Personality Disorders as a Basis for Discharge and Denial of Benefits in the Military: Logical or Abusive?

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT The US Department of Defense specifically states that intellectual disability and personality disorders are not diseases for compensation purposes, and disabilities from them may not be service connected absent a superimposed mental disorder. In addition, the diagnosis of a personality disorder led to the discharge of 31,000 troops during the years 2001 to 2010. I review the history of these developments, and how the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders enabled these actions. In contrast, the United Kingdom and Canada do not allow such actions. Whether our approach is logical seems highly questionable, especially given the significant problems with the DSM's definitions of personality disorders, definitions at odds with the literature.