and substance abuse treatment, with the aim of less-
ening the stigma associated with mental health and 
substance abuse problems and the treatment of such 
problems, including the development of pertinent 
messaging targeted to—
(A) members of the Armed Forces who 
may be experiencing mental health or substance 
abuse problems and their family members; 
(B) commanders and supervisory per-
sonnel; and 
(C) peers of servicemembers who may be 
experiencing mental health or substance abuse 
problems or be at risk of such problems. 
(2) Establishment and implementation at mili-
tary installations at which family members of 
servicemembers reside or congregate of education 
programs to complement the series of campaigns re-
quired under paragraph (1) to help those family 
members—
(A) recognize signs of mental health or 
substance abuse problems; 
(B) cope with such problems; and 
(C) assist such servicemembers in seeking 
care.
(3) Conduct of peer-support training programs 
at military installations to complement the education 
programming required under paragraph (2) aimed 
at having peers encourage servicemembers, as indi-
cated, to seek mental health and substance abuse 
treatment treatment. 
(4) Conduct of education and training programs 
for command and supervisory personnel at military 
installations to complement the education program-
ming required under paragraph (2), including edu-
cation and training programs on prevention of sui-
cide. 
(5) Establishment and implementation of con-
tinuing medical education and training programs on 
recognizing signs of mental health and substance 
abuse problems for all clinicians (including physi-
cians and nursing personnel) who provide primary 
medical care to servicemembers and their depend-
ents. 
(c) CONTRACTORS FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS CAM-
PAIGNS.—In carrying out the activities required by para-
graph (1) of subsection (b), the Secretary shall contract 
with private not-for-profit entities that have experience in 
conducting public education activities aimed at reducing 
the stigma surrounding mental illness and substance
abuse to assist in designing the mass media campaigns 
required by that paragraph. 
(d) CONTRACTORS FOR DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTA-
TION OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES.—In car-
rying out the education and training activities required by 
paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b), the Sec-
retary shall contract with private not-for-profit entities in 
proximity to military installations at which such activities 
are to be conducted and that have experience in promoting 
mental health and preventing mental and substance abuse 
disorders to assist in designing and implementing such 
education and training programs. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated for the Department of De-
fense for fiscal year 2006 the sum of $70,000,000 for pro-
grams under this section, as follows: 
(1) For mass media campaigns under sub-
section (b)(1), $30,000,000. 
(2) For family support programs under sub-
section (b)(2), $10,000,000. 
(3) For peer programs under subsection (b)(3), 
$10,000,000. 
(4) For command programs under subsection 
(b)(4), $10,000,000.
(5) For continuing education programs under 
subsection (b)(5), $10,000,000
SEC. 103. POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER TREAT-
MENT FOR VETERANS. 
(a) ENHANCED CAPACITY
FOR DEPARTMENT
OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall employ at least one psychiatrist and a complemen-
tary clinical team at each medical center of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs in order to conduct a specialized 
program for the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic 
stress disorder and to employ additional mental health 
services specialists at the medical center. 
(b) NATIONWIDE OUTREACH.—
(1) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall carry out a program to provide nation-
wide outreach, including outreach at the community 
level, to veterans who are or may be suffering from 
post-traumatic stress disorder. 
(2) PROGRAM
SITES.—The program shall be 
carried out on a nation-wide basis, including out-
reach at the community level, by facilities of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
(3) PROGRAM CONTENT.—In carrying out the 
outreach program under this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall—
(A) conduct a public education campaign 
to promote early identification of symptoms of 
post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental 
health and substance abuse disorders that may 
be associated with service in the Armed Forces; 
and 
(B) seek to raise awareness of services of-
fered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
diagnose and treat post-traumatic stress dis-
order and other mental health and substance 
abuse disorders that may be associated with 
service in the Armed Forces, including individ-
ualized case management, counseling, edu-
cation, and group therapy. 
SEC. 104. CONTRACTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUB-
STANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES NOT 
AVAILABLE THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS CLINICS. 
Section 1703(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(9) Psychiatric and mental health services and 
substance abuse treatment services.’’.
SEC. 105. TRANSMITTAL TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS OF MEDICAL RECORDS OF ALL 
MEMBERS SEPARATING FROM ACTIVE DUTY. 
Chapter 58 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed—
(1) by inserting before subsection (c) of section 
1142 the following: 
‘‘§ 1142a. Members separating from active duty: 
transmittal of medical records to Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs’’; 
(2) in section 1142a, as designated by para-
graph (1)—
(A) by striking ‘‘(c) TRANSMITTAL
OF 
MEDICAL INFORMATION TO DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.—’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘a member being medically 
separated or being retired under chapter 61 of 
this title’’ and inserting ‘‘each member of the 
armed forces being discharged, released from 
active duty, or retired’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘60 days’’ and inserting 
‘‘seven days’’; and 
(D) by inserting ‘‘of the member’’ before 
the period at the end.
SEC. 106. POST-DEPLOYMENT HEALTH TRACKING FOR VET-
ERANS OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND 
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. 
(a) ROSTER.—The Secretary of Defense shall trans-
mit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, as soon as prac-
ticable after enactment of this Act, a roster (including 
names, dates of birth, and social security numbers) of all 
members of the Armed Forces who have served in the the-
ater of operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom or Op-
eration Enduring Freedom. The Secretary of Defense 
shall transmit updated rosters to the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs every 180 days thereafter. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The information on the roster trans-
mitted under subsection (a) shall be used to record demo-
graphic information on the individuals on the roster and 
their mental and physical health history, including signs 
of post-traumatic stress disorder. 
(c) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall notify the individuals on the roster of any sig-
nificant developments in research on the health con-
sequences of military service during the operations speci-
fied in subsection (a).
TITLE II—TRANSITION 
ASSISTANCE 
SEC. 201. REAUTHORIZATION OF SERVICE MEMBERS OCCU-
PATIONAL CONVERSION AND TRAINING ACT. 
(a) EMPLOYMENT TRAINING ASSISTANCE.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall carry out a program to assist eligi-
ble persons in obtaining employment through participation 
in programs of significant training for employment in sta-
ble and permanent positions. The program shall be carried 
out through payments to employers who employ and train 
eligible persons in such positions, to defray the costs of 
necessary training. 
(b) AGREEMENTS WITH STATE AGENCIES.—The 
Secretary (or other implementing official) may enter into 
contracts or agreements with State approving agencies (as 
designated pursuant to section 3671 of title 38, United 
States Code) or other State agencies to carry out duties 
under the program. The Secretary (or other implementing 
official) shall require each such State approving agency 
or other State agency to submit to the Secretary (or other 
official) a monthly certification of charges submitted for 
expenses under the program. 
(c) ELIGIBLE PERSONS.—For purposes of the pro-
gram under this section, a person is an eligible person if 
the person, while a member of the Armed Forces on active
duty, served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation 
Iraqi Freedom. 
(d) INCORPORATION OF PROVISIONS OF 1992 ACT.—
In carrying out the program under this section, the Sec-
retary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, incor-
porate the provisions of the Service Members Occupational 
Conversion and Training Act of 1992 (10 U.S.C. 1143 
note). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 2006 and 
2007 a total of $45,000,000 for the program under this 
section. 
SEC. 202. ENHANCEMENT OF PRESEPARATION COUN-
SELING AND TRANSITION SERVICES. 
(a) PRESEPARATION COUNSELING AND TRANSITION 
SERVICES.—Subsection (a) of section 1142 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended—
(1) in the first sentence of paragraph (1)—
(A) by striking ‘‘shall (except as provided 
in paragraph (4)) provide for individual 
preseparation counseling of’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall (except as provided in paragraph (7)) 
provide individual preseparation counseling and 
additional individualized transition services to’’; 
and
(B) by inserting ‘‘under conditions other 
than dishonorable’’ after ‘‘active duty’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (7); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs: 
‘‘(4) For a member of a reserve component being sep-
arated from service on active duty for a period of more 
than 30 days, the Secretary concerned shall require that 
preseparation counseling and services under this section 
be provided to such member before the member is sepa-
rated. 
‘‘(5) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that com-
manders of members who are required to be provided 
preseparation counseling and services under this section 
authorize the members to be provided such counseling and 
services during duty time.’’. 
(b) INDIVIDUALIZED
TRANSITIONAL
SERVICES.—
Subsection (b) of such section is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘COUNSELING.—Counseling 
under’’ and inserting ‘‘COUNSELING
AND ADDI-
TIONAL
INDIVIDUALIZED
TRANSITIONAL
SERV-
ICES.—Counseling 
and 
additional 
individualized 
transitional assistance under’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘(4) Information concerning 
Government’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(4) Provision of information concerning civil-
ian occupations and related assistance programs, in-
cluding information about—
‘‘(A) certification and licensure require-
ments that are applicable to civilian occupa-
tions; 
‘‘(B) civilian occupations that correspond 
to military occupational specialties; and 
‘‘(C) Government’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(11) Information concerning the priority of 
service for veterans in the receipt of employment, 
training, and placement services provided under 
qualified job training programs of the Department 
of Labor. 
‘‘(12) Information concerning veterans small 
business ownership and entrepreneurship programs 
of the Small Business Administration and the Na-
tional Veterans Business Development Corporation. 
‘‘(13) Information concerning employment and 
reemployment rights and obligations under chapter 
43 of title 38.
‘‘(14) Information concerning veterans pref-
erence in Federal employment and Federal procure-
ment opportunities. 
‘‘(15) Information concerning homelessness, in-
cluding risk factors, awareness assessment, and con-
tact information for preventative assistance associ-
ated with homelessness. 
‘‘(16) Contact information for housing coun-
seling and assistance. 
‘‘(17) A description (to be developed with the 
assistance of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs) of 
the health care and other benefits to which the 
member may be entitled under the laws administered 
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(18) In the case of a member who, as deter-
mined pursuant to the preseparation physical exam-
ination conducted under section 1145(d) of this title, 
may be eligible for compensation benefits under the 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, a referral (to be provided with the assistance 
of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs) for a medical 
examination by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs re-
ferred to as a compensation and pension examina-
tion.’’.
(c) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—Section 1142 of 
such title is further amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsections: 
‘‘(c) CONTENT RELEVANT TO REGULAR AND RE-
SERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS.—The Secretary concerned 
shall ensure that preseparation counseling and services 
under this section include material that is specifically rel-
evant to the needs of members being separated from active 
duty from a regular component, the needs of members of 
the reserve components being separated from active duty, 
and the needs of members of the National Guard being 
separated from full-time National Guard duty. 
‘‘(d) LOCATIONS FOR SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED.—
The Secretary concerned shall ensure that the locations 
at which preseparation counseling and services are pro-
vided under this section include the following: 
‘‘(1) Each military installation under the juris-
diction of the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) Each armory and military family support 
center of the National Guard. 
‘‘(3) Each inpatient medical care facility of the 
uniformed services. 
‘‘(4) In the case of a member on the temporary 
disability retired list under section 1202 or 1205 of 
this title who is being retired under another provi-
sion of this title or is being discharged, a location 
reasonably convenient to the member. 
‘‘(e) CONSISTENCY OF MATERIALS.—The Secretary 
concerned shall ensure that the scope and content of the 
materials presented as part of preseparation counseling 
and services at each location under this section are con-
sistent with the scope and content of the materials pre-
sented as part of the preseparation counseling and services 
at the other locations under this section. 
‘‘(f) POST-SEPARATION FOLLOW-UP FOR RESERVE 
COMPONENT MEMBERS.—The Secretary concerned shall 
ensure that follow-up counseling is provided for each mem-
ber of a reserve component separated from active duty not 
later than 180 days after such separation. 
‘‘(g) UPDATED CONTENT OF MATERIALS.—The Sec-
retary concerned shall, on a continuing basis, update the 
content of the materials used by the National Veterans 
Training Institute and other activities of the Secretary 
that provide direct training support to personnel who pro-
vide preseparation counseling and other services under 
this section. 
‘‘(h) NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS
ON DUTY
IN 
STATE STATUS.—Members of the National Guard being 
separated from duty to which ordered under section 502(f) 
of title 32 shall be provided preseparation counseling and
services under this section to the same extent that mem-
bers of a reserve component being discharged or released 
from active duty are provided preseparation counseling 
and services under this section. 
‘‘(i) MINIMUM REQUIRED INDIVIDUALIZED SERV-
ICES.—(1) In carrying out this section, the Secretary con-
cerned ensure that at least eight hours of individualized 
transition assistance services are provided, in addition to 
preseparation counseling and group workshops, for each 
member provided counseling and services under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(2) In order to ensure that the requirements of 
paragraph (1) are met, the Secretary concerned shall en-
sure, for each fiscal year, that there is allocated, from the 
appropriate operation and maintenance or military per-
sonnel accounts, such amounts as necessary to provide for 
the individualized transition assistance required under 
that paragraph for each member expected to receive such 
services during the fiscal year.’’. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—(1) The heading for 
section 1142 of such title is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 1142. 
Members 
separating 
from 
active 
duty: 
preseparation counseling and transition 
services’’. 
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 
58 of such title is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 1142 and inserting the following new items:
‘‘1142. Members separating from active duty: preseparation counseling and 
transition services. 
‘‘1142a. Members separating from active duty: transmittal of medical records 
to Department of Veterans Affairs.’’.
SEC. 203. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TRANSITIONAL ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS
OF PROGRAM.—Sub-
section (b) of section 1144 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(9) Provide information concerning the pri-
ority of service for veterans in the receipt of employ-
ment, training, and placement services provided 
under qualified job training programs of the Depart-
ment of Labor. 
‘‘(10) Provide information concerning veterans 
small business ownership and entrepreneurship pro-
grams of the Small Business Administration and the 
National Veterans Business Development Corpora-
tion.
‘‘(11) Provide information concerning rights 
and obligations under chapter 43 of title 38. 
‘‘(12) Provide information concerning veterans 
preference in Federal employment and Federal pro-
curement opportunities. 
‘‘(13) Provide information concerning homeless-
ness, including risk factors, awareness assessment, 
and contact information for preventative assistance 
associated with homelessness. 
‘‘(14) Provide contact information for housing 
counseling and assistance. 
‘‘(15) Provide a description (to be developed 
with the assistance of the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs) of the health care and other benefits to which 
the member may be entitled under the laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(16) In the case of a member who, as deter-
mined pursuant to the preseparation physical exam-
ination conducted under section 1145(d) of this title, 
may be entitled to compensation under the laws ad-
ministered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, pro-
vide a referral (to be provided with the assistance of 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs) for a medical ex-
amination by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs re-
ferred to as a compensation and pension examina-
tion.’’. 
(b) REQUIRED PARTICIPATION FOR CERTAIN MEM-
BERS.—Subsection (c) of such section is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(c) PARTICIPATION.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall require participation by members of the 
armed forces eligible for assistance under the program 
carried out under this section. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security need not require, but shall encourage 
and otherwise promote, participation in the program by 
the following members described in paragraph (1): 
‘‘(A) A member who has previously participated 
in the program. 
‘‘(B) A member who, upon discharge or release 
from active duty, is returning to—
‘‘(i) a position of employment; or 
‘‘(ii) pursuit of an academic degree or 
other educational or occupational training ob-
jective that the members was pursuing when 
called or ordered to such active duty. 
‘‘(3) Members of the armed forces eligible for assist-
ance under this section include—
‘‘(A) members of the reserve components being 
separated from service on active duty for a period of 
more than 30 days; and 
‘‘(B) members of the National Guard being sep-
arated from long-term duty. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that com-
manders of members who are required to be provided as-
sistance under this section authorize the members to be 
provided such assistance during duty time’’. 
(c) REQUIRED UPDATING
OF MATERIALS.—Such 
section is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(e) UPDATING OF MATERIALS.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall, on a continuing basis, update the content of 
the materials used by the National Veterans Training In-
stitute of the Department of Labor and the Secretary’s 
other materials that provide direct training support to per-
sonnel who carry out the program established in this sec-
tion.’’. 
(d) 
CROSS-REFERENCE
AMENDMENT.—Section 
1144(a)(1) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘para-
graph (4)(A)’’ in the second sentence and inserting ‘‘para-
graph (6)(A)’’.