I was wondering if any of you ADD/HDers have served. ADD/ADHD is listed as a "disqualifying" condition for enlistment, that's not to say it isn't impossible but not guaranteed that you would be able to serve. If you know any more on this subject or have accounts of friends with ADD/ADHD who have served please share them/it.

I was not diagnosed back in 1978 when I signed up.
I was in the Army, but I didn't finish my 3-year enlistment, although I do have a full Honorable Discharge.

I totally believe my ADD/HD made it hard for me to stay in, only because I wound up in the Headquarters Company of my unit and pretty much worked out of the sickbay instead of being out in the field all the time.

I volunteered for the field whenever I could... I HATED the barracks!:mad:

Now I'm too old... 48... but I'd go back in if they let me, and if I could sign up for a field unit.. airborne... :D

thanks, I recently joined the MC ROTC and I'm loving every second of it. It may be some OCD like thing but I have always had an attraction to any extremely organized infrastructure and felt an urge to life life on the edge. I am just hoping that if I do decide to enlist I can at least get a medical waiver for ADD.

I was in. It wasn't the best of fits, that's for sure. I did my time, made rank fine, have an honorable... but still... I had to work harder to overcome for my lack of abilities. I'm glad it's working out for you, however. Everyone's different.

You have to be off of your meds for a year and show that you can function without the meds. i.e. passing classes, holding down a job, etc. The Marine Corps is the strictest of the branches on medical issues. Don't let the recruiters bully you into enlisting either and lying at MEPS. I've heard of a lot of recruiters doing this. If you really want to go into the military and can funtion without meds, get off of them, and wait the year. Just tell the recruiter that you are off your meds and are going to wait the year, and are not going to lie at MEPS. Just stand your ground because there are recruiters out there who will do anything they can to get you to go back on your decision to be truthful at MEPS. Remember that they have a quota to make. If they enlist the required numbers of people, that could spell promotion and more money in their pockets. Anyway, I think that's about all I have to say. Good luck to you!

Here's a website backing up the information I just gave you:
http://www.dbpeds.org/tools/temporarypdf/ADHDandtheMilitary-20090311185158.pdf
page 3, paragraph 1
For some reason it says three years at the beginning of the paragraph, which is not something I've ever heard regarding this issue, but further down in the paragraph, it says that if you have stable employment and passing grades, you can apply for a waiver in a year.