Washington – People suffering from congestive heart failure, undergoing treatment of schizophrenia or who have history of paraphilic disorders will no longer be eligible for a medical derogation to serve in the army, according to new rules published Tuesday by the Pentagon.
The directives signed by the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, updates a list of conditions that disqualify potential recruits to serve in the armed forces. The decision comes after the Pentagon announced earlier this year that it would prohibit transgender troops and examine other medical conditions which are currently eligible for a derogation.
“American fighters must be able to physically and mentally capable of exercising their functions under the most difficult conditions,” wrote Hegseth in the note announcing changes. “The serious underlying medical conditions have significant risks on the battlefield and threaten not only the mission priorities, but also the health and security of the affected individual and their military colleagues.”
Derogations have been used for a long time to enlist young people who could otherwise be unskilled for military service due to a wide range of medical reasons, driving or other reasons.
Most derogations are issued for medical conditions ranging from asthma, vision problems or skin disorders to more complex health problems, such as past psychological diseases or previous sports injuries that may have healed but must always be assessed.
Before the new rules, heart failure, current treatment for schizophrenia and history of paraphilic disorders – defined as a persistent sexual interest in atypical objects or activities – were among a long list of physical and mental health problems in which derogations were authorized.
Sclerosis in plates, the history of cystic fibrosis, transplants of past organs or a suicide attempt in the last 12 months will also be considered as disqualifying conditions which will make an illegible person for the service.
The new rules list several conditions under which a renunciation can only be granted by the secretary of a military branch. These conditions include a missing eye, hand or foot, past corneal transplants, liver insufficiency, kidney disease, past psychotic disorders or the presence of a cardiac stimulator or implanted defibrillator.
The detailed rules governing the quality of medical conditions for a waiver have been the subject of a more in -depth examination in the prohibition of the Trump administration on transgender troops.
New rules required active service troops as well as troops of the National Guard and reserve troops to identify themselves as transgender and voluntarily leave the service or face involuntary separations.
