Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Presidential Documents 1513 

Executive Order 13822 of January 9, 2018 

Supporting Our Veterans During Their Transition From Uniformed Service to Civilian Life 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to support the health 

and well-being of uniformed service members and veterans. After serving 

our Nation, veterans deserve long, fulfilling civilian lives. Accordingly, our 

Government must improve mental healthcare and access to suicide prevention resources available to veterans, particularly during the critical 1-year 

period following the transition from uniformed service to civilian life. Most 

veterans’ experience in uniform increases their resilience and broadens the 

skills they bring to the civilian workforce. Unfortunately, in some cases 

within the first year following transition, some veterans can have difficulties 

reintegrating into civilian life after their military experiences and some 

tragically take their own lives. Veterans, in their first year of separation 

from uniformed service, experience suicide rates approximately two times 

higher than the overall veteran suicide rate. To help prevent these tragedies, 

all veterans should have seamless access to high-quality mental healthcare 

and suicide prevention resources as they transition, with an emphasis on 

the 1-year period following separation. 

Sec. 2. Implementation. (a) In furtherance of the policy described in section 

1 of this order, I hereby direct the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to collaborate 

to address the complex challenges faced by our transitioning uniformed 

service members and veterans. 

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security 

shall submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for 

Domestic Policy, a Joint Action Plan that describes concrete actions to provide, to the extent consistent with law, seamless access to mental health 

treatment and suicide prevention resources for transitioning uniformed service members in the year following discharge, separation, or retirement. 

(c) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security 

shall submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for 

Domestic Policy, a status report on the implementation of the Joint Action 

Plan and how the proposed reforms have been effective in improving mental 

health treatment for all transitioning uniformed service members and veterans. The report shall include: 

(i) preliminary progress of reforms implemented by the Joint Action Plan; 

(ii) any additional reforms that could help further address the problems 

that obstruct veterans’ access to resources and continuous mental 

healthcare treatment, including any suggestions for legislative and regulatory reforms; and 

(iii) a timeline describing next steps and the results anticipated from 

continued and additional reforms. 

Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed 

to impair or otherwise affect: 


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1514 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Presidential Documents 

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, 

or the head thereof; or 

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and 

subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

January 9, 2018. 

[FR Doc. 2018–00630 

Filed 1–11–18; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F8–P 


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