you've GOT to be kidding me...
Posted on 06/16/2007 8:26:59 AM PDT by neverdem
Associated Press
U.S. troops would no longer be asked to reveal previous mental health treatment when applying for security clearances under a proposal being considered by the Pentagon. The idea stems from the finding that service members avoid needed counseling because they believe that getting it - and acknowledging it - could cost them their clearance as well as do other harm to their careers, The Associated Press has learned.
"This is just one of several items under review by the Department of Defense and the services in an effort to remove the stigma associated with mental health issues," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Ryder.
The proposal is to omit a question regarding mental health treatment that appears on a form required by the Office of Personnel Management, the agency that does the majority of investigations for granting clearances to military and civilian workers in the federal government.
Currently, the questionnaire asks applicants whether they have consulted a mental health professional in the last seven years. If so, they are asked to list the names, addresses and dates they saw the doctor or therapist.
The Pentagon has been working for some time to end the stigma of counseling. Studies indicate that soldiers most in need of post-combat health care are the least likely to get it because they fear that others will have less confidence in them, that it will threaten career advancement and that it could result in loss of their security clearance and possibly removal from their unit.
Statistics indicate that the perception of stigma is "far worse than the reality" when it comes to getting security clearances, Ryder said. Last year, less than .05 percent of some 800,000 people investigated for clearances were rejected on the sole issue of their mental health profile, he said.
That's because the clearance process is done on the "whole-person concept" - that is, it weighs a number of factors about the person's past and present, favorable and unfavorable. People can be prevented from getting a clearance if they have been convicted and imprisoned, are addicted to any controlled substance, have been discharged dishonorably from the service or are currently mentally incompetent.
If the application for clearances is changed to omit the question on previous counseling, it would be just a small part of the effort to encourage service members to get mental health care.
An education program for personnel at all levels of the military is among main recommendations of a yearlong mental health study. The task force study, ordered by Congress, called for urgent action to improve care for members of the military, under strain from simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said earlier Friday.
A change already made is a program called Respect.mil, Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock, the acting surgeon general of the Army, said at a news conference on the task force report. Under the program, instead of requiring soldiers or their family members to go to a designated location where it's clear they're getting behavioral health care, they can get the care at a primary care center.
The overall conclusion of the report was that it will take more money and staff to keep up with health care needed because of the high tempo of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Long and repeated deployments in the wars have been blamed for some of the mental health problems.
The two "signature injuries" from the conflicts - mostly Iraq - are post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, the task force said, adding that the new demands "have exposed shortfalls" on a system that has not been war-focused for decades.
The military also needs to train leaders to understand that physical health and psychological health are equally important, said Vice Adm. Donald Arthur, co-chair of the task force.
"We concentrate a great deal on ... how fast can you run a mile, how many sit-ups and push-ups can you do," Arthur told reporters. "But we don't often concentrate on the psychological health of the service member."
"If you break your leg, it's not your fault; if you get cancer, it's not your fault; if you have a post-traumatic stress reaction, it's not your fault," he said.
Noting that the problem of stigma is pervasive not only in the military, but in American society as a whole, they said the evidence in the military is overwhelming. Fifty-nine percent of soldiers and 48 percent of Marines said thought they would be treated differently by leadership if they sought counseling, according to a survey among troops who had been deployed.
Of even greater concern, the report said, are recent findings that service members who screened positive for symptoms consistent with mental illness were twice as likely as those without symptoms to express concerns about stigma.
"Individuals exhibiting the greatest need were the most hesitant to seek care, even though empirical data from at least one military study indicates that service members do not suffer any negative career impact from seeking services related to their psychological health," the report said.
"Post-traumatic stress, combat stress is an absolutely normal reaction to a very abnormal situation," Arthur said, adding that care can prevent it from turning into a disorder.
"Combat is like nothing else that one can experience in peacetime. It is not like you see in the movies," he said. "It's not 90 minutes of show with 30 minutes of commercials and the good guy wins in the end. You have a real chance of being seriously injured or killed in your service to your nation."
So, “in an effort to remove the stigma,” they are going to relax the rules. Gee, wonder why the rules are there in the first place. Could they possibly serve the national interest. And isn’t that more important than “removing” stigma? Perhaps we should also “remove the stigma” that is causing unfair discrimination against PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KILL US.
You seriously think every existing government rule effectively serves the government interest?
you've GOT to be kidding me...
Of course most people who have had counseling or hospitalization lie and say they haven’t hoping that the background check won’t turn anything up ala Oliver North on his application to work in the White House at the NSC.
Does a Temporary Bush Derangement Syndrome disqualify me?
Why not, the congress and the prez are barking loons as well.
heard that...
For those on this forum that are making light of this I have one question. Have you gone from a combat zone back to civilian life within a 48 hour period?
I had just come off a 30 day combat patrol when I was informed I was going home. Within 72 hours I had been processed and found myself standing in the San Francisco airport waiting to fly home.
Unless you are a psychopath, killing another human being is a difficult thing. To actually see a human face as you pull the trigger and then see the effect your bullets have on a human body, and to see that individual fall, and lay bleeding at your feet dying while you move on looking for others to kill takes a lot out of a person. It is not normal, and in order to function a person needs to "justify" the taking of another person's life. You also need to shut down some emotions that if allowed to remain would get you killed.
It takes a bit of time to resolve all of these internal emotions. Pulling a person out of combat and returning them to a world they have not known for a long time, and among people that do not share their experience is a recipe for all kinds of mental disorders.
As much as I love John Wayne, he has created an image within our society of what a soldier should be. War is not a John Wayne movie. The blood is real, death is real, and the wounded remain wounded the rest of their life.
Add to that a stigma for those that recognize the need to work out this conflicts with a professional, and you just compound the problem.
Fortunately most combat veterans do eventually work out the conflicts, perhaps that is one reason many join organizations such as the VFW, it gives them a place to tell their “war stories” among others that share their experiences.
Unfortunately others have not, these men have turned to drugs and alcohol to help deal with their internal demons.
I would offer two suggestions to the military. One, when possible, send men into combat with the men they trained with (keeping the unit together as much as possible). And two bring them all home at the same time. Third, slow the process down a bit. Have a special R and R camp somewhere safe and allow the men time to “decompress” and talk to each other. Then bring them home to be with their families making counselors available if needed.
Like I said, I enjoy a good John Wayne movie as much as the next person, but war is not a John Wayne movie. No one returns from war the same person that left. For some of you to look down at those that have been wounded in combat I say shame on you.
For those of you who think this issue is funny go screw yourselves.
For PTSD combat stress the critical factor isn´t necessarily the severity of the battles but the duration. Our kids are coming home after multiple tours you figure it out.
Most shrinks are no help anyway. They’ll just tell you you’re “crazy” and try to have you locked up.
One thing I feel everyone misses is that you must bring them back to a country that loves and respects what they have just been through.
Actually, I think this is a good thing. Not every mental illness is serious. This would allow the government to examine the individuals on a case-by-case basis. My husband was an officer in the Air Force and left active duty in 1990. After 9/11, he tried to get back on active duty and was denied because he had been treated for depression. It is a shame, because he is a really patriotic and competent man and he had an excellent military record.
As a current memeber of the military, serving in Iraq, I take strong issue with this one. We have service members fainting mental illness to get out. Even those in relatively benign locations are faking it. This makes it extremely hard on the ones who have real illnesses. The question should stay and every case should be taken on its own merits. For the ones who fake mental illness, they deserve to get booted out and never get a good job, loans, or anything. Believe it or not, the leadership knows which ones are cowards!
I can agree with that. The longer this lasts the worse it will get for people not faking it. No I am not advocatinga cut and run policy but we have to recognize that this is going to be a bigger problem for the WOT vets than it was fo us Vietnam vets, numbers wise.
I agree. Each conflict has its own sickness. We need to fix them as much as possible. I think preparation is the key and unfortunately the quick turn around for us Marines has not allowed us to adequately prepare across the board. We do the combat prep stuff fine. But just maybe the small stuff is getting away...
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FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Thanks neverdem for the Catch-22 topic. :’) Someone beat me to the keyword.
“You Don’t Have To Be Crazy To Work Here, But It Helps” ping.
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