IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1538 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MARCH 29, 2007 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
AN ACT 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the 
management of medical care, personnel actions, and 
quality of life issues for members of the Armed Forces 
who are receiving medical care in an outpatient status, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—WOUNDED WARRIOR ASSISTANCE 
Sec. 101. Improvements to medical and dental care for members of the Armed 
Forces assigned to hospitals in an outpatient status. 
Sec. 102. Establishment of a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman Office. 
Sec. 103. Establishment of toll-free hot line for reporting deficiencies in med-
ical-related support facilities and expedited response to reports 
of deficiencies. 
Sec. 104. Notification to Congress of hospitalization of combat wounded service 
members. 
Sec. 105. Independent medical advocate for members before medical evaluation 
boards. 
Sec. 106. Training and workload for physical evaluation board liaison officers. 
Sec. 107. Standardized training program and curriculum for Department of 
Defense disability evaluation system. 
Sec. 108. Improved training for health care professionals, medical care case 
managers, and service member advocates on particular condi-
tions of recovering service members. 
Sec. 109. Pilot program to establish an Army Wounded Warrior Battalion at 
an appropriate active duty base. 
Sec. 110. Criteria for removal of member from temporary disability retired list. 
Sec. 111. Improved transition of members of the Armed Forces to Department 
of Veterans Affairs upon retirement or separation. 
Sec. 112. Establishment of Medical Support Fund for support of members of 
the Armed Forces returning to military service or civilian life. 
Sec. 113. Oversight Board for Wounded Warriors. 
Sec. 114. Option for members of reserve components to use military medical 
treatment facilities closest to home for certain injuries. 
Sec. 115. Plans and research for reducing post traumatic stress disorder. 
TITLE II—STUDIES AND REPORTS 
Sec. 201. Annual report on military medical facilities. 
Sec. 202. Access of recovering service members to adequate outpatient residen-
tial facilities. 
Sec. 203. Evaluation and report on Department of Defense and Department of 
Veterans Affairs disability evaluation systems. 
Sec. 204. Study and report on support services for families of recovering service 
members. 
Sec. 205. Report on traumatic brain injury classifications. 
Sec. 206. Evaluation of the Polytrauma Liaison Officer/Non-Commissioned Of-
ficer Program. 
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Sec. 207. Study and report on waiting periods for appointments at Department 
of Veterans Affairs medical facilities. 
Sec. 208. Study and report on standard soldier patient tracking system. 
TITLE III—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 301. Moratorium on conversion to contractor performance of Department 
of Defense functions at military medical facilities. 
Sec. 302. Prohibition on transfer of resources from medical care. 
Sec. 303. Increase in physicians at hospitals of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
Sec. 304. Veterans beneficiary travel program. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES.— 
The term ‘‘congressional defense committees’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) 
of title 10, United States Code. 
(2) DISABILITY
EVALUATION
SYSTEM.—The 
term ‘‘disability evaluation system’’ means the De-
partment of Defense system or process for evalu-
ating the nature of and extent of disabilities affect-
ing members of the armed forces (other than the 
Coast Guard) and comprised of medical evaluation 
boards, physical evaluation boards, counseling of 
members, and final disposition by appropriate per-
sonnel authorities, as operated by the Secretaries of 
the military departments, and, in the case of the 
Coast Guard, a similar system or process operated 
by the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(3) FAMILY MEMBER.—The term ‘‘family mem-
ber’’, with respect to a recovering service member, 
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has the meaning given that term in section 411h(b) 
of title 37, United States Code. 
(4) RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBER.—The term 
‘‘recovering service member’’ means a member of the 
Armed Forces, including a member of the National 
Guard or a Reserve, who is undergoing medical 
treatment, recuperation, or therapy, or is otherwise 
in medical hold or holdover status, for an injury, ill-
ness, or disease incurred or aggravated while on ac-
tive duty in the Armed Forces. 
(5) MEDICAL CARE.—The term ‘‘medical care’’ 
includes mental health care. 
TITLE I—WOUNDED WARRIOR 
ASSISTANCE 
SEC. 101. IMPROVEMENTS TO MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE 
FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AS-
SIGNED TO HOSPITALS IN AN OUTPATIENT 
STATUS. 
(a) MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE OF MEMBERS AS-
SIGNED TO HOSPITALS IN AN OUTPATIENT STATUS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 55 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 1074k the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 1074l. Management of medical and dental care: 
members assigned to receive care in an 
outpatient status 
‘‘(a) MEDICAL CARE CASE MANAGERS.—(1) A mem-
ber in an outpatient status at a military medical treatment 
facility shall be assigned a medical care case manager. 
‘‘(2)(A) The duties of the medical care case manager 
shall include the following with respect to the member (or 
the member’s immediate family if the member is incapable 
of making judgments about personal medical care): 
‘‘(i) To assist in understanding the member’s 
medical status. 
‘‘(ii) To assist in receiving prescribed medical 
care. 
‘‘(iii) To conduct a review, at least once a week, 
of the member’s medical status. 
‘‘(B) The weekly medical status review described in 
subparagraph (A)(iii) shall be conducted in person with 
the member. If such a review is not practicable, the med-
ical care case manager shall provide a written statement 
to the case manager’s supervisor indicating why an in-per-
son medical status review was not possible. 
‘‘(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
each medical care case manager shall be assigned to man-
age not more than 17 members in an outpatient status. 
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‘‘(B) The Secretary concerned may waive for up to 
120 days the requirement of subparagraph (A) if required 
due to unforeseen circumstances. 
‘‘(4)(A) The medical care case manager office at each 
facility shall be headed by a commissioned officer of appro-
priate rank and appropriate military occupation specialty, 
designator, or specialty code. 
‘‘(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), an appro-
priate military occupation specialty, designator, or spe-
cialty code includes membership in the Army Medical 
Corps, Army Medical Service Corps, Army Nurse Corps, 
Navy Medical Corps, Navy Medical Service Corps, Navy 
Nurse Corps, Air Force Medical Service, or other corps 
comprised of health care professionals at the discretion of 
the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(5) The Secretary of Defense shall establish a stand-
ard training program and curriculum for medical care case 
managers. Successful completion of the training program 
is required before a person may assume the duties of a 
medical care case manager. 
‘‘(6) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that med-
ical care case managers have the resources necessary to 
ensure that they expeditiously carry out the responsibil-
ities and duties of their position. 
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‘‘(b) SERVICE MEMBER ADVOCATE.—(1) A member 
in an outpatient status shall be assigned a service member 
advocate. 
‘‘(2) The duties of the service member advocate shall 
include— 
‘‘(A) communicating with the member and with 
the member’s family or other individuals designated 
by the member; 
‘‘(B) assisting with oversight of the member’s 
welfare and quality of life; and 
‘‘(C) assisting the member in resolving prob-
lems involving financial, administrative, personnel, 
transitional, and other matters. 
‘‘(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
each service member advocate shall be assigned to not 
more than 30 members in an outpatient status. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary concerned may waive for up to 
120 days the requirement of subparagraph (A) if required 
due to unforeseen circumstances. 
‘‘(4) The service member advocate office at each facil-
ity shall be headed by a commissioned officer of appro-
priate rank and appropriate military occupation specialty, 
designator, or specialty code in order to handle service- 
specific personnel and financial issues. 
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‘‘(5) The Secretary of Defense shall establish a stand-
ard training program and curriculum for service member 
advocates. Successful completion of the training program 
is required before a person may assume the duties of a 
service member advocate. 
‘‘(6) A service member advocate shall continue to per-
form the duties described in paragraph (2) with respect 
to a member until the member is returned to duty or sepa-
rated or retired from the armed forces. 
‘‘(7) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that serv-
ice member advocates have the resources necessary to en-
sure that they expeditiously carry out the responsibilities 
and duties of their position. 
‘‘(c) OUTREACH.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
make available to each member in an outpatient status 
at a military medical treatment facility, and to the family 
members of all such members, information on the avail-
ability of services provided by the medical care case man-
agers and service member advocates, including informa-
tion on how to contact such managers and advocates and 
how to use their services. 
‘‘(d) SEMIANNUAL SURVEYS BY SECRETARIES CON-
CERNED.—The Secretary concerned shall conduct a semi-
annual survey of members in an outpatient status at in-
stallations under the Secretary’s supervision. The survey 
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shall include, at a minimum, the members’ assessment of 
the quality of medical care at the facility, the timeliness 
of medical care at the facility, the adequacy of living facili-
ties and other quality of life programs, the adequacy of 
case management support, and the fairness and timeliness 
of the physical disability evaluation system. The survey 
shall be conducted in coordination with installation med-
ical commanders and authorities, and shall be coordinated 
with such commanders and authorities before submission 
to the Secretary. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘member in an outpatient status’ 
means a member of the armed forces assigned to a 
military medical treatment facility as an outpatient 
or to a unit established for the purpose of providing 
command and control of members receiving medical 
care as outpatients. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘disability evaluation system’ 
means the Department of Defense system or process 
for evaluating the nature of and extent of disabilities 
affecting members of the armed forces (other than 
the Coast Guard) and comprised of medical evalua-
tion boards, physical evaluation boards, counseling 
of members, and final disposition by appropriate 
personnel authorities, as operated by the Secretaries 
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of the military departments, and, in the case of the 
Coast Guard, a similar system or process operated 
by the Secretary of Homeland Security.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1074l. Management of medical and dental care: members assigned to receive 
care in an outpatient status.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 1074l of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 
effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 102. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE-WIDE OMBUDSMAN OFFICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a Department of Defense-wide Ombudsman 
Office (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Ombudsman Of-
fice’’) within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 
(b) FUNCTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Om-
budsman Office are to provide policy guidance to, 
and oversight of, the ombudsman offices in the mili-
tary departments. 
(2) POLICY GUIDANCE.—The Ombudsman Of-
fice shall develop policy guidance with respect to the 
following: 
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(A) Providing assistance to and answering 
questions from recovering service members and 
their families regarding— 
(i) administrative processes, financial 
matters, and non-military related services 
available to the members and their families 
throughout the member’s evaluation, treat-
ment, and recovery; 
(ii) transfer to the care of the Vet-
erans Administration; and 
(iii) support services available upon 
the member’s return home. 
(B) Accountability standards, including— 
(i) creating and maintaining case files 
for individual specific questions received, 
and initiating inquiries and tracking re-
sponses for all such questions; 
(ii) setting standards for timeliness of 
responses; and 
(iii) setting standards for account-
ability to recovering service members and 
their families, including requirements for 
daily updates to the members and their 
families about steps being taken to allevi-
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ate problems and concerns until problems 
are addressed. 
(c) STATUS REPORTS.—The ombudsman office in 
each military department shall submit status reports of 
actions taken to address individual concerns to the Om-
budsman Office, at such times as the Ombudsman Office 
considers appropriate. 
(d) RESPONSES FROM OTHER OFFICES.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall ensure that all other offices within 
the Department of Defense and the military departments 
respond in a timely manner to resolve questions and re-
quests from the Ombudsman Office on behalf of recov-
ering service members and their families, including offices 
responsible for medical matters (including medical hold-
over processes), financial and accounting matters, legal 
matters, human resources matters, reserve component 
matters, installation and management matters, and phys-
ical disability matters. 
(e) STAFF OF THE OFFICE.—The staff of the Om-
budsman Office shall include representatives from each 
military department, including persons with experience in 
medical holdover processes and other medical matters. 
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SEC. 103. ESTABLISHMENT OF TOLL-FREE HOT LINE FOR 
REPORTING DEFICIENCIES IN MEDICAL-RE-
LATED SUPPORT FACILITIES AND EXPEDITED 
RESPONSE TO REPORTS OF DEFICIENCIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 80 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 1567. Identification and investigation of defi-
ciencies in adequacy, quality, and state of 
repair of medical-related support facili-
ties 
‘‘(a) TOLL-FREE HOT LINE.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall establish and maintain a toll-free telephone 
number (commonly referred to as a ‘hot line’) at which 
personnel are accessible at all times to collect, maintain, 
and update information regarding possible deficiencies in 
the adequacy, quality, and state of repair of medical-re-
lated support facilities. The Secretary shall widely dissemi-
nate information regarding the existence and availability 
of the toll-free telephone number to members of the armed 
forces and their dependents. 
‘‘(b) CONFIDENTIALITY.—(1) Individuals who seek to 
provide information through use of the toll-free telephone 
number under subsection (a) shall be notified, immediately 
before they provide such information, of their option to 
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elect, at their discretion, to have their identity remain con-
fidential. 
‘‘(2) In the case of information provided through use 
of the toll-free telephone number by an individual who 
elects to maintain the confidentiality of his or her identity, 
any individual who, by necessity, has had access to such 
information for purposes of conducting the investigation 
or executing the response plan required by subsection (c) 
may not disclose the identity of the individual who pro-
vided the information. 
‘‘(c) INVESTIGATION
AND RESPONSE PLAN.—Not 
later than 96 hours after a report of deficiencies in the 
adequacy, quality, or state of repair of a medical-related 
support facility is received by way of the toll-free telephone 
number or other source, the Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that— 
‘‘(1) the deficiencies referred to in the report 
are investigated; and 
‘‘(2) if substantiated, a plan of action for reme-
diation of the deficiencies is developed and imple-
mented. 
‘‘(d) RELOCATION.—If the Secretary of Defense de-
termines, on the basis of the investigation conducted in 
response to a report of deficiencies at a medical-related 
support facility, that conditions at the facility violate 
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health and safety standards, the Secretary shall relocate 
the occupants of the facility while the violations are cor-
rected. 
‘‘(e) MEDICAL-RELATED SUPPORT FACILITY DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘medical-related support 
facility’ means any facility of the Department of Defense 
that provides support to any of the following: 
‘‘(1) Members of the armed forces admitted for 
treatment to a military medical treatment facility. 
‘‘(2) Members of the armed forces assigned to 
a military medical treatment facility as an out-
patient. 
‘‘(3) Family members accompanying any mem-
ber described in paragraph (1) or (2) as a nonmed-
ical attendant.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1567. Identification and investigation of deficiencies in adequacy, quality, and 
state of repair of medical-related support facilities.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The toll-free telephone num-
ber required to be established by section 1567 of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be 
fully operational not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 104. NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS OF HOSPITALIZA-
TION OF COMBAT WOUNDED SERVICE MEM-
BERS. 
(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—Chapter 55 of title 
10, United States Code, is further amended by inserting 
after section 1074l the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1074m. Notification to Congress of hospitalization 
of combat wounded members 
‘‘(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall provide notification of the hospitalization of 
any member of the armed forces evacuated from a theater 
of combat to the appropriate Members of Congress. 
‘‘(b) APPROPRIATE MEMBERS.—In this section, the 
term ‘appropriate Members of Congress’, with respect to 
the member of the armed forces about whom notification 
is being made, means the Senators and the Members of 
the House of Representatives representing the States or 
districts, respectively, that include the member’s home of 
record and, if different, the residence of the next of kin, 
or a different location as provided by the member. 
‘‘(c) CONSENT OF MEMBER REQUIRED.—The notifi-
cation under subsection (a) may be provided only with the 
consent of the member of the armed forces about whom 
notification is to be made. In the case of a member who 
is unable to provide consent, information and consent may 
be provided by next of kin.’’. 
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