This article started with a phone call in our own family. A recruit called home from boot camp, very briefly, and asked for the name and phone number of a mental health provider he had seen. He could not say why. Asked if he was doing okay, he could not really answer that either. Then the call was over.

If that has happened to you, you know how frightening it is. In our case, it looks like the reason was paperwork: the background investigation for his security clearance. That turns out to be a common reason for exactly this kind of call, and this article explains why, what the form actually asks, and how you can help.

Where this comes from: the Standard Form 86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions (the current version from the Office of Personnel Management, revised November 2016), its attached medical release, and Security Executive Agent Directive 4, the national adjudicative guidelines used to decide clearances.

The Short Answer

Many military jobs need a security clearance, and the questionnaire behind it, the SF-86, asks about certain mental health history. When a recruit answers yes to one of those questions, the form asks for the provider's name, address and phone number. Recruits rarely know those details by heart, so they call home.

The form itself says that mental health treatment and counseling, "in and of itself," is not a reason to deny a clearance. A call like this is usually a sign your recruit is being honest on their paperwork, which is exactly what they should be doing.

Why the Call Was So Short

Boot camp phone calls are not like calls from college. They are scheduled, short and often made with other recruits waiting or staff nearby. Recruits are frequently told what they need to do, such as "get your provider's contact information," without being told why, and they are focused on getting it done in the time they have.

A recruit who says "I can't tell you" usually means just that: they do not know, they are not supposed to get into it on that call, or there is no time. It is very unlikely to be a coded message that something is wrong. Our article on the first phone call from boot camp explains how these calls work.

The Security Clearance Form

The SF-86 is a long questionnaire that covers where a person has lived, worked and travelled, who can vouch for them, and their financial, legal and drug history. Military members now complete it online in a system called eApp. Many recruits start it with their recruiter, and questions or corrections can come up at any point afterwards, including during training. Our article on how to get a security clearance covers the whole process.

Section 21 covers psychological and emotional health. It asks whether the person has ever:

  • been declared mentally incompetent by a court or administrative agency;
  • been ordered by a court or administrative agency to consult a mental health professional;
  • been hospitalized for a mental health condition;
  • been diagnosed with one of a specific list of conditions: psychotic disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, bipolar mood disorder, borderline personality disorder or antisocial personality disorder.

A final question asks whether they have any mental health or other condition that substantially affects their judgment, reliability or trustworthiness now. The form notes that counseling for grief, a sexual assault, combat, domestic violence or marital problems does not count unless the person's judgment is actually affected.

For a yes answer, the form asks for the provider's name, address and phone number, and the dates of treatment. That is the information your recruit was most likely calling about.

What the investigator can ask the provider

A recruit who answers yes also signs a medical release. It is narrow: it lets the investigator ask the provider whether the person has a condition that could impair their judgment, reliability or trustworthiness, and if so, the nature of the condition, the prognosis and the dates of treatment. It does not open their whole file, and it is valid for one year.

Other Reasons They Might Ask

A clearance is the most common explanation, but not the only one. Recruits can also be asked for a provider's details when:

  • Medical staff are reviewing a history they disclosed. Something mentioned at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), or at the medical screening when they arrived, may need records to close out.
  • Records turned up that were not on file. Military medical systems can see more civilian records than they used to. Our article on whether MEPS sees your medical records explains how.
  • They are being seen by a counselor at training. Talking to a chaplain or counselor at boot camp is common and is not a sign of crisis. A provider who knows their history can be useful context.

If a history comes up that would have disqualified them at enlistment, it can occasionally lead to a separation. Our article on why recruits get sent home from boot camp explains how that is handled. But a request for a phone number, on its own, is far more likely to be routine.

Will It Hurt Their Career?

This is the fear behind most of these calls, and the official answer is reassuring. The SF-86 tells applicants that "mental health treatment and counseling, in and of itself, is not a reason to revoke or deny eligibility," and that "seeking or receiving mental health care for personal wellness and recovery may contribute favorably to decisions about your eligibility."

The national adjudicative guidelines say the same: "No negative inference concerning the standards in this guideline may be raised solely on the basis of mental health counseling." A diagnosis on the list above gets a closer look, and an adjudicator may ask a government mental health professional for an opinion, but even then the form says a diagnosis "in and of itself" is not a reason to deny.

What does cause problems is dishonesty. Leaving out history on a federal questionnaire is treated far more seriously than the history itself. A recruit calling home for an accurate phone number is doing the right thing.

How to Help

  • Get them the details quickly and accurately. The provider's full name, practice name, address and phone number, and roughly when they were seen. If you are not sure of a date, approximate months and years are fine; the form allows estimates.
  • Send it in a letter too. If you are not sure they wrote it all down, mail it. Our article on writing letters to boot camp has the address formats.
  • Track down closed practices. If the provider retired or the practice closed, find out who holds the records now. A hospital system often does, or the state licensing board can tell you.
  • Make a list for the future. Write down every provider, school counselor and hospital visit you can remember, with dates. Clearances are renewed, and the same questions will come up again.
  • Do not call the base for answers. Privacy rules mean training staff cannot discuss your recruit's records with you. Your recruit will tell you what they can.
  • Lead your next letter with encouragement. They may be worried this will cost them their job. Tell them you are proud of them for being honest.

If you are genuinely worried about how they are doing, trust your instincts. Recruits can talk to a chaplain or medical staff at any time, and you can contact the American Red Cross Hero Care Network at 1-877-272-7337 in a real emergency.

If someone is in crisis, dial 988, then press 1 for the Military Crisis Line, or text 838255. It is free, confidential and open around the clock, and family members can call too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would my recruit need their old therapist's phone number?
The most common reason is the background investigation for a security clearance. If a recruit answers yes to certain mental health questions on the SF-86 questionnaire, the form asks for the provider's name, address and phone number. Medical staff reviewing a history the recruit disclosed at MEPS can also need provider details or records.
Will past mental health counseling cost my child their security clearance?
Counseling on its own should not. The SF-86 states that mental health treatment and counseling, in and of itself, is not a reason to deny eligibility, and the federal adjudicative guidelines say no negative inference may be raised solely on the basis of mental health counseling. A small number of serious conditions get a closer look, and honesty matters far more than history.
What can the investigator ask my child's provider?
The medical release attached to the SF-86 limits the provider to a short set of questions: whether the person has a condition that could impair their judgment, reliability or trustworthiness, and if so its nature, the prognosis and the dates of treatment. The release is valid for one year.
Why couldn't my recruit tell me more on the phone?
Boot camp calls are short, scheduled and often made with others waiting or a staff member nearby, and recruits are frequently told only what they need to do, not why. A clipped, task-focused call is normal and usually does not mean anything is wrong.

The Bottom Line

A short call asking for a mental health provider's number is scary, but it usually means your recruit is filling out their clearance paperwork honestly. Get them the details, send a letter of encouragement, and remember that the government's own form says seeking help is not held against them.