Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 4/20/2009

Question
My son is in the Coast Guard and has been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.The Coast Guard is trying to discharge him he has not had any type of episodes of depression or any other signs of depression. he had a little transition problem from civilian to military life but seems to be fine. He is always squared away and has good write ups by is supervisors. What chance does he have staying in the service? what chance does he have on receiving a disability pension? He does not want to leave and he has a JAG attorney also he has been in since August of 2008. This was also not a pre-existing condition  or was never diagnosed prior to entering the Coast Guard.

Answer
Tom,
Unfortunately he will probably be discharged.  Not medically discharged with a pension, because he hasn't had the required minimum time in Service yet.
When a person's illness follows the classic pattern, diagnosing bipolar disorder is relatively easy.  But bipolar disorder can be sneaky.  Symptoms can defy the expected manic-depressive sequence.  Stress tends to activate this disorder.  Those who were borderline bipolar may never know it until a stressful event brings it to the surface.  Unfortunately,  Basic Training is good at that.  Some people with no history of mental health problems go to pieces in recruit training.  Fortunately you son survived all that, but just the excitement of his job and his wanting to do well at it, can involuntarily cause bipolar to rear it ugly head.
His having a JAG attorney is the best thing for him right now.  A good JAG attorney can sometimes work miracles and prove it's just a mild case and not a detriment to his job.
According to the USCG medical regs,  the causes for dismissal are :

"a.  Personality, conduct, or behavior disorders that demonstrate the degree of immaturity, instability, personality inadequacy, impulsiveness, or dependency , will seriously interfere with adjustment in the military as demonstrated by repeated inability to maintain reasonable adjustment with employers and fellow workers, and with other social groups and are tangible evidence of impaired capacity to adapt to military service.
b.  Other behavior disorders including but not limited to encopresis, sleepwalking, or eating disorders that are habitual or persistent, or stammering of such a degree that the individual is normally unable to express himself or herself clearly or to repeat commands.
c.  Specific academic skills defects, chronic history of academic skills or perceptual defects, secondary to organic or functional mental disorders that interfere with work. Current use of medication to improve or maintain academic skills.
d.  Suicide, history of attempted or suicidal behavior."

Also, having bipolar disorder will disqualify him from several jobs within the USCG.

His chances of staying in are not good.  If he is actively bipolar, and is currently under medication for such a condition, it is a disqualifying medical condition.  Unfortunately, it's also a condition that is rarely waived because military members are subject to deployment, with no notice, at any time, to many areas of the world.  These areas often do not have full-medical facilities, or the ability to issue medications, or the ability to observe someone to make sure the medications are effective, if they are available.

In my opinion, any man that can survive basic training is quite a man and has served honorably.
I hope he has a good attorney and can help him stay in.
Best wishes,
Colonel H