The United States Defense Department has recently implemented new rules that allow 700 recruits with a previous diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to join the military without a waiver, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
These changes, which took effect in June, allow individuals diagnosed with 38 different medical conditions to join the military as long as they have not demonstrated symptoms or required medication for treatment for a certain number of years, depending on the specific condition.
For ADHD, the requirement is a symptom-free period of three years, WSJ notes.
Oppositional defiant disorder is the only other developmental condition on the list, and those diagnosed with it can join the military without a waiver if they have been symptom-free for seven years.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said we should be “cautious” about admitting those with mental health challenges and must “constantly be refreshing our approach and looking at conditions in this society.”
The new rules come as the Army struggles with recruitment and considers ways to enlist qualified recruits with mental health conditions.
In the past year, the Army fell 15,000 recruits short of its goal and has cut its goal for total number of soldiers in the next fiscal year by an additional 15,000.
Statistics show that only 23% of young Americans meet the necessary standards to join the military, and less than 10% are interested in doing so.
Under the new rules, a potential recruit with a history of ADHD can join the military if they have completed high school or college, held a job, and been symptom-free and medication-free for three years.
According to Army Lt. Col. Kim Helgemoe, a member of the Pentagon’s Accession Policy, which sets medical admissions standards across the force, this symptom-free period “is reassuring that they would make it through their initial entry training and hopefully have a successful military career.”
However, individuals with a history of depression or other mental health issues or who have taken medication for such conditions must obtain a waiver in order to join the military.
These waivers consider the recruit’s health, the potential job, and the requirements of the service. Additionally, recruits are not allowed to be taking medication upon entering basic training.
The Defense Department plans to assess the effectiveness of the new program in six months, giving them a year of data to study.
Each military service also has its own specific standards in addition to department-wide policies.
