,i  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ceag  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,may #ah1 #bjbc,mr4   
,ma/ 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,mc,cormick1 ,mr4 
,l>s5 ( ,wa%+ton1 ,mr4 ,panetta1 & ,mrs4
 ,rodg]s ( ,wa%+ton7 introduc$ ! foll[+ 
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,arm$ ,s]vices  ,a ,,bill  ,to cl>ify & 
improve acc\ntability = c]ta9 memb]s ( !
 ,arm$ ,=ces dur+ consid]ation = m$ical 
sep>ation 9 ! ,integrat$ ,disability    
,evaluation ,sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,def5se1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort   
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,w\nd$  
,w>rior ,bill ( ,rights ,act ( #bjbc4   
#b4 ,acc\ntability = c]ta9 memb]s ( !   
,arm$ ,=ces dur+ ! ,integrat$           
,disability ,evaluation ,sy/em  7a7     
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces are ! brave m5 &
 wom5 :o volunt>ily put !mselves 9 h>m's
 way1 :ile fight+ ! enemies ( fre$om    
ar\nd ! _w s t all citiz5s ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates & c\ntless citiz5s ( o!r nations 
c enjoy ! bless+s ( lib]ty 9 peace4 ,we 

owe ^? memb]s n only a debt ( gratitude1
 b our will+ness to ensure e s+le memb] 
receives excell5t heal? c>e & j treatm5t
 9 ! m$ical sep>ation process :5 !y've  
become ill or injur$ 9 ! l9e ( duty4    
,?is is critically important1 n only = !
 pres5t /ate ( read9ess 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces1
 b = pot5tial recruitm5t ( future       
w>fight]s z elucidat$ by ,presid5t      
,george ,wa%+ton :5 he /at$1 ,!         
will+ness ) :i* our "y p are likely to  
s]ve 9 any w>1 no matt] h[ ju/ifi$1 %all
 be directly proportional to h[ !y      
p]ceive vet]ans ( e>ly w>s 7 treat$ &   
appreciat$ by our nation4  7#b7 ,w\nd$  
,w>riors rema9 memb]s ( an ,arm$ ,=ce "u
 ! jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y ( a       
milit>y dep>tm5t & det]m9ations reg>d+  
_! physical ability is ! responsibility 
( ! *a9 ( comm& ( ! memb]1 r ?an !      
p]sonnel )9 or "u ! direction ( !       
,def5se ,heal? ,ag5cy4 ,t responsibility
 ?r\gh ! jurisdiction ( ! milit>y *a9 ( 
comm& is effective dur+ ! entirety ( !  
process ( ! ,integrat$ ,disability      

,evaluation ,sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,def5se1 or successor sy/em1 in/ead (   
ve/+ = practical purposes only at ! end 
( su* process4  7#c7 ,section #abad (   
title #aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1         
gu>antees t no memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces may
 be retir$ or sep>at$ = physical        
disability )\t a full & fair he>+ if he 
dem&s x4  7#d7 ,section #abaf7;b7 ( su* 
title grants ! ,secret>y conc]n$ all    
p[]s1 functions1 & duties incid5t to !  
det]m9ation ( fitness = active duty (   
any memb] ( an ,arm$ ,=ce "u 8          
jurisdiction4  7#e7 ,sections #gjac7;b71
 #hjac7;b71 & #ijac7;b7 ( su* title     
assigns responsibility = & grants !     
au?ority necess>y to conduct !          
adm9i/ration ( ! morale & welf>e (      
p]sonnel to ! ,secret>y ( ! ,army1 !    
,secret>y ( ! ,navy1 & ! ,secret>y ( !  
,air ,=ce respectively4  7b7 ,decl>ation
 ( policy reg>d+ acc\ntability = ,w\nd$ 
,w>riors ,x is ! policy ( ,congress t-- 
7#a7 det]m9ations ( fitness = duty or   
physical capability to p]=m a milit>y   

occupational specialty ( a memb] ( !    
,arm$ ,=ces "u ! jurisdiction ( !       
,secret>y ( a milit>y dep>tm5t are !    
responsibility ( su* ,secret>y2  7#b7   
det]m9ations ( fitness = a ,w\nd$       
,w>rior may be assess$ by m$ical        
pr(essionals outside ! milit>y dep>tm5t 
( ! ,w\nd$ ,w>rior & may be influ5c$ by 
prec$5ts across o!r entities ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 includ+ ! ,def5se  
,heal? ,ag5cy1 b ultimately1 su*        
det]m9ation rema9s a decision ( !       
,secret>y ( ! milit>y dep>tm5t conc]n$2 
7#c7 ! full au?ority = a det]m9ation    
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 or 7#b7 resides
 9 ! milit>y *a9 ( comm& & n ! *a9 (    
responsibility ( ! ,def5se ,heal?       
,ag5cy2 &  7#d7 at no po9t dur+ ! m$ical
 evaluation ( a ,w\nd$ ,w>rior %all !   
,w\nd$ ,w>rior be d5i$ ! protections1   
privileges1 or "r to due process af=d$  
"u ! laws1 regulations1 or o!r          
applicable guidance ( ! milit>y dep>tm5t
 ( ! ,w\nd$ ,w>rior4  7c7 ,cl>ification 
( responsibilities reg>d+ ! ,integrat$  

,disability ,evaluation ,sy/em          
,subsection 7h7 ( section #ajgc;c (     
title #aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$
 to read z foll[s3  7h7 ,au?orities     
res]v$ to ,secret>ies ( ! milit>y       
dep>tm5ts  7#a7 ,not)/&+ !              
responsibilities & au?orities ( !       
,director ( ! ,def5se ,heal? ,ag5cy )   
respect to ! adm9i/ration ( milit>y     
m$ical treatm5t facilities "u ?is       
section1 ! ,secret>y ( ea* milit>y      
dep>tm5t %all ma9ta9 au?ority ov] &     
responsibility = any memb] ( ! ,arm$    
,=ces "u ! jurisdiction ( ! milit>y     
dep>tm5t conc]n$ :ile ! memb] is be+    
consid]$ by a m$ical evaluation bo>d or 
dur+ any o!r "p ( ! implem5tation ( !   
,integrat$ ,disability ,evaluation      
,sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 or      
successor sy/em4  7#b7 ,responsibility (
 ! ,secret>y ( a milit>y dep>tm5t "u    
p>agraph 7#a7 %all include ! foll[+3    
7,a7 ,responsibility = adm9i/]+ ! morale
 & welf>e ( ea* memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces "u
 ! jurisdiction ( su* ,secret>y4  7,b7  

,responsibility = det]m9ations ( fitness
 = active duty ( ea* su* memb]4  7,c7   
,complete op]ational & adm9i/rative     
control ( ea* su* memb] at e /age ( !   
implem5tation ( ! ,integrat$ ,disability
 ,evaluation ,sy/em1 or successor sy/em1
 f ! beg9n+ ( ! m$ical evaluation bo>d  
to ! conclusion ( ! physical evaluation 
bo>d1 includ+ ! au?ority to pause = a   
reasonable am\nt ( "t or completely     
)draw ! memb] f su* sy/em if ! milit>y  
comm&] ) jurisdiction ov] ! ,w\nd$      
,w>rior f9ds t any policies1 proc$ures1 
regulations1 or o!r relat$ guidance has 
n be5 foll[$ 9 ! case ( ! memb]4  4  7d7
 ,opportunity = due process he>+ 9 !    
milit>y *a9 ( comm&  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n   
lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( !       
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (      
,def5se %all update ! policies &        
proc$ures applicable to ! implem5tation 
( ! ,integrat$ ,disability ,evaluation  
,sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 or      
successor sy/em1 to ensure t appeals    
made by ,w\nd$ ,w>riors "u !            

jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y conc]n$      
include 7if ! memb] dem&s x7 a full &   
fair he>+ on su* det]m9ation1 to be     
conduct$ by ! ,secret>y conc]n$4  7#b7  
,*>act]ization ( appeal ,an appeal made 
"u p>agraph 7#a7 is sep>ate f & 9       
addition to any appellate options       
available to a ,w\nd$ ,w>rior "u !      
,integrat$ ,disability ,evaluation      
,sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 or      
successor sy/em4  7#c7 ,timely mann]    
7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,^u reque/ by ,w\nd$      
,w>rior1 ! milit>y comm&] ) jurisdiction
 ov] ! ,w\nd$ ,w>rior %all process an   
appeal "u p>agraph 7#a74  7,b7          
,adjudication ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] 
! initiation by a ,w\nd$ ,w>rior ( an   
appeal "u p>agraph 7#a7 ! milit>y comm&]
 ) jurisdiction ov] ! ,w\nd$ ,w>rior1 & 
e e*elon ( comm& all ! way up to ! g5]al
 c\rt-m>tial conv5+ au?ority if ! comm&]
 d5ies ! appeal1 %all complete          
adjudication ( ! appeal4  7e7 ,brief+ ,n
 lat] ?an ,febru>y #a1 #bjbd1 !         
,secret>y ( ,def5se %all provide to !   

appropriate congressional committees a  
brief+ on ! /atus ( ! implem5tation (   
?is section & ! am5dm5ts made by ?is    
section4  7f7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is        
section3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional
 committees ,! t]m appropriate          
congressional committees means-- 7,a7 ! 
,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate2
 &  7,b7 ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices 
( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4  7#b7      
,secret>y conc]n$ ,! t]m ,secret>y      
conc]n$ has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section
 #aja ( title #aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 
7#c7 ,w\nd$ ,w>rior ,! t]m ,w\nd$       
,w>rior means a memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces   
be+ process$ = pot5tial m$ical sep>ation
 at any po9t 9 ! ,integrat$ ,disability 
,evaluation ,sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,def5se1 or successor sy/em4