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(6) The effect of the conversions of military 
medical positions to civilian medical positions on the 
defense health program, including costs associated 
with the conversions, with a comparison of the esti-
mated costs versus the actual costs incurred by the 
number of conversions since October 1, 2004. 
(7) The effectiveness of the conversions in en-
hancing medical readiness, health care efficiency, 
productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2006, the 
Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives a report containing the results of the study under 
this section. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘military medical position’’ means 
a position for the performance of health care func-
tions within the Armed Forces held by a member of 
the Armed Forces. 
(2) The term ‘‘civilian medical position’’ means 
a position for the performance of health care func-
tions within the Department of Defense held by an 
employee of the Department or of a contractor of 
the Department.
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SEC. 715. CLARIFICATION OF INCLUSION OF DENTAL CARE 
IN 
MEDICAL 
READINESS 
TRACKING 
AND 
HEALTH SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) INCLUSION OF DENTAL CARE.—Subtitle D of 
title VII of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108–
375; 10 U.S.C. 1074 note) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 740. INCLUSION OF DENTAL CARE. 
‘‘For purposes of the plan, this title, and the amend-
ments made by this title, references to medical readiness, 
health status, and health care shall be considered to in-
clude dental readiness, dental status, and dental care.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of title VII of such Act and in section 
2(b) of such Act are each amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 740 the following:
‘‘Sec. 740. Inclusion of dental care.’’.
SEC. 716. COOPERATIVE OUTREACH TO MEMBERS AND 
FORMER MEMBERS OF THE NAVAL SERVICE 
EXPOSED TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RE-
LATED TO SARCOIDOSIS. 
(a) OUTREACH PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Sec-
retary of the Navy, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, shall conduct an outreach program to 
contact all members and former members of the naval
316
service who, in connection with service aboard Navy ships 
may have been exposed to aerosolized particles resulting 
from the removal of nonskid coating used on those ships. 
(b) PURPOSES OF OUTREACH PROGRAM.—The pur-
poses of the outreach program are as follows: 
(1) To develop additional data for use in subse-
quent studies aimed at determining a causative link 
between sarcoidosis and military service. 
(2) To inform members and former members 
identified in subsection (a) of the findings of Navy 
studies identifying an association between service 
aboard certain naval ships and sarcoidosis. 
(3) To assist members and former members 
identified in subsection (a) in getting medical eval-
uations to help clarify linkages between their disease 
and their service aboard Navy ships. 
(4) To ensure the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs has data and information for the effective eval-
uation of veterans who may seek care for sarcoid-
osis. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of the Navy 
shall begin the outreach program not later than six 
months after the date of the enactment of this act and 
provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Sen-
ate and the House of Representatives a report on the re-
317
sults of the outreach programs not later than one year 
after beginning the program. 
SEC. 717. EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF 
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE 
DISORDERS. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Defense may 
carry out activities to foster the early identification and 
treatment of mental health and substance abuse problems 
experienced by members of the Armed Forces, with special 
emphasis on members who have served in a theater of 
combat operations within the preceding 12 months. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The activities carried out by the 
Secretary under subsection (a) may include the conduct 
of a series of campaigns that uses internal mass media 
(including radio and television) communications and other 
education tools to change attitudes within the Armed 
Forces regarding mental health and substance abuse 
treatment, with the aim of lessening the stigma associated 
with mental health and substance abuse problems and the 
treatment of such problems, including the development of 
pertinent messaging targeted to—
(1) members of the Armed Forces who may be 
experiencing mental health or substance abuse prob-
lems and their family members; 
(2) commanders and supervisory personnel; and