a.
A rated Soldier who voluntarily enters the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) for an alcohol or drug abuse problem that has not been detected by the chain of command will not be penalized by mention of ASAP participation in an evaluation report.
This would discourage voluntary entry in ASAP upon self-recognition of the need for help.
In those cases where alcohol and drug abuse has resulted in substandard performance and/or disciplinary problems, subsequent voluntary entry in ASAP does not preclude rating officials from recording substandard performance or disciplinary problems on an evaluation report.
Rating officials cannot use information derived from ASAP records in their evaluations.
Once a Soldier has been identified in an evaluation report as having an alcohol or drug abuse problem based on information obtained independently of ASAP—
(1)
Voluntary entry into ASAP or successful rehabilitation will be mentioned only as a factor to the rated Soldier’s credit.
(2)
The rating chain should note the status of a rated Soldier’s rehabilitation progress or outcome in the current evaluation or in later evaluation reports.
b.
A rated Soldier who voluntarily seeks mental health counseling or is entered into a mental health care program for behavioral health issues that have not been detected by the chain of command will not have such participation in a behavioral health treatment program mentioned in an evaluation report.
Doing so would discourage self-referral to obtain assistance from health care professionals when problems exist.
In accordance with the Army’s behavioral health goals, leaders should support and encourage Soldiers to obtain the necessary assistance for behavioral health issues (see para 3–5b(2)(c)).
This lessens the stigma associated with issues that warrant psychological care and treatment.
Behavioral health issues include a variety of unusual or inappropriate behaviors that may be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, mild traumatic brain injuries, combat stress or other stress, and/or suicidal thoughts or tendencies.
Once a Soldier has been identified in an evaluation report as having mental health issues based on information obtained independently of any information from health care personnel—
(1)
Voluntary entry into mental health counseling or a mental health care program, or evidence of successful treatment to remedy the original behavioral health issue will be mentioned as a factor to the rated Soldier’s credit.
(2)
The rating chain should note the status of a rated Soldier’s behavioral health improvement and/or maintenance of an improved status in the evaluation report covering the period during which the Soldier’s status improved.