for evaluating the nature of and extent of disabilities 
affecting members of the armed forces (other than 
the Coast Guard) and comprised of medical evalua-
tion boards, physical evaluation boards, counseling 
of members, and final disposition by appropriate 
personnel authorities, as operated by the Secretaries 
of the military departments, and, in the case of the 
Coast Guard, a similar system or process operated 
by the Secretary of Homeland Security.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1074l. Management of medical and dental care: members assigned to receive 
care in an outpatient status.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 1074l of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 
effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF TOLL-FREE HOT LINE FOR RE-
PORTING 
DEFICIENCIES 
IN 
MEDICAL-RE-
LATED SUPPORT FACILITIES AND EXPEDITED 
RESPONSE TO REPORTS OF DEFICIENCIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 80 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
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‘‘§ 1567. Identification and investigation of defi-
ciencies in adequacy, quality, and state of 
repair of medical-related support facili-
ties 
‘‘(a) TOLL-FREE HOT LINE.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall establish and maintain a toll-free telephone 
number (commonly referred to as a ‘hot line’) at which 
personnel are accessible at all times to collect, maintain, 
and update information regarding possible deficiencies in 
the adequacy, quality, and state of repair of medical-re-
lated support facilities. The Secretary shall widely dissemi-
nate information regarding the existence and availability 
of the toll-free telephone number to members of the armed 
forces and their dependents. 
‘‘(b) INVESTIGATION
AND RESPONSE PLAN.—Not 
later than 96 hours after a report of deficiencies in the 
adequacy, quality, or state of repair of a medical-related 
support facility is received by way of the toll-free telephone 
number or other source, the Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that— 
‘‘(1) the deficiencies referred to in the report 
are investigated; and 
‘‘(2) if substantiated, a plan of action for reme-
diation of the deficiencies is developed and imple-
mented. 
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‘‘(c) RELOCATION.—If the Secretary of Defense de-
termines that, on the basis of the investigation in response 
to a report of deficiencies at a medical-related support fa-
cility, conditions at the facility violate health and safety 
standards, the Secretary shall relocate the occupants of 
the facility while the violations are corrected. 
‘‘(d) MEDICAL-RELATED SUPPORT FACILITY DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘medical-related support 
facility’ means any facility of the Department of Defense 
that provides support to any of the following: 
‘‘(1) Members of the armed forces admitted for 
treatment to a military medical treatment facility. 
‘‘(2) Members of the armed forces assigned to 
a military medical treatment facility as an out-
patient. 
‘‘(3) Family members accompanying any mem-
ber described in paragraph (1) or (2) as a nonmed-
ical attendant.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1567. Identification and investigation of deficiencies in adequacy, quality, and 
state of repair of medical-related support facilities.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The toll-free telephone num-
ber required to be established by section 1567 of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be 
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fully operational not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS OF HOSPITALIZATION 
OF COMBAT WOUNDED SERVICE MEMBERS. 
(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—Chapter 55 of title 
10, United States Code, is further amended by inserting 
after section 1074l the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1074m. Notification to Congress of hospitalization 
of combat wounded members 
‘‘(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall provide notification of the hospitalization of 
any member of the armed forces evacuated from a theater 
of combat to the appropriate Members of Congress. 
‘‘(b) APPROPRIATE MEMBERS.—In this section, the 
term ‘appropriate Members of Congress’, with respect to 
the member of the armed forces about whom notification 
is being made, means the Senators and the Members of 
the House of Representatives representing the States or 
districts, respectively, that include the member’s home of 
record and, if different, the residence of the next of kin, 
or a different location as provided by the member. 
‘‘(c) CONSENT OF MEMBER REQUIRED.—The notifi-
cation under subsection (a) may be provided only with the 
consent of the member of the armed forces about whom 
notification is to be made. In the case of a member who 
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is unable to provide consent, information and consent may 
be provided by next of kin.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1074m. Notification to Congress of hospitalization of combat wounded mem-
bers.’’. 
SEC. 5. INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ADVOCATE FOR MEMBERS 
BEFORE MEDICAL EVALUATION BOARDS. 
(a) ASSIGNMENT OF INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ADVO-
CATE.—Section 1222 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) INDEPENDENT MEDICAL ADVOCATE FOR MEM-
BERS BEFORE MEDICAL EVALUATION BOARDS.—(1) The 
Secretary of each military department shall ensure, in the 
case of any member of the armed forces being considered 
by a medical evaluation board under that Secretary’s su-
pervision, that the member has access to a physician or 
other appropriate health care professional who is inde-
pendent of the medical evaluation board. 
‘‘(2) The physician or other health care professional 
assigned to a member shall— 
‘‘(A) serve as an advocate for the best interests 
of the member; and 
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‘‘(B) provide the member with advice and coun-
sel regarding the medical condition of the member 
and the findings and recommendations of the med-
ical evaluation board.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such 
section is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 1222. Physical evaluation boards and medical eval-
uation boards’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 61 of such title is 
amended by striking the item relating to section 
1222 and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘1222. Physical evaluation boards and medical evaluation boards.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (d) of section 
1222 of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), shall apply with respect to medical evaluation 
boards convened after the end of the 180-day period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 6. TRAINING AND WORKLOAD FOR PHYSICAL EVALUA-
TION BOARD LIAISON OFFICERS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Section 1222(b) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
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(A) by striking ‘‘establishing—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘a requirement’’ and in-
serting ‘‘establishing a requirement’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘that Secretary; and’’ and 
all that follows through the end of subpara-
graph (B) and inserting ‘‘that Secretary. A 
physical evaluation board liaison officer may 
not be assigned more than 20 members at any 
one time, except that the Secretary concerned 
may authorize the assignment of additional 
members, for not more than 120 days, if re-
quired due to unforeseen circumstances.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting after ‘‘(2)’’ 
the following new sentences: ‘‘The Secretary of De-
fense shall establish a standardized training program 
and curriculum for physical evaluation board liaison 
officers. Successful completion of the training pro-
gram is required before a person may assume the 
duties of a physical evaluation board liaison offi-
cer.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) In this subsection, the term ‘physical evaluation 
board liaison officer’ includes any person designated as, 
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or assigned the duties of, an assistant to a physical evalua-
tion board liaison officer.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The limitation on the max-
imum number of members of the Armed Forces who may 
be assigned to a physical evaluation board liaison officer 
shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. The training program and curriculum for 
physical evaluation board liaison officers shall be imple-
mented not later than 180 days after the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
SEC. 7. STANDARDIZED TRAINING PROGRAM AND CUR-
RICULUM FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM. 
(a) TRAINING PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Section 1216 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e)(1) The Secretary of Defense shall establish a 
standardized training program and curriculum for persons 
described in paragraph (2) who are involved in the dis-
ability evaluation system. The training under the program 
shall be provided as soon as practicable in coordination 
with other training associated with the responsibilities of 
the person. 
‘‘(2) Persons covered by paragraph (1) include— 
‘‘(A) Commanders. 
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‘‘(B) Enlisted members who perform super-
visory functions. 
‘‘(C) Health care professionals. 
‘‘(D) Others persons with administrative, pro-
fessional, or technical responsibilities in the dis-
ability evaluation system. 
‘‘(3) In this subsection, the term ‘disability evaluation 
system’ means the Department of Defense system or proc-
ess for evaluating the nature of and extent of disabilities 
affecting members of the armed forces (other than the 
Coast Guard) and comprised of medical evaluation boards, 
physical evaluation boards, counseling of members, and 
final disposition by appropriate personnel authorities, as 
operated by the Secretaries of the military departments, 
and, in the case of the Coast Guard, a similar system or 
process operated by the Secretary of Homeland Security.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The standardized training 
program and curriculum required by subsection (e) of sec-
tion 1216 of title 10, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (a), shall be established not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 8. IMPROVED TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROFES-
SIONALS, MEDICAL CARE CASE MANAGERS, 
AND SERVICE MEMBER ADVOCATES ON PAR-
TICULAR 
CONDITIONS 
OF 
RECOVERING 
SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report setting forth recommendations for the 
modification of the training provided to health care profes-
sionals, medical care case managers, and service member 
advocates who provide care for or assistance to recovering 
servicemembers. The recommendations shall include, at a 
minimum, specific recommendations to ensure that such 
health care professionals, medical care case managers, and 
service member advocates are able to detect early warning 
signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal 
tendencies, and other mental health conditions among re-
covering servicemembers. 
(b) ANNUAL REVIEW OF TRAINING.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
annually thereafter throughout the global war on terror, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a report on the following: 
(1) The progress made in providing the training 
recommended under subsection (a). 
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(2) The quality of training provided to health 
care professionals, medical care case managers, and 
service member advocates. 
SEC. 9. CRITERIA FOR REMOVAL OF MEMBER FROM TEM-
PORARY DISABILITY RETIRED LIST. 
(a) CRITERIA.—Section 1210(e) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘of a permanent na-
ture and stable and is’’ after ‘‘physical disability is’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to any case received for consid-
eration by a physical evaluation board after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 10. PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE TRANSITION OF 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS UPON RE-
TIREMENT OR SEPARATION. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.— 
(1) PURPOSE; PARTICIPANTS.—The Secretary 
of Defense shall establish a pilot program, involving 
a minimum of 5,000 members of the armed forces 
who are being separated or retired from the Armed 
Forces under chapter 61 of title 10, United States 
Code, during the one-year period beginning on the 
effective date of this section, under which each mem-
ber participating in the pilot program receives a 
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