Navy vs Army Retained Hardware Requirements

[jayjojay]

In the process of preparing my medical records for MEPS, with a metal plate on my wrist and full functionality, I’ve come across a number of forum threads on this site and others regarding retained hardware for orthopedic injuries and acceptance/disqualification across the different branches’ Special Operations Forces. It seems that the Army, in particular, is much more strict when it comes to retained orthopedic hardware (AR 40-501, 5-3, f.9.) for qualification for Airborne duty (requirement for SF), whereas the Navy is less strict when it comes to this same subject regarding the Naval Special Warfare/Special Operations qualifications (MANMED Article 15-105, 4.j.9.). The physical rigors are similar, why the distinction? Does the Army just have a larger influx of recruits and can be more selective? Is it as simple as a preemptive insurance claim defense?