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separated or retired from the Armed Forces for disability
under chapter 61 of title 10, United States Code.
(c) SCOPE OF PILOT PROGRAMS.—
(1) DISABILITY DETERMINATIONS BY DOD UTI-
LIZING VA ASSIGNED DISABILITY RATING.—Under one
of the pilot programs under subsection (a), for pur-
poses of making a determination of disability of a
member of the Armed Forces under section 1201(b) of
title 10, United States Code, for the retirement, sepa-
ration, or placement of the member on the temporary
disability retired list under chapter 61 of such title,
upon a determination by the Secretary of the mili-
tary department concerned that the member is unfit
to perform the duties of the member’s office, grade,
rank, or rating because of a physical disability as de-
scribed in section 1201(a) of such title—
(A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall—
(i) conduct an evaluation of the mem-
ber for physical disability; and
(ii) assign the member a rating of dis-
ability in accordance with the schedule for
rating disabilities utilized by the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs based on all medical
conditions (whether individually or collec-
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tively) that render the member unfit for
duty; and
(B) the Secretary of the military depart-
ment concerned shall make the determination of
disability regarding the member utilizing the
rating of disability assigned under subparagraph
(A)(ii).
(2) DISABILITY
DETERMINATIONS
UTILIZING
JOINT DOD/VA ASSIGNED DISABILITY RATING.—Under
one of the pilot programs under subsection (a), in
making a determination of disability of a member of
the Armed Forces under section 1201(b) of title 10,
United States Code, for the retirement, separation, or
placement of the member on the temporary disability
retired list under chapter 61 of such title, the Sec-
retary of the military department concerned shall,
upon determining that the member is unfit to perform
the duties of the member’s office, grade, rank, or rat-
ing because of a physical disability as described in
section 1201(a) of such title—
(A) provide for the joint evaluation of the
member for disability by the Secretary of the
military department concerned and the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs, including the assign-
ment of a rating of disability for the member in
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accordance with the schedule for rating disabil-
ities utilized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
based on all medical conditions (whether indi-
vidually or collectively) that render the member
unfit for duty; and
(B) make the determination of disability re-
garding the member utilizing the rating of dis-
ability assigned under subparagraph (A).
(3) ELECTRONIC CLEARING HOUSE.—Under one
of the pilot programs, the Secretary of Defense shall
establish and operate a single Internet website for the
disability evaluation system of the Department of De-
fense that enables participating members of the
Armed Forces to fully utilize such system through the
Internet, with such Internet website to include the fol-
lowing:
(A) The availability of any forms required
for the utilization of the disability evaluation
system by members of the Armed Forces under
the system.
(B) Secure mechanisms for the submission
of such forms by members of the Armed Forces
under the system, and for the tracking of the ac-
ceptance and review of any forms so submitted.
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(C) Secure mechanisms for advising mem-
bers of the Armed Forces under the system of any
additional information, forms, or other items
that are required for the acceptance and review
of any forms so submitted.
(D) The continuous availability of assist-
ance to members of the Armed Forces under the
system (including assistance through the case-
workers assigned to such members of the Armed
Forces) in submitting and tracking such forms,
including assistance in obtaining information,
forms, or other items described by subparagraph
(C).
(E) Secure mechanisms to request and re-
ceive personnel files or other personnel records of
members of the Armed Forces under the system
that are required for submission under the dis-
ability evaluation system, including the capa-
bility to track requests for such files or records
and to determine the status of such requests and
of responses to such requests.
(4) OTHER PILOT PROGRAMS.—Under any pilot
program carried out by the Secretary of Defense
under subsection (a)(3), the Secretary shall provide
for the development, evaluation, and identification of