Free Jared! Autistic teenager recruited to die in Bush's illegal war!

[Tom Joad]

"When Jared first started talking about joining the Army, I thought, 'Well, that isn't going to happen,' " said Paul Guinther, Jared's father. "I told my wife not to worry about it. They're not going to take anybody in the service who's autistic."

But they did. Last month, Jared came home with papers showing that he not only had enlisted, but also had signed up for the Army's most dangerous job: cavalry scout. He is scheduled to leave for basic training Aug. 16.
...
The Portland Army Recruiting Battalion Headquarters opened its investigation into Jared's case last week after his parents called The Oregonian and the newspaper began asking questions about his enlistment.
...
Brenda said she spoke to Cpl. Ronan Ansley and explained that Jared had a disability, autism, that could not be outgrown. She said Ansley told her he had been in special classes, too -- for dyslexia.

"I said, 'Wait a minute, there's a big difference between autism and your problem,' " Brenda said....

"{Ansley's supervisor} was real cocky and he says, 'Well, Jared's an 18-year-old man. He doesn't need his mommy to make his decisions for him.' "

I set up a call to action Page for Jared and his family, and to hold accountable these unscrupulous recruiters. Included are contact info for the U.S. Army Recruiting Command
Douglas Smith [phone]/0172 Whip out those cell phones now!

Check it out at http://tomjoad.org/freejared.htm (also has full article)
Spread the Word!

[Squatch]

1. I wouldn't worry too much.

He will still need to get a physical before entering BCT. If there are any conditions that prohibit Jared from owning or posessing a weapon, the Army will let him go.

[Ecumenist]

2. I wonder... with this bunch and their lackeys in power

They are capable of anything...and willing to do anything to keep warm bodies temporarily... WORSE
PERSON IN THE WORLD!!! His recruiter was just named the WORSE PERSON IN THE WORLD!! YAY KEITH!!!

[Squatch]

4. Well, that may be true in the White House...

but most doctors who are doing pre-service physicals are captains and majors. And still beholden to the UCMJ and Army regulations on medical qualifications of recruits.

DD Form 2807-1 Report of Medical History

Q 17.g (Have you ever) been evaluated or treated for a mental condition.

Q 24 Have you consulted or been treated by clinics, physicians, healers, or other practitioners within the past 5 years for other than minor illness?

If the answer to either of those is "Yes" followed by an explanation of autism, I am fairly sure that will be a bar to enlistment.

[Tom Joad]

5. Autism has nothing to do with physical fitness.

He may be the fittest kid in his school.
Autism is a developmental disorder that has to do with his social skills, and his learning ability.

You may be right that Jared will very soon be relieved of any obligation to the military, even before reporting. Still, some harm is already done. He will have wasted a few months of his life pursuing a goal that is not realistic. This has caused his family worry and distress. (and yes, given the insanity in the military/government right now, we can't be sure that Jared won't be in Tehran by Christmas)

Most importantly, it is just another example of recruiters using improper aggressive tactics.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

8. He's lucky that his mother can capture the interest of an MSM outlet

By her admirable actions, she is shining a spotlight on the recruiting practice of targeting the vulnerable.

I wonder how many (hundreds, thousands?) of very young men and women join under coercive circumstances, leaving behind anguished parents who see the the immorality in the recruitment of their children.

MKJ

[Squatch]

9. I am pretty sure that autism (if diagnosed) is an automatic

bar to enlistment (with no possibility of waiver).

That said, I don't think the family has a leg to stand on with seeking a bar to enlistment based on "worry and stress". He is, after all, an adult who has signed a provisional enlistment contract (pending completion of a pre-enlistment physical and BCT)

[Tom Joad]

12. I didn't say that. I said they should all get compensation from

a military that has dishonest fools on their payroll. I did not say that they should bar enlistment because his parents will worry (that should be done because he is unfit for duty, adult or not).

This should not have gone as far as it has. He will only get out because the parents had to go to media to make their case.

Remember, if Arlo Guthrie had not been a criminal, he would have been inducted. Even if he did act like a psycho. So the story goes, at least... i know this may be embellished a bit.

And I went up there, I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I
wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and
guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill,
KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and
he started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down
yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sargent came over, pinned a medal on me,
sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy."

Didn't feel too good about it.
http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/alices.shtml

[Koyaanisqatsi]

3. This recruiter just made Olbermann's top "Worst Person In the World"

Even though I believe Jared will ultimately be freed of his "obligation", I do think there needs to be an investigation. When I read Jared's story yesterday, it made me both angry and concerned for our young autistic son. I could see him falling for some crap a recruiter handed him to get him to sign up. Fighting this battle is simply the last thing Jared and his family need to be concentrating on right now.

Thanks to Olbermann.

I'm nominating this one. This story hits home and is truly disturbing to me.

[Tom Joad]

6. way to go olberman.

"Fighting this battle is simply the last thing Jared and his family need to be concentrating on right now." Exactly

Yes, do notice how hard this family works. They don't need the added strain. Jared didn't need a false promise.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

10. Mmmm. Sending "The Countdown" some sugar now....

This is the email address MSNBC has on their web site for "The Countdown" if anybody else is interested:

[e-mail] <[e-mail]>

[blue neen]

7. You're right. This is truly disturbing.

So the recruiters are now going after kids who have disabilites. Where does the corruption of this administration end?

Let the recruiter call up Jenna and Barbara Bush. Their father is responsible for this travesty (and tragedy) in Iraq.

[China_cat]

11. I just forwarded this to the healthfraud list.

We've just been having a discussion of the fraudulent things that are being pushed on the autistic and their families.

[Gman]

13. The good news is that he may well end up eligible for VA benefits

for the rest of his life after they discover his autism and he gets discharged.

[Tom Joad]

14. I don't think so.

The VA is not nearly so generous.
You would be surprised at how stingy they are.

[mom cat]

15. Thanks for getting the ball rolling on this one!

:yourock:

[yellerpup]

16. Reminds me so much of Viet Nam

They took EVERYONE who couldn't get into college, including the guys who burned holes in their arms with cigarettes on a dare, including the guys who were too uncoordinated to make any sports team, including the guys who had flunked out. They need cannon fodder, our (former) allies knew it would come to this point and refused to let their kids be pop-up targets. This kid may be a man legally, but that doesn't need he doesn't need his mommy to stick up for him. Geeeezzz!

[Tom Joad]

17. JARED IS FREE!

Army rescinds enlistment of autistic teen
Military officials announced today that they will release an 18-year-old autistic man from his enlistment obligation.

Last month, Jared Guinther, diagnosed with autism at age 3, came home with papers showing that he not only had enlisted in the U.S. Army, but also had signed up for its most dangerous job: cavalry scout.

Guinther was scheduled to leave for basic training Aug. 16, but Army officials launched an investigation into potential recruiting violations after The Oregonian began reporting on his story last week.

Officials are examining whether recruiters at the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in Southeast Portland improperly concealed Jared's disability, which should have made him ineligible for service.
http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/oregonian/index.ssf?/mtlogs/olive_oregonian_news/archives/2006_05.html#139388

We still need to make sure these recruiters are held accountable. That aggressive recruiters are kept off campuses. That they must not mislead young people.

Still, chalk this up as a win.