The War Horse
The Military Is Missing Recruitment Goals. Are Thousands Being Unnecessarily Disqualified?
I was awarded a grant from Military Veterans in Journalism to do the research required for this article, which involved over 60 separate Freedom of Information Requests and countless interviews with those who were going through the recruitment process with a mental health, autism or ADHD diagnosis. Because as Carlos said:
“I’ll always have my autistic moments; that’s part of my disability,” Morales says. “I can still learn from them, though. I can still grow from my experiences. In part, because I have less of a filter than ‘normal’ people, I can admit when I’m wrong without making excuses.”
He doesn’t regret applying.
“I did this—all of this—because I want to serve my country.”
A Military Spouse’s Journey From Annoyance to Advocacy
I wrote a personal reflection piece for the nonprofit newsroom, The War Horse, discussing why I write and advocate for military families.
