{"id":17445,"date":"2019-04-05T17:02:20","date_gmt":"2019-04-05T17:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/04\/05\/soldiers-can-now-get-counseling-for-a-drinking-problem-and-stay-deployable\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:04:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:04:12","slug":"soldiers-can-now-get-counseling-for-a-drinking-problem-and-stay-deployable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2019\/04\/05\/soldiers-can-now-get-counseling-for-a-drinking-problem-and-stay-deployable\/","title":{"rendered":"Soldiers can now get counseling for a drinking problem and stay deployable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

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

\u201cBy 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,\u201d Esper wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2015 and hopefully, before a discipline issue lands them in administrative or criminal hot water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An Army graphic explains the difference between mandatory and voluntary alcohol abuse treatment options. (Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The idea came out of an Army study, whose results prompted Esper to move the Army Substance Abuse Program\u2019s clinical component from Army Installation Management Command to Army Medical Command, as well as making substance abuse care part of Army behavioral health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study also found that, because mandatory enrollment in alcohol treatment came with a nondeployable status \u2015 \u201cregardless of the severity of their condition or occupational effect,\u201d according to the memo \u2015 many soldiers were discouraged from getting help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCurrent policy also limits the number of enrollments permitted during a soldier\u2019s career, preventing the soldier from seeking more support at a later date without the risk of administrative separation,\u201d the memo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t