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systems of the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, including recommendations
on mechanisms to ensure more effective and higher
quality services in the future for military retirees and
veterans now served by both systems.
(6) Options for means of achieving a more effec-
tive partnership between the health care systems of the
Department of Defense and the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, including options for the expansion of,
and enhancement of access of military retirees and
their dependents to, the health care system of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs.
(c) SOLICITATION OF VIEW.—In preparing the report
required by subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall
seek the views of representatives of military family organi-
zations, military retiree organizations, and organizations
representing veterans and their families.
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees
of Congress’’ means—
(1) the Committees on Armed Services and Vet-
erans Affairs’ of the Senate; and
(2) the Committees on Armed Services and Vet-
erans Affairs’ of the House of Representatives.
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SEC. 724. STUDY AND REPORT ON CIVILIAN AND MILITARY
PARTNERSHIP PROJECT.
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a
study on the feasibility of conducting a military and civil-
ian partnership project to permit employees of the Depart-
ment of Defense and of a non-profit health care entity to
jointly staff and provide health care services to military
personnel and civilians at a Department of Defense mili-
tary treatment facility.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 2006, the
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on
Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed
Services of the House of Representatives a report on the
study required by subsection (a).
Subtitle C—Other Matters
SEC. 731. REPORT ON ADVERSE HEALTH EVENTS ASSOCI-
ATED WITH USE OF ANTI-MALARIAL DRUGS.
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall
conduct a study of adverse health events that may be
associated with use of anti-malarial drugs, including
mefloquine.
(2) PARTICIPATION
OF
CERTAIN
RESEARCH-
ERS.—The Secretary shall ensure the participation in
the study of epidemiological and clinical researchers
of the Federal Government outside the Department of
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Defense, and of epidemiological and clinical research-
ers outside the Federal Government.
(b) MATTERS COVERED.—The study required by sub-
section (a) shall include the following:
(1) A comparison of adverse health events that
may be associated with different anti-malarial drugs,
including mefloquine.
(2) An analysis of the extent to which mefloquine
may be a risk factor contributing to suicides among
members of the Armed Forces.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
the congressional defense committees a report on the study
required by subsection (a).
SEC. 732. PILOT PROJECTS ON EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS.
(a) PILOT PROJECTS REQUIRED.—The Secretary of
Defense shall carry out not less than three pilot projects
to evaluate the efficacy of various approaches to improving
the capability of the military and civilian health care sys-
tems to provide early diagnosis and treatment of Post Trau-
matic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health con-
ditions.
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(b) PILOT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—
(1) MOBILIZATION-DEMOBILIZATION FACILITY.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—One of the pilot projects
under subsection (a) shall be carried out at a
military medical facility at a large military in-
stallation at which the mobilization or demobili-
zation of members of the Armed Forces occurs.
(B) ELEMENTS.—The pilot project under
this paragraph shall be designed to evaluate and
produce effective diagnostic and treatment ap-
proaches for use by primary care providers in
the military health care system in order to im-
prove the capability of such providers to diag-
nose and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
in a manner that avoids the referral of patients
to specialty care by a psychiatrist or other men-
tal health professional.
(2) NATIONAL GUARD OR RESERVE FACILITY.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—One of the pilot projects
under subsection (a) shall be carried out at the
location of a National Guard or Reserve unit or
units that are located more than 40 miles from
a military medical facility and whose personnel
are served primarily by civilian community
health resources.