UK military could recruit autistic soldiers
The British military could review its recruitment policies to allow it to access a wider pool of people, including those suffering from certain neurological conditions, MP Andrew Murrison has told the Financial Times.
Murrison, who serves as parliamentary under-secretary of state for defence people, veterans and service families, argued that this would help provide the armed forces with skilled professionals amid chronic staffing shortages.
In an interview with the FT published on Wednesday, Murrison explained that “there are pinch points where things are quite serious,” adding that the UK military should adopt a more “flexible” approach toward hiring new personnel. The MP stated that with the armed forces placing increasing emphasis on cyberwarfare, it should start “casting the net more widely” to hire “neurodiverse” people.
According to Murrison, while personnel with dyslexia and dyspraxia are already serving in the British military, the door should now be open to candidates with autism, Asperger’s, and ADHD. These people may possess skills and attributes which others don’t, the lawmaker argued.
Murrison also suggested allowing older personnel to continue serving for longer, as there is “no philosophical barrier as to why we couldn’t look at extending the age of retirement.”