U.S. Army Lifts Ban On Recruits With Histories Of Mental Illness, Drug Abuse And Self-Mutilation

USA Today: Army lifts ban on waivers for recruits with history of some mental health issues

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.

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Update #1: U.S. Army Now Taking Applicants With Histories Of Mental Illness, Drug Abuse And Self-Mutilation (Newsweek)
Update #2: Army lifts ban on recruits with history of self-mutilation, drug and alcohol abuse (Miami Herald)
Update #3: Army Lowers Recruiting Standards To Allow Soldiers With History Of Self-Mutilation, Bipolar Disorder (Zero Hedge)

WNU Editor: There has to be a better way to find and entice recruits to join the Army.