I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2411
To provide improved benefits and procedures for the transition of members 
of the Armed Forces from combat zones to noncombat zones and for 
the transition of veterans from service in the Armed Forces to civilian 
life. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 17, 2005
Mr. MEEHAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Vet-
erans’ Affairs and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide improved benefits and procedures for the transi-
tion of members of the Armed Forces from combat zones 
to noncombat zones and for the transition of veterans 
from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Matthew Boisvert Help Extend Respect Owed to Every 
Soldier (HEROES) Act’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—HEALTH CARE 
Sec. 101. Minimum standards for postdeployment medical examinations. 
Sec. 102. Early identification and treatment of mental health and substance 
abuse disorders. 
Sec. 103. Post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for veterans. 
Sec. 104. Contracts for mental health and substance abuse treatment services 
not available through Department of Veterans Affairs clinics. 
Sec. 105. Transmittal to Department of Veterans Affairs of medical records of 
all members separating from active duty. 
Sec. 106. Post-deployment health tracking for veterans of Operation Iraqi Free-
dom and Operation Enduring Freedom. 
TITLE II—TRANSITION ASSISTANCE 
Sec. 201. Reauthorization of Service Members Occupational Conversion and 
Training Act. 
Sec. 202. Enhancement of preseparation counseling and transition services. 
Sec. 203. Department of Labor transitional assistance program. 
Sec. 204. General requirements for transition programs. 
Sec. 205. Information sharing between Department of Defense and Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 206. Expansion of Department of Veterans Affairs outreach services. 
TITLE III—HOMEOWNERSHIP 
Sec. 301. Mortgage assistance. 
TITLE IV—EDUCATION 
Sec. 401. Repeal of $1,200 reduction in basic pay required for participation in 
Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program.
TITLE I—HEALTH CARE 
SEC. 101. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR POSTDEPLOYMENT 
MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS. 
(a) QUALITY ASSURANCE.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish an effective quality assurance program that 
will help ensure that the Armed Forces comply with the 
requirements of section 1074f(d) of title 10, United States
Code, in making physical and mental health examinations 
comprehensive. 
(b) UNIFORM APPLICABILITY.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the content and standards prescribed for 
predeployment and postdeployment medical examinations 
are applied uniformly at all installations and medical fa-
cilities of the Armed Forces where medical examinations 
required under this section are performed for members of 
the Armed Forces returning from a deployment. 
(c) PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS.—
(1) TIMING.—The physical examination of a 
member under this subsection shall be conducted be-
fore the member receives preseparation counseling 
under section 1142 of this title. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of a physical ex-
amination conducted for a member under this sub-
section shall be—
(A) to determine the immediate health care 
needs, if any, of the member as of separation 
and the ongoing health care needs, if any, of 
the member after separation; and 
(B) to identify any illness, injury, or other 
medical condition that may make the member 
eligible for benefits as a veteran under the laws
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
(3) INCLUSION
ON
SEPARATION
FORM.—The 
results of the physical examination of a member 
under this subsection shall be included on the sepa-
ration form of the member designated as Depart-
ment of Defense Form DD–214 (or any successor 
form). 
(4) TRANSMITTAL TO VA.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall transmit in electronic form to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs the results of each phys-
ical examination conducted by such Secretary under 
this subsection. 
(d) INCLUSION
OF
SCREENING
FOR
MENTAL 
HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.—Any such 
postdeployment medical examination shall include content 
and standards for screening for mental health disorders 
and substance abuse disorders. In the case of acute post-
traumatic stress disorder and delayed onset post-trau-
matic stress disorder, such examination shall specifically 
include a personal evaluation to identify stressors experi-
enced by servicemembers that have the potential to lead 
to post-traumatic stress disorders. 
(e) LIMITATION.—An examination consisting solely 
or primarily of an assessment questionnaire completed by
a member does not meet the requirements of this sub-
section for a medical examination and does not meet the 
requirements of this section for an assessment. 
(f) WAIVER PROHIBITED.—An examination of a 
member required under this section may not be waived 
by the Secretary (or any official exercising the Secretary’s 
authority under this section) or by the member. 
(g) FOLLOW-UP SERVICES.—
(1) ASSISTANCE TO MEMBER.—The Secretary 
of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, shall ensure that appropriate ac-
tions are taken to assist a member who, as a result 
of a medical examination carried out under the sys-
tem established under this section, is identified or 
suspected as having an illness (including any mental 
health condition) or injury. 
(2) REQUIRED
ASSISTANCE.—Assistance re-
quired to be provided a member under paragraph 
(1) includes the following: 
(A) Care and treatment and other services 
that the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs may provide such member 
under any other provision of law, as follows: 
(i) Clinical services, including coun-
seling and treatment for post-traumatic
stress disorder and other mental health 
and substance abuse conditions. 
(ii) Any other care, treatment, and 
services. 
(B) Assistance to enroll in the Department 
of Veterans Affairs health care system for 
health care benefits for which the member is el-
igible under laws administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 102. EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF 
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE 
DISORDERS. 
(a) ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
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) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—The activities carried 
out by the Secretary under subsection (a) shall include the 
following: 
(1) Conduct of a series of campaigns that use 
mass media (including radio and television) and 
other public education tools to change attitudes 
within the Armed Forces regarding mental health