Does the Navy or Army give waivers for service connected PTSD?

2020-10-14T02:38:17-04:00

Hello to all. I’m wanting to get back Into the Navy, or Army. I’ve been out for 6 years and am trying to sift through the bull and the truth. Does theses branches off a waiver for PTSD? I have a PTSD rating of 50%. I understand I cannot receive VA payments and serve at the same time. I’ve been free of symptoms and have not taken any medication since 2015.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2020 2:39 AM

2020-10-14T02:39:03-04:00

Waivers are never approved for PTSD

Response by PO3 Jed Choate made Oct 14 at 2020 2:40 AM

2020-10-14T02:40:19-04:00

I forgot to mention that I’ll happily go through the process to get it decreased even down to zero if necessary.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 14 at 2020 11:51 AM

2020-10-14T11:51:59-04:00

Any medical fitness issue is in AR40-501 (all branches use this standard) and DoDI 6130.03. With any mental health issue in an applicant, it will have a tie to DSM 5 which is a civilian mental health manual for clinicians to diagnose and classify mental health issues. It gets complicated.

Ensure you look at the correct chapter in 40-501, initial entry differs from retention standards, still more stringent are qualifications for flight billets and personnel that must enter a personal reliability program.

AR40-501 para 2-27k answers your question.

If you think that you have sufficient medical documentation to prove you have resolved this issue, go see a recruiter. MEPS will run the traps and if it is waivable, they'll advise the recruiter of that.

Because something is waivable, does not mean you get it or are offered it. The number of waivers is finite, especially if they get enough applicants that require no waivers.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Oct 14 at 2020 11:56 AM

2020-10-14T11:56:08-04:00

Even if you got your percentage reduced it would be a documented history of PTSD. Especially when it was 50% it will be a hard sale. I don't recommend going that route either. It was diagnosed for a reason and I think any gain from it being reduced would be short lived.

My suggestion would be to find other ways to serve. Civil Air Patrol and State Defense Forces are decent options. You could even go the first responder route if you want the camaraderie and a full time job. DOD has pretty strict standards when it comes to mental health for obvious reasons. I would look at other alternatives to serve.