Nearly 1 in 5 had mental illness before enlisting in Army, study says

[dotymed]

25. ADHD is a common "ailment"

we used to call being restless, daydreamer, etc..
Depression? Almost everyone goes through this at times.
I agree that the "mental illness' in the OP is in no way indicative of how a soldier should be selected.
Being a gang-banger, felon, etc. may be, unless that person has straightened their life out.
As another poster pointed out, enlisting is usually a socio-economic necessity and these young people are trying to improve their lives or at least trying to escape poverty and the "disorders" that poverty visits on most of us.
I see this as more of an attempt by "our" govt. to claim a pre-existing condition and/or falsifying employment information.
Jobs, especially full time jobs with the possibility of a career or free training are almost non-existent in our present economy.
Especially such Unions are becoming extinct by design.
PTSD is real and living near an army base, I see so many young people affected by it.
The real enemy is the rampant inequality in our society.
I do believe that if the draft were reinstated there would be fewer wars and automatons willing to defend the govt. (PTB)
rather than the constitution which they are sworn to protect.
My teen aged Son went off his ADHD meds (which were really helping his grades) because he views the army as his shot at a career.
I prefer a trade Union but we reside in Tn.