Soldiers can now get counseling for a drinking problem and stay deployable

The Army wants to make it easier for soldiers to seek alcohol abuse treatment on their own, rather than be mandated by their commands, and a new directive makes that possible.

In a memo signed March 25 by Army Secretary Mark Esper, certain soldiers will be able to opt into alcohol abuse treatment, without affecting their deployability, a major deterrent in seeking care under the previous policy.

“By distinguishing voluntary behavioral healthcare form mandatory enrolled substance abuse treatment, the Army will encourage soldiers to seek help earlier and will improve readiness by decreasing unnecessary enrollment and deployment limitations,” Esper wrote.

Now, soldiers can get help for a drinking problem, as many times as they feel necessary, without affecting their ability to do their job or the fear of facing separation ― and hopefully, before a discipline issue lands them in administrative or criminal hot water.

Because mandatory enrollment in alcohol treatment came with a nondeployable status ― “regardless of the severity of their condition or occupational effect,” according to the memo ― many soldiers were discouraged from getting help.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/04/05/soldiers-can-now-get-counseling-for-a-drinking-problem-and-stay-deployable/