**GAO-08-1137**                      Published: Sep 24, 2008. Publicly Released: Sep 24, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

In February 2007, a series of articles in The Washington Post about conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center highlighted problems in the military's disability evaluation system. Subsequently, the Department of the Army, Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undertook initiatives to address concerns with the disability evaluation process. In 2007, the Army took steps to streamline its process, and DOD and VA began piloting a joint evaluation system to address systemic concerns about timeliness and the potential inefficiency of having separate disability evaluation systems. GAO was asked to examine (1) recent actions by the Army to help servicemembers navigate its disability evaluation process and (2) the status, plans, and challenges of DOD and VA's efforts to pilot and implement a joint disability evaluation system. GAO interviewed Army, DOD, and VA officials; visited Army treatment facilities; and reviewed data from these sources.

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## Topics

Veterans

Aid for the disabledArmy facilitiesClaims processingComparative analysisData collectionDisabilitiesDisability benefitsEmployeesEvaluation methodsHealth care servicesHuman capital managementInteragency relationsMilitary health servicesMilitary personnelMilitary reserve personnelPerformance appraisalPerformance measuresPeople with disabilitiesPost-traumatic stress disordersProgram evaluationSchedule slippagesStrategic planningSurveysSystems conversionsSystems evaluationSystems integrationVeteransVeterans benefitsVeterans disability compensation