U.S. Military Discharges and Pre-existing Personality Disorders: A Health Policy Review.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is facing allegations service members were wrongfully discharged for pre-existing personality disorders. From 2001 to 2007, 26,000 enlisted service members were discharged for a pre-existing personality disorder (2.6 % of total discharges). With national media attention of the issue, personality disorder discharges were reduced by 31 % in 2008 with new discharge procedures issued by the DoD. Even with the reduction, a government review found the DoD did not adhere to its discharge protocols. The objective of this paper is to explore personality disorders in the military, analyze various costs to stakeholders, and identify potential policy alternatives.
Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. tleroux@sph.tamhsc.edu.
Todd C
TC
Leroux
D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D064266:Preexisting Condition Coverage; D011640:Public Policy; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D059030:United States Department of Defense; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Military discharge; Personality disorder; U.S. military