Can I Join The Military With Depression

Can I Join The Military With Depression – The Army now allows recruits with certain mental health conditions to withdraw from the service. Here’s why it’s happening now.

WASHINGTON — People with a history of “self-harm,” bipolar disorder, depression and drug and alcohol abuse will not be able to apply for an unannounced discharge from the military in August, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.

Can I Join The Military With Depression

The decision to open up army recruitment to those with mental health conditions comes as the service faces a challenging target of recruiting 80,000 new soldiers by September 2018. proficiency tests, increased the number of marijuana exemptions and offered hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses.

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Mental health waivers are possible in part because the Army now has access to more medical information about each potential recruit, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Randy Taylor said in a statement. The Army banned the practice in 2009 due to an epidemic of suicides among troops.

“The decision was made primarily because of the increased availability of medical records and other data currently available,” Taylor said in a statement to USA TODAY. “This data will allow Navy officials to better document applicants’ medical history.”

But Elspeth Ritchie, a psychiatrist who retired from the Army as a colonel in 2010 and specializes in military desertions, has concerns about the risks involved in accepting recruits with pre-existing mental health conditions. He said people with mental health problems are more likely to have those problems again than those without.

“That’s a red flag,” he said. “The question is, how much of a red flag is that?”

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Although bipolar disorder can be controlled with medication, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, self-harm, where people cut their skin with sharp instruments, can point to deeper mental health problems. .

When self-harm occurs in a military environment, Ritchie said, it can disrupt the unit. A soldier cutting his own skin may cause blood on the ground, indicating a suicide attempt and requiring medical evacuation from a war zone or other civilian location.

Hiring poorly qualified staff can cause problems. For example, in 2006, US soldiers raped an Iraqi girl and killed her family, one of whom was required to be barred from entering the army due to minor criminal activity and poor education.

The memo and document, obtained by USA TODAY, describe the hurdles a potential recruit must overcome to join the Army.

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Guidelines for screening potential recruits with a history of self-harm make clear that an applicant must provide “sufficient documentation” to receive a waiver, according to a September memo to commanders. These requirements include a detailed statement from the claimant, medical records, evidence from the employer that the injury was work-related, photographs provided by the employer, and a psychiatric evaluation and certification.

Slides for military officials examining recruits show examples of self-harm scars on their arms, legs and torsos.

“For all exceptions,” reads one note, “the burden of proof is on the applicant to present a clear and reasoned case why waiver should be considered.”

Taylor said there were many “good cases” among qualified applicants who were turned away because of incidents involving young children.

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“With the additional data available, Army officials can now treat applicants as healthy individuals, allowing Army leaders and medical personnel to fully review the case to assess the applicant’s physical limitations or health status and their potential impact on the applicant’s ability to complete training and complete an Army career,” Taylor said. “These exemptions are not taken lightly.”

“I can see that it doesn’t have to be absolute, but it could be a waiver,” he said.

The Army did not respond to a question about how many waivers have been issued since the policy change.

Figures released by USA TODAY in October show how the Army met its hiring goals by accepting more marginal recruits.

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In fiscal year 2017, the active-duty Army recruited nearly 69,000 soldiers, of which only 1.9% were known as category four. It refers to troops who score the lowest on military aptitude tests. In 2016, 0.6% of military personnel belonged to the fourth category. The Pentagon mandates that the services accept no more than 4% of Category 4 contracting classes. In addition, the number of refusals to use illegal marijuana while in uniform increased from 191 in 2016. in 2017 to 506. Eight states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

Recruiting is generally more difficult for services when the economy is strong. The Army has responded by offering more bonuses to those who sign up for the service. In fiscal 2017, it paid out $424 million in bonuses, up from $284 million in 2016. In 2014, that number was just $8.2 million. Some employees may receive a bonus of up to $40,000.

Ritchie said the Army’s decision to lift the ban because of mental health concerns is partly a response to the military’s recruiting difficulties. Army Reserve Spc. Equipment Specialist Kimberly Curtis of Helena, Montana, deployed to Poland with the 652nd Regional Support Group on her first horse, Queen Juniper, on her 21st birthday on Nov. 22, 2019, at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland. (Sgt Ryan C. Matson/US Army Reserve)

Here are some frequently asked questions we’ve received, but as always, you should check with the recruiter yourself. Now contact the recruiter.

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I had a felony, petty theft, and my army recruiter lied to me. I was scared and confused why he wanted to lie, even though my offense was not disqualifying. My fine was unpaid when I signed and I didn’t know it was illegal to proceed without paying the fine. I refuse to enter USN with inaccurate papers. It’s too late to exchange papers…what happens next?

1. Some guidance is needed. Did you admit to the charge? If yes and the fine is not paid, then go pay. If you don’t mention it, pay the fine and mention it when you post.

2. You have two options. Leave it alone…and play dumb when it hits in a year and a half. This time is required to obtain a confidential clearance and most prices require secrecy. When you get to the ship/commando, your CO will give you a temporary secret. This will act as a “stop” until you enter your last secret. When they knock and find that skeleton, you stand up. a man with a sea bag full, trying to explain his way out of violating the honor code.

Or pay your fine and disclose it to the recruiter. We may cancel your registration agreement and ask you to choose a different fee. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about when big brother will come knocking. And you will be fulfilled. Peace of mind is everything.

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What exactly is the Navy’s asthma policy? Do they check your medical records at the MEPS station? I’ve had asthma for over 12 years, but I don’t use an inhaler and I’m perfectly capable of doing all the physical training I need.

A diagnosis of asthma over the age of 12 is disqualifying, regardless of whether you use an inhaler or not. And yes, they can check your medical records if something makes them suspicious, like an asthma attack at boot camp. This would result in termination of registration for fraud.

Hello friends I really want to join but I can’t find which branch I want to join. I’ve been researching constantly, but I still don’t know. Here are the basics of what I want to do. I enjoy being outdoors and active, handling weapons (of course) and learning hand-to-hand combat. I love camping outdoors, I love big challenges and more. I was thinking special forces, but I don’t know what branch or something. Please help.

Navy: SEAL (Special Forces) is the only thing in the Navy that I see fit for you. (Army guys would know better.)

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Marines: You just described the Marines, but keep in mind that most of these guys are fanatical (in a good way) and physically unfit. This is a very big challenge.

Army: You just described some of the Army’s combat weapon specialties. Some are more technical than others. Explore them (armor, infantry, artillery, police, special forces) and find what suits you best.

Air Force: Special operators are very, very square, more technical, but also very physical. The security forces are the AF police, but with a less combative role (although that is slowly changing, I think).

I know it’s a hard choice, but it’s true

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