H. R. 1815—214
(B) The individuals appointed to the task force from outside 
the Department of Defense shall include—
(i) an officer or employee of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and 
(ii) an officer or employee of the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services. 
(5) DEADLINE
FOR
APPOINTMENT.—All appointments of 
individuals to the task force shall be made not later than 
90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(6) CO-CHAIRS
OF
TASK
FORCE.—There shall be two co-
chairs of the task force. One of the co-chairs shall be designated 
by the Secretary of the Defense at the time of appointment 
from among the Department of Defense personnel appointed 
to the task force. The other co-chair shall be selected from 
among the members appointed from outside the Department 
of Defense by members so appointed. 
(c) ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH 
SERVICES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after the date 
on which all members of the task force have been appointed, 
the task force shall submit to the Secretary a report containing 
an assessment of, and recommendations for improving, the 
efficacy of mental health services provided to members of the 
Armed Forces by the Department of Defense. 
(2) UTILIZATION
OF
OTHER
EFFORTS.—In preparing the 
report, the task force shall take into consideration completed 
and ongoing efforts by the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the efficacy of 
mental health care provided to members of the Armed Forces 
by the Departments. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The assessment and recommendations 
(including recommendations for legislative or administrative 
action) shall include measures to improve the following: 
(A) The awareness of the potential for mental health 
conditions among members of the Armed Forces. 
(B) The access to and efficacy of existing programs 
in primary care and mental health care to prevent, identify, 
and treat mental health conditions among members of the 
Armed Forces, including programs for and with respect 
to forward-deployed troops. 
(C) Identification and means to evaluate the effective-
ness of pilot projects authorized by section 722 with the 
objective of improving early diagnosis and treatment of 
post traumatic stress disorder and other mental health 
conditions. 
(D) The access to and programs for family members 
of members of the Armed Forces, including family members 
overseas. 
(E) The reduction or elimination of barriers to care, 
including the stigma associated with seeking help for 
mental health related conditions, and the enhancement 
of confidentiality for members of the Armed Forces seeking 
care for such conditions. 
(F) The awareness of mental health services available 
to dependents of members of the Armed Forces whose
H. R. 1815—215
sponsors have been activated or deployed to a combat the-
ater. 
(G) The adequacy of outreach, education, and support 
programs on mental health matters for families of members 
of the Armed Forces. 
(H) The early identification and treatment of mental 
health and substance abuse problems through the use of 
internal mass media communications (including radio and 
television) and other education tools to change attitudes 
within the Armed Forces regarding mental health and sub-
stance abuse treatment. 
(I) The efficacy of programs and mechanisms for 
ensuring a seamless transition from care of members of 
the Armed Forces on active duty for mental health condi-
tions through the Department of Defense to care for such 
conditions through the Department of Veterans Affairs 
after such members are discharged or released from mili-
tary, naval, or air service. 
(J) The availability of long-term follow-up and access 
to care for mental health conditions for members of the 
Individual Ready Reserve and the Selective Reserve and 
for discharged, separated, or retired members of the Armed 
Forces. 
(K) Collaboration among organizations in the Depart-
ment of Defense with responsibility for or jurisdiction over 
the provision of mental health services. 
(L) Coordination between the Department of Defense 
and civilian communities, including local support organiza-
tions, with respect to mental health services. 
(M) The scope and efficacy of curricula and training 
on mental health matters for commanders in the Armed 
Forces. 
(N) The efficiency of pre- and post-deployment mental 
health screening, including mental health screenings for 
members of the Armed Forces who have experienced mul-
tiple deployments. 
(O) The effectiveness of mental health programs pro-
vided in languages other than English. 
(P) Such other matters as the task force considers 
appropriate. 
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.—
(1) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the task force who 
is a member of the Armed Forces or a civilian officer or 
employee of the United States shall serve without compensation 
(other than compensation to which entitled as a member of 
the Armed Forces or an officer or employee of the United 
States, as the case may be). Other members of the task force 
shall be treated for purposes of section 3161 of title 5, United 
States Code, as having been appointed under subsection (b) 
of such section. 
(2) OVERSIGHT.—The Under Secretary of Defense for Per-
sonnel and Readiness shall oversee the activities of the task 
force. 
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT.—The Washington Head-
quarters Services of the Department of Defense shall provide
H. R. 1815—216
the task force with personnel, facilities, and other administra-
tive support as necessary for the performance of the duties 
of the task force. 
(4) ACCESS TO FACILITIES.—The Under Secretary of Defense 
for Personnel and Readiness shall, in coordination with the 
Secretaries of the military departments, ensure appropriate 
access by the task force to military installations and facilities 
for purposes of the discharge of the duties of the task force. 
(e) REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The task force shall submit to the Sec-
retary of Defense a report on its activities under this section. 
The report shall include—
(A) a description of the activities of the task force; 
(B) the assessment and recommendations required by 
subsection (c); and 
(C) such other matters relating to the activities of 
the task force that the task force considers appropriate. 
(2) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 90 days 
after receipt of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall transmit the report to the Committees on Armed Services 
and Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Represent-
atives. The Secretary may include in the transmittal such com-
ments on the report as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(f) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 6 months after receipt 
of the report from the task force under subsection (e)(1), the Sec-
retary of Defense shall develop a plan based on the recommenda-
tions of the task force and submit the plan to the congressional 
defense committees. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The task force shall terminate 90 days after 
the date on which the report of the task force is submitted to 
Congress under subsection (e)(2). 
Subtitle D—Studies and Reports 
SEC. 
731. 
STUDY 
RELATING 
TO 
PREDEPLOYMENT 
AND 
POSTDEPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAMS OF CERTAIN MEM-
BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study 
of the effectiveness of self-administered surveys included in 
predeployment and postdeployment medical exams, including the 
mental health portion of the surveys, of members of the Armed 
Forces that are carried out as part of the medical tracking system 
required under section 1074f of title 10, United States Code. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees 
on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
a report on the study conducted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 732. REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS AND MED-
ICAL AND DENTAL READINESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE 
SELECTED RESERVE NOT ON ACTIVE DUTY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 10206 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended—
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) have a comprehensive medical readiness health and 
dental assessment on an annual basis, including routine annual
H. R. 1815—217
preventive health care screening and periodic comprehensive 
physical examinations in accordance with regulations pre-
scribed by the Secretary of Defense that reflect morbidity and 
mortality risks associated with the military service, age, and 
gender of the member; and’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘annually to the Secretary 
concerned’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘to the Secretary 
concerned on an annual basis documentation of the medical 
and dental readiness of the member to perform military 
duties.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The heading of such section 
is amended by striking ‘‘periodic’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the begin-
ning of chapter 1007 of such title is amended in the item relating 
to section 10206 by striking ‘‘periodic’’. 
SEC. 733. REPORT ON DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE BENEFITS 
THROUGH THE MILITARY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than February 1, 2007, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report on the delivery of health care benefits through 
the military health care system. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a) shall include 
the following: 
(1) An analysis of the organization and costs of delivering 
health care benefits to current and retired members of the 
Armed Forces and their families. 
(2) An analysis of the costs of ensuring medical readiness 
throughout the Armed Forces in support of national security 
objectives. 
(3) An assessment of the role of health benefits in the 
recruitment and retention of members of the Armed Forces, 
whether in the regular components or the reserve components 
of the Armed Forces. 
(4) An assessment of the experience of the military depart-
ments during fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005 in recruitment 
and retention of military and civilian medical and dental per-
sonnel, whether in the regular components or the reserve 
components of the Armed Forces, in light of military and 
civilian medical manpower requirements. 
(5) A description of requirements for graduate medical edu-
cation for military medical care providers and options for 
meeting such requirements, including civilian medical training 
programs. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—In addition to the matters specified 
in subsection (b), the report under subsection (a) shall also include 
such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as 
the Secretary considers necessary to improve efficiency and quality 
in the provision of health care benefits through the military health 
care system, including recommendations on—
(1) the organization and delivery of health care benefits; 
(2) mechanisms required to measure costs more accurately; 
(3) mechanisms required to measure quality of care, and 
access to care, more accurately; 
(4) Department of Defense participation in the Medicare 
Advantage Program, formerly Medicare plus Choice;