The U.S. Army came out swinging Wednesday in response to a report on its reversal of a 2009 waiver ban for mental health issues.
Gen. Mark Milley, the Army’s chief of staff, says a Nov. 12 USA Today piece on new recruiting guidelines “mischaracterized” the issue. The newspaper noted that applicants with a history of bipolar disorder, depression, and drug and alcohol abuse could conceivably receive a waiver due to policy changes implemented in August.
The newspaper also received comments by Army spokesman Randy Taylor and a retired Army colonel psychiatrist for its piece on Sunday.
“The bottom line is there has been no change in standards,” the general told reporters, Star and Stripes reported. “Since 2017, there has been no one to come into the Army that has not met the Department of Defense standards for behavioral health and/or personal conduct. When it says we are letting people in with a history of cutting themselves, of self-mutilation, that is not true. When it says we are letting people in with serious mental health conditions, with bipolar disorder, that is not true.”
USA Today’s original reporting noted that Army officials “did not respond to a question of how many waivers, if any, have been issued since the policy was changed.”
Likewise, Army officials did not dispute documents obtained by the newspaper stating medical conditions “removed from UR-601-210 M-5b which were part of the ’never waiver/suspended status.’ “
“The decision was primarily due to the increased availability of medical records and other data which is now more readily available,” Mr. Taylor told USA Today. “These records allow Army officials to better document applicant medical histories.”
The new policy lowers the level at which many waivers are approved by shifting decisions from Army headquarters to U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
A statement sent to Stars and Stripes “did not clarify in what situations it would grant waivers for potential recruits.”
“Here’s what we’ve told recruiters: If you make the numbers that’s great, but you will make the standard,” Gen. Milley said. “We will not reduce quality to gain quantity. Full stop.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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