New Pentagon Plan Could Boot Thousands of Non-Deployable Troops

By Debbie Gregory.

In a change of policy, the Department of Defense (DoD) will start separating perpetually non deployable troops from the military.

The DoD is getting ready to launch a new “deploy-or-out” policy that could possibly force the separation of some 286,000 personnel troops.The service branches have until October 2018 to begin mandatory processing for administrative or disability separation for non-deployable service members

Servicemembers who are classified as “non-deployable” for medical and administrative reasons for more than 12 consecutive months will be processed for administrative separation. Those who are not current on their immunizations, are in the middle of a permanent change of station, who have a medical condition that will take 30 days or more to heal, who are nearing retirement, or who face legal problems can all be classified as non-deployable.

The aim of the policy is to encourage non-deployable troops to seek medical treatment so they can resume their military careers and become deployable as soon as possible.

“If you are going to serve and continue to want to serve, and if you want to make this a career, you’re going to have to learn that path of recovery and get back to being healthy,” said Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell.

Troops who haven’t been deployable for more than a year will be subject to a go through the medical review board process currently in place, according to Air Force Maj. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

“The department intends to emphasize the expectation that all service members are worldwide deployable and to establish standardized criteria for retaining non-deployable service members,” said Maj. Gleason.

The policy does not apply to women who are pregnant or experiencing post-partum conditions, and waivers can be granted to non-deployable troops who are still needed.

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