Security clearance Question 21 rewritten

[unhappycamper]

Security clearance Question 21 rewritten
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 1, 2008 12:56:42 EDT

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday urged troops to get psychiatric counseling for wartime mental health problems, saying it’s “not going to count against them” if they apply for national security clearances for sensitive jobs.

Gates announced a new policy under which troops and civilian defense employees will no longer have to reveal previous mental health treatment unless it was court-ordered or involved violence.

He spoke to reporters after he visited with patients at a new center at Fort Bliss, Texas, designed to treat soldiers returning from war with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Gates pointedly called PTSD one of the “unseen wounds” of war. He said there are two issues in dealing with it, the first being developing care and treatment.

“The second, and in some ways perhaps equally challenging, is to remove the stigma that is associated with PTSD and to encourage soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen who encounter these problems to seek help,” he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_clearancescreening_043008/

[razors edge]

1. sounds like a way to cut down

on armed former service members who may decide to stand up against the * thugs.