Ritalin disqualifies you from military service

[snopes]

Comment: Is it true that if you took Ritalin as a child, the military will
not accept you?

[UEL]

Not north of 49.

I know of at least 2 soldiers who took ritalin as a child/teen.

[Beachlife!]

According to this article:
Military Barring Of Ritalin Users Under Question

It is true, and even past use of Ritalin may disqualify as well:

The use of Ritalin and similar drugs can be automatic grounds for rejection by the military, even if the hopeful soldier has improved and stopped taking the drugs.

[Casey]

So they've never actually known someone with ADD/ADHD, then. Structure helps. You know what also helps? An engaging activity.

Total disclosure: I have ADD. Not had, have.

Playing NHL 10? Totally fine. Walk in the woods? Cool. Parked in an uninteresting lecture? I'm out.

Given how the military trumpets their number of different career options, it seems like a perfect match.

[pinqy]

AR 40-501

2–27. Learning, psychiatric and behavioral disorders
a. Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (314), or Perceptual/Learning Disorder(s) (315) does not meet the standard, unless applicant can demonstrate passing academic performance and there has been no use of medication(s) in the previous 12 months.

In other words, yes, and no. Once in, there's no issue, and I have been prescribed stimulant medication by an Army psychiatrist while on active duty.

[UEL]

Originally Posted by Casey

Given how the military trumpets their number of different career options, it seems like a perfect match.

Actually, Casey, I attended some professional development about having soldiers and officers with ADHD and ADD potentially under my command.

In short, what I was told that people who have ADD do much better when trained, rather than educated. Performing a function, such as operating a piece of equipment, is exactly the stuff we require soldiers to do, and it is work a soldier with ADD can competently perform.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

The son of a friend, who initially attempted to join the military just out of high school, was turned down because of ritalin use. A few years later, after he'd worked reliably at a job, he was accepted. He now works out of NORAD.

Seaboe

[Dondi]

I can tell you that the claim is blatently false, at least in my case. I took Ritalin from age 3 to age 12 (three times a day), for hyperactivity. Then went on to spend 20 honorable years in the U.S. Navy.

Fact is, I grew out of hyperactivity (Which I understand that a lot of kids do when they reach puberty). That and military school help discipline me. Which is why I find the claim strange, because anyone who is still hyper or ADHD or ADD may actually benefit from the discipline of military service.

I find it strange that a person would be exempt from military service on account of a legitimate perscription to Ritalin. ADHD and ADD I may understand, as pinqy referenced, but not the drug itself.

[pinqy]

Originally Posted by Dondi

I find it strange that a person would be exempt from military service on account of a legitimate perscription to Ritalin. ADHD and ADD I may understand, as pinqy referenced, but not the drug itself.

Basically, because the military cannot guarantee access to medication, then if a condition is serious to require prescribed medication it will tend to be disqulifiying for entry. If conditions occur later, that's a different story, though it may restrict duty assignments.