Army recruits with marijuana histories and behavioral health issues not riskier

RallyPoint Shared Content — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:59:42 -0400

U.S. Army recruits with a documented history of marijuana or behavioral health conditions are not riskier and, in some cases, perform better, according to a data analysis released March 11.

Beth J. Asch, lead author of the Army-requested Rand Arroyo Center study, “An Empirical Assessment of the U.S. Army’s Enlistment Waiver Policies,” told RallyPoint that the findings provide commanders with the “ability to make a more accurate assessment” of risk when issuing waivers from Army enlistment standards, which are the basic qualifications to serve.

Assessing performance among Army applicants

Based on Army regulation 601-210, the standards cover categories including age, aptitude, character and conduct, and drug and alcohol use. The waiver authority is granted, the Rand analysis says, so the Army “does not unnecessarily disqualify applicants who could be successful.”

According to the study, waivers are granted to an average of just 15% of the 60,000-70,000 recruits in a given year.

Although used sparingly, the waiver authority often draws outsized scrutiny, from the media, external observers and others. According to the study authors, waiver policy changes can generate concern “among policymakers about the lowering of enlistment standards in the Army and the potential for a ‘hollow force’ that is significantly less effective” than at earlier points in history.

Changing social trends impact applicant pool

Yet Army waiver and conduct policies change throughout history, as society changes. Rand cites one example from 2015, when the Army loosened its own conduct standard on tattoos.

Rand’s new analysis looks at two more recent social trends impacting the Army applicant pool: a growing number of states expanding legalization of marijuana, and the rising prevalence in children of behavioral health diagnoses such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression.

With this in-depth analysis, Asch said, the Army now has long-term data to strengthen its waiver-assessment approach.

Researchers looked at potentially “millions” of records, she said, analyzing 12 years of data from fiscal 2001-2012, in the first known review of waiver workflow information from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command. Key findings in the report include:

Waivered recruits with marijuana histories or behavioral health conditions were not more likely to have bad outcomes than similar recruits and sometimes, the historical analysis showed, performed better.

There are not yet indicators that state expansion of marijuana legalization laws changed recruit outcomes, for better or worse.

Increasing waivers of any type — including for marijuana history or behavioral health condition — would not appreciably change the performance of a new-recruit group and could improve that cohort’s performance. But, the authors conclude, “any changes are relatively small.”

Improving recruitment and education

Asch said the analysis provides commanders with guidance on how to offset “performance-related outcomes” among waivered recruits: Find candidates that also score well on their Armed Forces Qualification Test in categories I-IIIA, have Tier 1 education status (e.g., a high school diploma) and are age 22 or older.

These three traits “fully or partially mitigated the higher likelihood of adverse effects related to performance or misconduct,” the authors say.

Public education is also needed to counteract what Asch said is the sometimes “fundamental misunderstanding of what waivers mean,” noting that they’ve long helped determine eligibility for military service.

“The Army should create, disseminate, and use a clear definition that highlights that all waivered recruits are qualified and eligible to enlist,” the analysis says, “even if they do not meet every enlistment standard, and that the enlistment standards allow for waivers.”

Learn more

Download both the full document and a synopsis of the Rand Arroyo Center analysis: https://rly.pt/3s2q3I3

An Empirical Assessment of the U.S. Army's Enlistment Waiver Policies

This report documents an analysis of the performance of U.S. Army recruits who receive waivers, as well as those with a documented history of marijuana, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, or anxiety.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Apr 8 at 2021 4:32 PM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:32:10 -0400

Sounds legit to me. Really, if there isn't a downside, then we should consider amending the entrance standards.

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Apr 8 at 2021 4:54 PM

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:54:30 -0400

Never had a problem with the marijuana issue as a recruiting commander but it was policy to no let in. We plead the case and won where minimal or recreational use less than so many times it was no problem as long as you never did it again as long as you were on active duty and it was in your past. Depending on the behavioral health issue well, it depends on the issue and the severity. Most kids are diagnosed with behavioral issues because tier parents don't want to deal with them being kids...kids will do stupid things...we all did. But when a lot of them get someone that cares about them, holds them accountable, and gives them meaning above that they are part of something bigger then themselves they work out fine.

Response by SMSgt Bob Wilson made Apr 8 at 2021 6:31 PM

SMSgt Bob Wilson — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:31:28 -0400

I somewhat disagree. I had "dopers" who were EXCELLENT workers. How did I know they were "using"--they got caught or the "grapevine" told me. REMEMBER: If they don't show signs of "intoxication", in most cases, no one will test them. Behavioral problem individuals, are behavioral problems. They always think they are being taken advanced of and usually "act out"--bad checks, AWOL, missed appointments, DWI, poor driving record. My opinion, [with it and $7.50 you can buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks], keep the marijuana used, ditch the behavior individuals. Which one would you trust your life with?

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Apr 12 at 2021 10:58 AM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 10:58:57 -0400

I saw no mention of McNamara's Project 100,000, which ended up enlisting about 320,000 persons who were previously either mentally or physically unqualified for service. The experiment is widely regarded as a disaster that resulted in persons enlisted under the program having increased failures to satisfy their contract, a higher death rate in combat, and increased problems subsequent to discharge.
If the military is to waive more "disqualifying" factors, they have to identify the costs associated with correcting the conditions waived. The degree of divergence from the standard is critical. Will the DOD run rehab programs for recruits with extensive pot use? Will it increase training to bring recruits within standards? What is the cut off point? Will we accept the recruiter's analysis of the recruit's potential, or hire/train additional personnel to make the determination of potential?
It all amounts to spending additional money for analysis and training.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2021 10:39 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 10:39:30 -0400

Accepting recruits with those mental health conditions in their past carries risks, according to Elspeth Ritchie, a psychiatrist who retired from the Army as a colonel in 2010 and is an expert on waivers for military service. People with a history of mental health problems are more likely to have those issues resurface than those who do not, she said.

“It is a red flag,” she said. “The question is, how much of a red flag is it?”

While bipolar disorder can be kept under control with medication, self-mutilation — where people slashing their skin with sharp instruments — may signal deeper mental health issues, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Ref: Tom Vanden Brook
USA TODAY

Response by SPC Cathy Goessman made Apr 18 at 2021 5:19 AM

SPC Cathy Goessman — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 05:19:40 -0400

I was "diagnosed" as ADD by a 10 question questionnaire. I'm not ADD. I was an 11 year old who had just suddenly lost their mom. That kind of flippant diagnosing happens all the time and can keep someone who really is just fine from joining the Army because of a "mental health history".

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 19 at 2021 9:48 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 21:48:49 -0400

So this compells me to ask a stupid question. Is measuring bad outcomes the true measure of a soldier's performance? I think this test is too narrow, makes generalizations, and requires an assumption to be a fact. Is the assumption that bad outcomes the true measure of a soldiers performance true? The researcher has turned this assumption into a fact.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2021 10:23 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 10:23:19 -0400

I entered service during the latter part of the Vietnam War. The ones who had demonstrated the worst behavior were the ones using drugs and had behavioral issues.
This seems like a no brainer.

Response by 1SG Ernest Stull made Apr 27 at 2021 11:44 AM

1SG Ernest Stull — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 11:44:14 -0400

Waivers are a good way to keep a good soldier in the Army who may have screwed up during his first enlistment or sometime down the road. However giving a wavier to an initial enlistment request should be scrutized and carefully considered due to the training cost and what the infraction may cause the unit to be compromised.

Response by SPC Franklin McKown made Jul 2 at 2021 6:18 PM

SPC Franklin McKown — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 18:18:06 -0400

Been smoking sinse 76 got caught on a UA in 85 stopped until I was done with service,Its to stop depression anyway, and the only complaints I had were mostly fighting and drunk ,but I always ran unit TOCs anyway 'cause some idiot gave me a secret clearance.