Posted on Jan 12, 2017
Should every new service member have a mental health evaluation?
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This just came up in the confirmation hearing for Gen. Mattis. Apparently there is already a plan in place to move this program forward.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/05/23/house-passes-new-recruit-mental-health-screening.html
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/05/23/house-passes-new-recruit-mental-health-screening.html
Mental Health
PTSD
Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 16
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As my dad (LTC, ret) once told me, "You have to be crazy to want to join, but you can't join if you're crazy!"
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Sgt (Join to see)
SSG(P) (Join to see) I agree. In high school, all my friends said I was crazy for wanting to enlist. Your dad is a wise man.
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My concern is it will be like the pre and post health screening we have now. Cookie cutter interview, check the block. Having no residual value unless the SM wants help, and an SM that wants help now can get it...
When you see the doc now, you get asked, Are you depressed? Do you want to hurt yourself? Are you having homicidal thoughts?
Id love to see the stats of the number of persons that have been forced, coerced, self referred to mental health post having these questions asked and answered YES, at a regularly and routine visits?
If they wanted the help, I don't think being asked at a visit for an ingrown toenail removal is going to be the tripping point.
If we require all to have a mental health assessment as part of enlistment, It could weed out the truly psychotic.. the one that would answer yes to "Do you want to kill people" "Is torturing a captured enemy ok, if they might have information on a recent bombing?" "If you captured three enemy soldiers, and only had room for two in the vehicle, and one was wounded.. Would you release him? Execute and then leave him for his fellow fighters to recover and provide services for him? Tie him to the bumper and drive slowly making him follow behind the vehicle? Call for assistance and secure/wait till help arrives?"
When you see the doc now, you get asked, Are you depressed? Do you want to hurt yourself? Are you having homicidal thoughts?
Id love to see the stats of the number of persons that have been forced, coerced, self referred to mental health post having these questions asked and answered YES, at a regularly and routine visits?
If they wanted the help, I don't think being asked at a visit for an ingrown toenail removal is going to be the tripping point.
If we require all to have a mental health assessment as part of enlistment, It could weed out the truly psychotic.. the one that would answer yes to "Do you want to kill people" "Is torturing a captured enemy ok, if they might have information on a recent bombing?" "If you captured three enemy soldiers, and only had room for two in the vehicle, and one was wounded.. Would you release him? Execute and then leave him for his fellow fighters to recover and provide services for him? Tie him to the bumper and drive slowly making him follow behind the vehicle? Call for assistance and secure/wait till help arrives?"
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
During the Pre-Redeployment Health Assessment we took before leaving KAF, one of the docs asked me "Do you have thoughts of harming others who don't deserve it?" I had to think about the wording for a second before replying, "No, no one who doesn't deserve it."
However, in 2010, during a PDHRA appointment, I wanted to see if the civilian techs who worked at the clinic (this was at Fort Benning, GA) really read the paperwork, so I checked "Yes" for the question asking if you would like to talk about any issues you have. The tech just stamped each page without even looking at the pages and told me I was good to go. Now, usually I am OK with getting through the normal "check the block" Army BS, but when it comes to mental health issues and Veterans, I think we as a force, and a nation fail miserably. More care needs to be taken when administering these examinations. I don't mean going line by line, but usually a "Yes" block stands out from all the other "No" blocks. A cursory glance would make this noticeable.
However, in 2010, during a PDHRA appointment, I wanted to see if the civilian techs who worked at the clinic (this was at Fort Benning, GA) really read the paperwork, so I checked "Yes" for the question asking if you would like to talk about any issues you have. The tech just stamped each page without even looking at the pages and told me I was good to go. Now, usually I am OK with getting through the normal "check the block" Army BS, but when it comes to mental health issues and Veterans, I think we as a force, and a nation fail miserably. More care needs to be taken when administering these examinations. I don't mean going line by line, but usually a "Yes" block stands out from all the other "No" blocks. A cursory glance would make this noticeable.
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Maj (Join to see)
Actually it doesn't inherently weed out the truly psychotic... I knew of someone who experienced their first psychotic break while at BMT.
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this looks like a double edged sword...
why... what is it going to show... who is going to administer it ... what are they going to use as a base Lin and to set the Norms...
There are some reasons to Have it to show the potential for depression but i feel it will be used to exclude the troops and by some segments of society to restrict access and rights of the troops...
why... what is it going to show... who is going to administer it ... what are they going to use as a base Lin and to set the Norms...
There are some reasons to Have it to show the potential for depression but i feel it will be used to exclude the troops and by some segments of society to restrict access and rights of the troops...
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