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Army lifts ban on waivers for recruits with history of some mental health issues |
2017-11-13 |
[USA Today] WASHINGTON ‐ People with a history of "self-mutilation," bipolar disorder, depression and drug and alcohol abuse can now seek waivers to join the Army under an unannounced policy enacted in August, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY. The decision to open Army recruiting to those with mental health conditions comes as the service faces the challenging goal of recruiting 80,000 new soldiers through September 2018. To meet last year's goal of 69,000, the Army accepted more recruits who fared poorly on aptitude tests, increased the number of waivers granted for marijuana use and offered hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses. Expanding the waivers for mental health is possible in part because the Army now has access to more medical information about each potential recruit, Lt. Col. Randy Taylor, an Army spokesman, said in a statement. The Army issued the ban on waivers in 2009 amid an epidemic of suicides among troops. "The decision was primarily due to the increased availability of medical records and other data which is now more readily available," Taylor's statement to USA TODAY said. "These records allow Army officials to better document applicant medical histories." |
Posted by:Besoeker |
#8 The cannon fodder corp! |
Posted by: Seeking cure for ignorance 2017-11-13 22:35 |
#7 Make it harder to find legally elected elected representatives. |
Posted by: Skidmark 2017-11-13 16:31 |
#6 Stupid is as stupid does. |
Posted by: newc 2017-11-13 13:50 |
#5 "The decision was primarily due to the increased availability of medical records and other data which is now more readily available," The medical records of USAF veteran (and Texas church shooter) Devin Patrick Kelley being the obvious exception. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2017-11-13 09:51 |
#4 Nuts with guns doesn't seem like a good idea. Neither does soldiers without guns. |
Posted by: Glenmore 2017-11-13 09:33 |
#3 "The decision was primarily due to the increased availability of medical records and other data which is now more readily available," Taylor's statement to USA TODAY said Department of Redundancy issues a Department of Redundancy Statement |
Posted by: Frank G 2017-11-13 08:42 |
#2 IIRC there is still no Trump Secty of the Army. Thus, Obama policies are still being implemented by the hacks. |
Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-11-13 08:26 |
#1 Wunderbar |
Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-11-13 06:30 |