Can a commander refer you to behavioral health without giving you a reason why?

A Command Referral to BH will be backed by a reason. Whether the Commander tells the SM that reason, that is up to the Commander. Professional Courtesy would be that the SM should be notified. Should being the operative word. The Commander is sending your husband because the Commander cares enough to see if your husband needs additional assistance, if additional assistance is needed.

Now, on to the P3. Yes, that P3 is a permanent profile. That recommendation is coming from a medical provider. I'm thinking the medical provider feels, based on their experience, that your husband meets the criteria to require a P3. I would venture a guess that the Command Referral is linked to that P3 recommendation your husband was given. Also, you have to remember that a 3 or 4 in ANY of the PULHES categories for a Permanent Profile designates a MEB has to be done to determine if the SM in question is still medically fit for continued service. In the realm of BH, if your husband was given a P3 for BH, then a Command Referral for BH is going to be part of that evaluation for continued service.

SPC (Join to see), his commander can do a command directed referral for evaluation (CDBHE) to Behavior Health (in this case, it sounds like a non-emergency one otherwise your husband would be there already). Let me stress again that word - evaluation. The governing DoD regulation is DODI 6490.04

Why could he be referred? It can be a variety of reasons falling under the "fitness for duty" rubric that you may not be aware of - declining work performance, occupational requirements, etc. that lead the commander to think there "might be something more going on". I assume he is doing it to look out for his soldiers because it's hard to second-guess the commander on the ground.

I know nothing about the commander and as I said, we have to trust the commander to do what is right for his Soldiers until evidence shows otherwise. Having said that, the Army (and DoD) takes a VERY harsh view on any abuse of this power by leadership. To sum it up - God help the commander if there is a hint of reprisal or bad faith in doing this.

The commander SHOULD (emphasis on that word) tell him why he's doing it, although that's not required.

At this point he'll be sent to a Mental Health Professional (MHP) for an evaluation based on the commander's concerns. A report will be generated and sent back to the commander. What happens next depends on the report.

Understand, the military has tried very hard to ensure that people don't look at using MHPs as stigmatic, but it still has a negative connotation for many.

Don't get it into your head that somehow the leadership is trying to do something bad to your husband. It's most likely that they are watching out for him and the commander is not a MHP - that's why he's referring him to one.

I think you should have a conversation with your husband about this. A command referral will not generate a P3 profile. As soon as you are given a P3 you will be evaluated for your fitness for duty. I don't think this is the case. I would tend to believe that he has a medical issue that you may not be aware of. I have sent a few to get a command referral. I didn't consider them to be fit for duty but the Behavioral Health Provider is the only one that can make the call. If he did see one and the Provider reported something then that could give him a P3. A commander can not recommend a P3. They can only request an evaluation. I have seen Soldiers that have misled the military with their previous care and get caught before.