US Navy to consider mental health before separation..

[dancesintherain]

The press release from the Secretary of the Navy explains it better than I can b/c of the somewhat complicated nature of military policies, but the short version, if I'm understanding it correctly, is that if someone in the Navy or Marine Corps are being considered for separation based on their misconduct and there is evidence of a mental health condition (particularly PTSD, but others considered) or traumatic brain injury, that person's case is first to be considered from the medical and mental health perspective, rather than as a disciplinary issue solely.  The idea is to end the negative impact that these sorts of separations have on disability benefits and the right to receive services and such things.  There's also a provision that if someone's circumstances are being considered for a dishonorable discharge in particular, it has to elevate the case rather high before allowing it. 

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=94996

I doubt that it's a perfect change, but it seems much better to me at least.

Note - there's reportedly going to be some sort of provision for people to apply it to their circumstances if they've already been dishonorably or otherwise discharged and have evidence of a mental health condition--I don't know if that applies to anyone here. 

[jt07]

Thank you for posting this, dances. I'm glad to see that mental health issues are going to be taken into account. That's a big change, I think.