

I have experience of drill and marching from a previous uniformed job. I also struggled with keeping time and remembering the steps, which can be difficult for anyone. I was pretty bad at drill and I initially struggled to swing my arms in time with taking my steps.

If there are other recruits who also experience difficulty in this area, try practicing together in your free time. One person can take the role of drill instructor, call out the commands and watch for any mistakes. Perhaps you could ask a student who excells at drill to take this role. I found that this was a great way to get comfortable with the movements, away from the pressure of the parade square.

I also found it much easier to march in the middle rank because I always had someone in front of me to watch. There's also the added bonus of being more concealed and, thus, feeling less self conscious about your marching. After time, drill will get easier. The motions and timings will become ingrained.
morgank82
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Re: In the army

Post by morgank82 »

I feel your pain, and can relate. But I stead of me being on land I'm a marine. I work for the western pacific marine transportation. that is also like army attitudes and drills and discipline under the marine act. I had dyspraxia when I was born and walked through hell and back 100 tmies and still On that path, but I'm thankful as in traded my child and teen years in for to be able to move mountains and be able to be accepted in work like others who don't have this condition.
my job is not that easy at all for workers that is not under any condition. For I have to operate a 20 million dollar vessel Across narrow and shallow passages . So if u understand this condition is really tricky to focus and excel at it. But marine code and strict policy is ignorence it's self for I succeed in the end of the day but I tend to complete the tasks different stradigies as my other marine mates , there for I was always labeled different and a danger to the vessel although I did do any harsh mistakes or colisions. It got to the point where some captains was trying to jynx me and set me up as failure . Cuz there were pissed cuz I don't let go on this career that easy cuz of the good pay and benifits And the marine institute I went to to pursue the line of work.

It got to a point where I had to use my benifits to activate my stress leave , cuz of severe anxiety deppression which I thought it was finally numbing it self out, I was wrong cuz of the ignorance and bullying getting belittled cuz of my disibility , I developed again action trimmers And low raging thoughts That scared me. I had been working so hard for years and years to work with my disorder and some how to contain it so I can be on there level just to find out this job opened up my anxiety times 2 with vengeance. And action trimmers that goes along with it.
I'm taking meds which sucks cuz this condition alone is deppression so anxiety depression is going back to back and circles of repeat it seems . I'm on long term disibility, I thank my benifits organization indeed to be able to do this. But they don't understand what disibility I am going for other then heavy mood swings and anxiety

Cheers
if I can make a suggestion is to make no harsh mistakes, and to don't let them push u down. See I got itimidated cuz in work under captains and captains are ranks high upm but in the end there just people .stand up for your self but just make sure you can back it up .
morgank82
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Re: In the army

Post by morgank82 »

P.S.

my other deck hand marines were doing simular as me also for they found it difficult st times, but they always go to me or complain about me cuz I was a weak link I did nit stand up hardly to defend my rights And for that they took my disibility as an accuse to to say I was a danger or I couldn't ex cell in my duties which Is hard to focus or do it in their eye prospective but I always succeeded in the eND and **** them off more daily lol
Harby1
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Re: In the army

Post by Harby1 »

Hi, I'm in the reserve forces and really struggle with the weapons handling test, learning to drive new vehicles and aspects of fieldcraft. It was one of the regular instructors who suggested that i might have undiagnosed dyspraxia based on a discussion he had with his wife who works in SEN.

I must admit i also display other typical traits: poor coordination, weakeness on my left side, i like routine, struggle to find the right words in conversation despite having a degree and excellent report writing skills in my civilian life. Many others too.

Do the military have any support? I dread seeing my GP as being 42 years with a good job I believe I'll be fobbed off.
Harby1
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Re: In the army

Post by Harby1 »

PS don't feel ready to discuss with my civvy line manager
Tom fod
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Re: In the army

Post by Tom fod »

GPs are not always v aware and it is often seen as something one shd grow out of(not correct you learn to cope but change can mean rug is pulled out from under your feet.
Worth asking MO /Welfare People as sure Army/MOD prides itself on these things more so than it maybe used to.

Whoever you see have some examples written down. We'd be grateful if you let us know how it goes.
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
kombatwombat
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Re: In the army

Post by kombatwombat »

I think you should be proud you made it through basic training. I didn't make it, mostly due to poor organizational ability and fine motor skills. Funnily enough, target practice was the one thing I did do well at in the army. My grouping was one of the tightest of any recruit, which was the only time I impressed anybody. However, it is not like this skill is of any use to me outside the army haha.

All I would say to you is that if your job is becoming a daily struggle, you will have to talk to one of your co's about your situation. Not sure what army you are in but In NZ, where I am from, the army now has the attitude that if you don't want to stay, they won't keep you. The whole "signing your life away" thing hasn't really applied for a long time.
Andrew_S_Hatton
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Re: In the army & Welcome kombatwombat

Post by Andrew_S_Hatton »

Welcome kombatwombat , that was a pretty perceptive post, I guess lots of folk with DCD/Dyspraxia have needed to make enforced job changes, possibly without knowing why as I suspect there are still more of us undiagnosed and ignorant of our conditions thatn, in the know - as it were.

I wonder if you managed to get fixed up with a job that suits you now.

Best wishes - thanks for posting.
kombatwombat
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Re: In the army

Post by kombatwombat »

Hi Andrew

In response to your question-No, unfortunately, I am still really struggling to find any sort of job which suits me. I have tried numerous jobs since and the learning issues have always held me back from ever feeling comfortable. The latest thing I tried was becoming a primary school teacher as I thought the lack of male teachers would give me a good chance and that my higher than average level of compassion would make me well suited.

However, to get into teacher training you need to pass through an interview. I applied last year and failed the interview, however, I put this down to a late application and interview nerves exaggerated by the interview being held a week prior to the course was due to start. Anyway, in the wake of this, I thought a sensible move would be to volunteer at a local primary school to give me valuable experience and confidence to pass the interview. However, after reapplying this year, I found this was not the case and I again failed miserably, with the interviewers advising me not to reapply next year.

The main thing I learned from this experience was that I have major problems with verbal communication which are exaggerated in a high-pressure interview situation. Several years ago I saw a specialist who more or less diagnosed me as being dyspraxic. He tried to tell me this, however, I did not really take him seriously at the time, because no one else had brought this to my attention. I guess never came out at school because they only test your ability to express through written language.

Anyway I guess I will have to find some job which does not require too much verbal communication among all the other typical dyspraxic issues I have
Tom fod
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Re: In the army

Post by Tom fod »

Hi CombatWombat

I too struggle with interviews and have had some resounding failures as the pressure to give a good account of myself has caused me to go to pieces. I've lost out on a couple of promotion interviews this year. If teaching is what you want to do I'd urge you to have another go sometime.

I was 21 when I got my first job in 1996 (iIrc) as a research assistant for a charity before I had really caught on to what Dyspraxia was and that I was affected. It was not until 2010 that I finally learned about Dyspraxia and things started to fall into place which this forum helped me with.

I sincerely wish you good luck in finding something that brings you contentment and helps improve your confidence.
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
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