DoD Changes Clearance Policy on Mental Health

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced that, effective April 18, military personnel do not need to disclose mental health counseling issues unless the treatment was court-ordered or the result of a violent incident.

People in the military, especially returning Iraq War veterans, reportedly have hesitated to seek mental health counseling fearing that doing so could jeopardize their security clearances. Question 21 on Standard Form 86, the clearance application form, requests such information. DoD, apparently, no longer will require, in most circumstances, that this question be answered.

ClearedCommunity.com last posted information on this issue here.

Filed Under: Reform, Procedures, Adverse Actions