https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN13963_AD2018_22_Final.pdf
MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers)
1. References. See list of references at the enclosure.
2. Purpose. We must have a deployable and fit culture in the Army. Our Nation
deserves no less. Commanders and leaders at all levels are responsible for individual
Soldier readiness and will use all available tools, resources, and authorities to reduce
the number of non-deployable Soldiers within their formations. Likewise, individual
Soldiers will remain personally responsible and prepared for training and worldwide
deployment at all times. Pursuant to reference j, this directive implements procedures
regarding the disposition of non-deployable Soldiers.
3. Applicability. This directive applies to the Regular Army, Army National Guard/Army
National Guard of the United States, and U.S. Army Reserve, unless otherwise stated.
4. Policy
a. Soldiers are considered deployable unless they have a Service-determined
reason that precludes them from deployment. To be deployable, Soldiers must meet
the following criteria:
(1) The Soldier is administratively, legally, and medically cleared for employment
in any environment in which the Army is operating or could operate.
(2) The Soldier can operate in austere areas or areas that regularly experience
significant environmental conditions (e.g., heat, cold, altitude) that would exacerbate
existing medical conditions.
(3) The Soldier can carry and employ an assigned weapon.
(4) The Soldier is capable of executing all individual warrior tasks for his or her
assigned mission.
(5) The Soldier can operate while wearing body armor, helmet, eye protection,
gloves, and/or chemical or biological protective equipment.
S E C R E T A R Y O F T H E A R M Y
W A S H I N G T O N
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers)
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(6) The Soldier is capable of passing the Army Physical Fitness Test or meeting
the physical demands of tasks required for a specific deployment.
b. Soldiers with temporary profiles of 30 days or less will be considered partially
medically ready/deployable pursuant to reference bb.
c. Commanders in the grade of O-6 or higher in a Soldier’s chain of command may
waive one or more of the criteria listed in paragraph 4a in determining a Soldier’s
deployability status, except in cases when the controlling regulation(s) specifies a
different waiver approval authority.
d. Soldiers who, after the date of this directive, become permanently non-
deployable are considered unqualified to hold any primary branch, military occupational
specialty or functional area (hereinafter “PMOS”), unless an exception to policy is
granted. Soldiers found to be deployable with limitations are exempt from this
paragraph. Soldiers selected for continuation on active duty or continuation in the
active reserve and Soldiers with approved retention waivers are also exempt from this
paragraph and continue to retain their PMOS.
e. Soldiers who are non-deployable for an administrative reason (not medical or
legal as defined in reference j) for more than 6 consecutive months, or
6 nonconsecutive months in a 12-month period, will be processed for administrative
separation. The basis for administrative separation will be the underlying administrative
(not medical or legal) reason(s) causing them to be designated as non-deployable.
Commanders do not have to wait 6 consecutive months, or 6 nonconsecutive months in
a 12-month period, if there is a reasonable expectation that the underlying reason(s)
causing them to be non-deployable for an administrative reason (not medical or legal)
will not be resolved and the Soldier will not become deployable.
f. Exemptions to the requirements of paragraph 4e:
(1) Single Soldiers adopting a child or member of a military couple adopting a
child who have been approved for operational deferment. These exemptions will expire
the day following the expiration of the Soldier’s operational deferment
(2) Soldiers who are temporarily non-deployable as a result of a compassionate
reassignment or stabilization. These exemptions will expire the day following the
expiration of the stabilization period.
(3) Soldiers who are not yet 18 years of age.
(4) Conscientious objectors during the investigation and resolution of their claim.
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers)
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(5) Unsatisfactory participating members of a Reserve Component who are
recovered prior to exceeding 6 consecutive months of non-deployability or
6 nonconsecutive months of non-deployability in a 12-month period.
(6) Sole surviving family members deferred from serving in a hostile fire zone.
(7) Ex-prisoners of war deferred from serving in a country where they were
formerly held captive.
(8) Transients, trainees, cadets, or other Soldiers who have not completed Initial
Entry Training.
g. A Soldier who is non-deployable due to a permanent medical condition which
makes him or her potentially unfit for the duties of his or her PMOS will be referred into
the Disability Evaluation System (DES) pursuant to reference w. There is no
requirement to wait 12 months before referral to the DES if the Soldier’s medical
condition and predicted recovery meets the criteria for a Medical Retention
Determination Point pursuant to reference l. Soldiers should be immediately referred to
the DES in these instances.
h. A Soldier’s medical deployability will be considered during all healthcare
encounters. Commanders at all levels, in coordination with appropriate medical
authorities, will review individual Soldier medical profile(s) on a monthly basis.
Commanders will refer Soldiers to Fitness for Duty Examinations when they assess the
Soldier is unable to deploy or perform PMOS-related duties due to a chronic medical
condition.
i. It is the personal responsibility of every Soldier to maintain individual readiness,
including medical, dental, physical, and administrative (e.g., maintaining a Family care
plan) readiness. Concurrently, commands must be proactive and enable the individual
readiness and deployability of each Soldier at all times.
(1) Commands will use written counseling and performance evaluations to
document a Soldier’s knowing failure to comply with responsibilities to maintain the
individual readiness (e.g., repeatedly missing medical or dental appointments) required
to be deployable.
(2) Maintaining medical readiness through prescribed health encounters (e.g.,
periodic health assessment, annual dental exam, and medical screenings) are key
components of identifying and correcting non-deployable conditions.
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers)
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(3) When Soldiers fail to maintain medical readiness by design or neglect, the
result is a less lethal and deployable force. Accordingly, commands must be diligent in
ensuring Soldiers understand their obligations and document the failure of those who
demonstrate an unwillingness to meet these obligations. Failure of a Soldier to comply
with this policy could ultimately result in administrative separation.
j. A Soldier who is non-deployable due to being confined as a prisoner based upon
the sentence of a court-martial or civil conviction will be processed for administrative
separation upon the Soldier’s release from confinement. This paragraph does not apply
to Soldiers who are sentenced to a punitive discharge at a court-martial. The basis for
administrative separation will be the underlying misconduct that resulted in the court-
martial or civil conviction. This paragraph does not restrict a commander’s authority to
immediately initiate the administrative separation of a Soldier based upon a civil
conviction.
k. For enlisted personnel, pursuant to paragraph 4e, commanders will initiate
administrative separation proceedings under reference n or x, as appropriate. If the
separation authority approves retention, he or she will initiate an action for the exercise
of Secretarial plenary separation authority under reference n or x.
l. For commissioned and warrant officers, pursuant to paragraph 4e, commanders
will initiate an elimination action under reference m or r, as appropriate. Officers
processed for administrative separation under this policy will be referred using the
appropriate underlying basis as identified by current regulation.
m. The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 is authorized to grant retention waivers to this
policy for Regular Army Soldiers. The Chief of Army Reserve is authorized to grant
retention waivers for Selected Reserve Soldiers. The Chief, National Guard Bureau is
authorized to grant retention waivers for Army National Guard Soldiers. All requests
must be endorsed with recommendation, at a minimum, by the first general officer in the
chain of command. All Regular Army requests will be forwarded through U.S. Army
Human Resources Command to the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 for processing. All
Selected Reserve and Army National Guard requests will be forwarded through
Reserve Component personnel channels to Headquarters, U.S. Army Reserve
Command and National Guard Bureau, respectively, for processing.
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers)
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5. Effective Date. The provisions of this directive are effective upon signature.
Calculation of non-deployable months under this directive begin upon the effective date.
The Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) is the proponent
for this policy and will oversee the publication of appropriate implementing instructions.
Encl Mark T. Esper
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 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 Installation Management Command
U.S. Army Human Resources Command
U.S. Army Financial Management Command
U.S. Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade
Superintendent, United States 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
(CONT)
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers)
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DISTRIBUTION (CONT):
CF:
Director, Army National Guard
Director of Business Transformation
Commander, Eighth Army
Enclosure
REFERENCES
a. Title 10, United States Code, section 1166.
b. Title 10, United States Code, section 1169.
c. Title 10, United States Code, section 1174.
d. Title 10, United States Code, section 1176.
e. Title 10, United States Code, section 1181.
f. Title 10, United States Code, section 1214a.
g. Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1332.14 (Enlisted Administrative
Separations); January 27, 2014; Incorporating Change 3, Effective March 22, 2018.
h. DoDI 1332.18 (Disability Evaluation System (DES)); August 5, 2014; Incorporating
Change 1, Effective May 17, 2018.
i. DoDI 1332.30 (Commissioned Officer Administrative Separations), May 11, 2018.
j. DoDI 1332.45 (Retention Determinations for Non-Deployable Service Members),
July 30, 2018.
k. DoDI 6490.07 (Deployment-Limiting Medical Conditions for Service Members and
DoD Civilian Employees), February 5, 2010.
l. Army Regulation (AR) 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), 14 June 2017.
m. AR 135-175 (Separation of Officers), 29 November 2017.
n. AR 135-178 (Enlisted Administrative Separations), 7 November 2017.
o. AR 220-1 (Army Unit Status Reporting and Force Registration – Consolidated
Policies), 15 April 2010.
p. AR 350-1 (Army Training and Leader Development), 10 December 2017.
q. AR 600-3 (The Army Personnel Development System), 26 February 2009.
r. AR 600-8-24 (Officer Transfers and Discharges), 12 April 2006, Incorporating Rapid
Action Revision Issued 13 September 2011.
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s. AR 600-8-101 (Personnel Readiness Processing), 6 March 2018.
t. AR 600-43 (Conscientious Objection), 21 August 2006.
u. AR 614-30 (Overseas Service), 22 December 2016.
v. AR 614-200 (Enlisted Assignments and Utilization Management), 29 November
2017.
w. AR 635-40 (Disability Evaluation for Retention, Retirement, or Separation),
19 January 2017.
x. AR 635-200 (Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations), 19 December 2016.
y. Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA Pam) 600-8-101 (Personnel Readiness
Procedures), 6 March 2018.
z. DA Pam 611-21 (Military Occupational Classification and Structure), 19 July 2018.
aa. Army Directive 2016-07 (Redesign of Personnel Readiness and Medical
Deployability), 01 Mar 2016.
bb. Army Directive 2018-11 (Update to Redesign of Personnel Readiness and Medical
Deployability), 10 Sep 2018.