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Medical Center by the date of the closure of Walter
Reed Army Medical Center.
(4) That adequate funds have been provided to
complete fully all facilities identified in the Base Re-
alignment and Closure Business Plan for Walter Reed
Army Medical Center submitted to the congressional
defense committees as part of the budget justification
materials submitted to Congress together with the
budget of the President for fiscal year 2008 as con-
templated in that business plan.
(d) ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.—Nothing in this section
shall require the Secretary or any designated representative
to waive or ignore responsibilities and actions required by
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.) or the regulations implementing such Act.
Subtitle E—Outreach and Related
Information on Benefits
SEC. 1681. HANDBOOK FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES ON COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
AVAILABLE FOR SERIOUS INJURIES AND ILL-
NESSES.
(a) INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE COMPENSATION AND
BENEFITS.—The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, and the Commissioner of So-
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cial Security, develop and maintain in handbook and elec-
tronic form a comprehensive description of the compensa-
tion and other benefits to which a member of the Armed
Forces, and the family of such member, would be entitled
upon the member’s separation or retirement from the Armed
Forces as a result of a serious injury or illness. The hand-
book shall set forth the range of such compensation and ben-
efits based on grade, length of service, degree of disability
at separation or retirement, and such other factors affecting
such compensation and benefits as the Secretary of Defense
considers appropriate.
(b) UPDATE.—The Secretary of Defense shall update
the comprehensive description required by subsection (a),
including the handbook and electronic form of the descrip-
tion, on a periodic basis, but not less often than annually.
(c) PROVISION TO MEMBERS.—The Secretary of the
military department concerned shall provide the descriptive
handbook under subsection (a) to each member of the Armed
Forces described in that subsection as soon as practicable
following the injury or illness qualifying the member for
coverage under that subsection.
(d) PROVISION TO REPRESENTATIVES.—If a member
is incapacitated or otherwise unable to receive the descrip-
tive handbook to be provided under subsection (a), the hand-
book shall be provided to the next of kin or a legal represent-
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ative of the member (as determined in accordance with reg-
ulations prescribed by the Secretary of the military depart-
ment concerned for purposes of this section).
Subtitle F—Other Matters
SEC. 1691. STUDY ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND
OTHER READJUSTMENT NEEDS OF MEMBERS
AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES 
WHO 
DEPLOYED 
IN 
OPERATION
IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING
FREEDOM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense
shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
enter into an agreement with the National Academy of
Sciences for a study on the physical and mental health and
other readjustment needs of members and former members
of the Armed Forces who deployed in Operation Iraqi Free-
dom or Operation Enduring Freedom and their families as
a result of such deployment.
(b) PHASES.—The study required under subsection (a)
shall consist of two phases:
(1) A preliminary phase, to be completed not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act—
(A) to identify preliminary findings on the
physical and mental health and other readjust-
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ment needs described in subsection (a) and on
gaps in care for the members, former members,
and families described in that subsection; and
(B) to determine the parameters of the sec-
ond phase of the study under paragraph (2).
(2) A second phase, to be completed not later
than three years after the date of the enactment of this
Act, to carry out a comprehensive assessment, in ac-
cordance with the parameters identified under the
preliminary report required by paragraph (1), of the
physical and mental health and other readjustment
needs of members and former members of the Armed
Forces who deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or
Operation Enduring Freedom and their families as a
result 
of 
such 
deployment, 
including, 
at 
a
minimum—
(A) an assessment of the psychological, so-
cial, and economic impacts of such deployment
on such members and former members and their
families;
(B) an assessment of the particular impacts
of multiple deployments in Operation Iraqi
Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom on
such members and former members and their
families;