Special Forces Expert: Mental Illness Waivers ‘Disturbing’

The U.S. Army is rescinding its recently announced policy of allowing people with a history of mental illness to get a waiver in order to serve in the military, a welcome move but one that should never have been necessary, according to a former U.S. Army special forces commander.

Earlier this week, the Army announced it instituted a policy in August that allowed waivers to be issued so that potential recruits could circumvent the ban on service members with a history of mental illnesses ranging from bipolar disorder to depression to self-mutilation and alcohol or drug abuse. The Army admitted the move was designed to boost sagging recruiting numbers.

On Wednesday, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley said the Army is reversing course. Milley says the policy on waivers was never actually implemented but was being debates with the Army’s leadership.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. General William “Jerry” Boykin, who spent most of his career in special forces, says the Army is making the right call after entertaining a terrible idea.

“I will take the chief of staff of the Army’s word for the fact that it was still being studied but it’s disturbing that we’re even studying this,” said Boykin, who believes the Army’s sudden shift is due more to public relations than because it believes this was a terrible idea. (Read more from “Special Forces Expert: Mental Illness Waivers ‘Disturbing'” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.