The USNA recognizes that eating disorders are highly treatable and that eating disorders are particularly responsive to treatment when addressed at an early phase in their development.  Therefore, USNA policy (COMDTMIDNINST 6100.1) is to “encourage midshipmen experiencing disordered eating symptoms to use available services to minimize the likelihood of progression of their symptoms so as to help them develop into fully prepared officers for the fleet.  The medical diagnosis of an eating disorder shall not in and of itself, be cause for a recommendation for separation.”

Further, this instruction goes on to spell out that “a diagnosis of eating disorder will not, in and of itself, preclude commissioning as an Unrestricted Line Officer.  However, special duty communities (e.g. aviation, nuclear power, diving) require further screening external to the Naval Academy and may have more restrictive policies regarding candidates for commissioning who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Midshipmen will be considered for separation only if an eating disorder is either 1) sufficiently pervasive and persistent enough to cause medical problems that would preclude being commissioned, or 2) so severe and unresponsive to available intervention as to have caused their military and/or academic performance to be unsatisfactory without any reasonable expectation of resolution.”