Pentagon easing security clearance screening

[unhappycamper]

Pentagon easing security clearance screening
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Apr 30, 2008 21:17:21 EDT

WASHINGTON — U.S. troops won’t have to reveal all their mental-health counseling when applying for security clearances under a change the Pentagon hopes will ease the stigma of seeking help for combat stress, the Associated Press has learned.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to announce the new policy Thursday, according to several defense officials.

Thousands of troops are coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan with war-related anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. But many hesitate to get psychiatric care because they fear that could cost them their security clearances, harm their careers and embarrass them before commanders and comrades.

Gates is trying to remove one impediment, revising a question about mental-health treatment that appears on the form required by the Office of Personnel Management, the agency that does the majority of investigations for security clearances to military and civilian federal workers, officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement was pending.

Currently, Question 21 on the form asks applicants whether they have consulted a mental-health professional in the past seven years. If so, they are asked to list the names, addresses and dates they saw the doctor or therapist, unless it was for marriage or grief counseling and not related to violent behavior.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_mentalhealthpolicy_043008/