4986 was subsequently passed by the Senate and signed by the President on January 28, 2008, becoming P.L. 110-181 , the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Within Division A, Titles XVI ("Wounded Warrior Matters") and XVII ("Veterans Matters") address matters related to the care and treatment of injured or ill servicemembers. These individuals are widely referred to as "wounded warriors." Provisions in the act reflect congressional concern about the quality and availability of medical, mental health, and dental care services for servicemembers returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the difficulties that some of these individuals have experienced in their transition from military service to veteran status. The provisions vary in scope. Some of them alter specific aspects of existing services or benefits programs in either the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Others call for comprehensive and long-term assessment and/or redesign of programs or systems in one or both of the departments. This report does not attempt to analyze each of the provisions in the act, but provides brief outlines of the matters addressed. In addition, each report shall include current information on the status of the implementation of modifications to disability evaluation processes of the DOD in response to recommendations in the reports listed in the previous paragraph.
This report summarizes provisions in Division A, Titles XVI and XVII, of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, P.L. 110-181, signed by the President on January 28, 2008. Titles XVI and XVII address matters related to the care and treatment of servicemembers and former servicemembers (i.e., veterans) who were wounded, or who contracted an illness, while serving on active duty. These individuals are widely referred to as "wounded warriors."
Provisions in the act reflect congressional concern about the quality and availability of medical, mental health, and dental care services for servicemembers returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the difficulties that some of these individuals have experienced in their transition from military service to veteran status. The provisions vary in scope. Some of them alter specific aspects of existing services or benefits programs in either the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Others call for comprehensive and long-term redesign of programs or systems in one or both of the departments. Congress and others have determined that certain programs and systems that involve both departments are particularly problematic in providing continuity and quality of care and services to wounded warriors. Among the problems addressed in the act are the efficient maintenance and transfer of servicemembers' health and benefits records between the departments, and the separate evaluations of disability by each department. Efforts to address these and other transition problems were already underway in both departments, partly in response to the recommendations of several DOD and independent commissions and task forces. The act codifies various mandates for these activities, including deadlines.
This report does not attempt to analyze provisions in the act, but provides brief outlines of the matters addressed. This report will not be updated.