DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

SECRETARY OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON

20 AUG 2020

MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT: Army Directive 2020-09 (Appointment and Enlistment Waivers)

1. References. See enclosure.

2. Purpose. This directive supersedes Army Directive 2018-12 (New Policy Regarding Waivers for Appointment and Enlistment Applicants) and revises Army policy and procedures for medical and misconduct waivers for applicants requesting enlistment, reenlistment, appointment, or accession.

3. Responsibilities.

a. The Chief, National Guard Bureau will ensure that the provisions of this directive are implemented by State adjutants general. State adjutants general are the approval authority for conduct waivers for Army National Guard applicants for enlistment or appointment with non-traffic offenses and misconduct offenses (other than major misconduct).

b. The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCSDCSDeputy Chief of Staff, G–3/5/7), G-1 Director of Military Personnel Management (DMPM) is the approval authority for medical waivers for psychiatric and behavior health conditions identified in paragraph 4a of this directive and for all major misconduct waivers.

c. Service medical waiver review authorities (SMWRAs) are delegated medical waiver review authorities for accessions through the DCSDCSDeputy Chief of Staff, G–3/5/7, G-1. SMWRA delegations are codified in Army Regulation 40-501 (reference 1i). SMWRAs are the waiver authorities for learning, psychiatric, and behavioral disorders identified in Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 6130.03 (reference 1e), except those identified in paragraph 4a of this directive. SMWRAs review and recommend dispositions to the DMPM for all other accession medical waiver requests.

d. Recruiting battalion commanders are the approval authority for conduct waivers for applicants for enlistment or appointment to the Regular Army and the U.S. Army Reserve with non-traffic offenses and misconduct offenses (other than major misconduct).

1. Medical Waivers. Applicants who do not meet the physical and medical accession, enlistment, and reenlistment standards for the conditions or diagnoses described in paragraph 4a may be considered for a waiver. Requests for waiver will be submitted

SUBJECT: Army Directive 2020-09 (Appointment and Enlistment Waivers)

1. Proponent. The DCSDCSDeputy Chief of Staff, G–3/5/7, G-1 is the proponent for this policy, responsible for incorporating the provisions of this directive into relevant Army regulations within 2 years.

2. Duration. This directive is rescinded on publication of the revised regulations.

Encl

DISTRIBUTION:

Principal Officials of Headquarters, Department of the Army
Commander
- U.S. Army Forces Command
- U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
- U.S. Army Materiel Command
- U.S. Army Futures Command
- U.S. Army Pacific
- U.S. Army Europe
- U.S. Army Central
- U.S. Army North
- U.S. Army South
- U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force
- U.S. Army Special Operations Command
- Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
- U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command
- U.S. Army Cyber Command
- U.S. Army Medical Command
- U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command
- U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Army Military District of Washington
- U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
- U.S. Army Human Resources Command
Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy
Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center
Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery
Commandant, U.S. Army War College
Director, U.S. Army Civilian Human Resources Agency

CF:
Director of Business Transformation
Commander, Eighth Army

4

REFERENCES

a. Title 18, United States Code, section 922
b. Department of Defense Instruction 1304.26 (Qualification Standards for Enlistment, Appointment, and Induction), 23 March 2015, incorporating Change 3, 26 October 2018
c. Department of Defense Instruction 1304.32 (Military Services Recruiting Related Reports), 26 March 2013, incorporating Change 1, effective 31 March 2017
d. Department of Defense Instruction 1332.18 (Disability Evaluation System (DESDESDirectorate of Evaluation and Standardization)), 5 August 2014, incorporating Change 1, 17 May 2018
e. Department of Defense Instruction 6130.03 (Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction into the Military Services), 6 May 2018
f. Department of Defense Instruction 6400.06 (Domestic Abuse Involving DoD Military and Certain Affiliated Personnel), 21 August 2007, incorporating Change 4, 26 May 2017
g. Directive-type Memorandum-19-004 (Military Service by Transgender Person and Persons with Gender Dysphoria), 12 March 2019, incorporating Change 1, 17 March 2020
h. Army Directive 2018-12 (New Policy Regarding Waivers for Appointment and Enlistment Applicants), 30 July 2018 (superseded)
i. Army Regulation 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), 27 June 2019
j. Army Regulation 135-100 (Appointment of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Army), 1 September 1994
k. Army Regulation 140-50 (Officer Candidate School, Army Reserve), 15 October 1999
l. Army Regulation 145-1 (Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Program: Organization, Administration, and Training), 22 July 1996, Rapid Action Revision, 6 September 2011
m. Army Regulation 150-1 (United States Military Academy: Organization, Administration, and Operation), 5 March 2019
n. Army Regulation 601-100 (Appointment of Commissioned and Warrant Officers in the Regular Army), 21 November 2006
o. Army Regulation 601-210 (Regular Army and Reserve Components Enlistment Program), 31 August 2016

Enclosure