SEMINAR

This lecture-based course provides a focused review of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), its prevalence in society, and the unique challenges it presents during tactical operations. Participants will learn to define common behavioral characteristics associated with autism that may be encountered in the field and understand how sensory sensitivities can impact behavior during high-stress or high-stimulus events. The course will help differentiate between behaviors that may indicate resistance or aggression and those that are autism-related stress responses, assess the risk of tactical escalation due to misinterpretation of behaviors, and evaluate the effectiveness of current standard operating procedures (SOPs) in accommodating neurodiverse individuals during tactical deployments.