Two or more civilian or military personnel, including at least one physician and one line officer, who determine the fitness of service members with medical impairments to adequately perform their military duties.

A DOD-only group that evaluates Disability Evaluation System (DES) functions, identifies best practices, addresses inconsistencies in policy, discusses inconsistencies in law, addresses problems and issues in the administration of the DES, and provides a forum to develop and plan improvements.

Targeted reviews of specific issues, conditions, or high-level interest items using constructed cases. A DOD review entity, external to the military departments, will construct the cases and evaluate the medical evaluation board and physical evaluation board performance on the targeted issues within the constructed cases.

Notional disability evaluation system cases based on situational facts extracted from redacted cases, with all personal identifiable information removed. Notional cases focus on targeted issues and include sufficient levels of distracting information to add realistic case evaluation conditions.

A board that is composed of two or more civilian or military physicians working for the DOD. For service members entering the Disability Evaluation System, MEB conducts the medical evaluation on conditions that potentially affect the service member’s fitness for duty. The MEB documents the service member’s condition and history with a narrativ...

A senior medical officer, appointed by the military treatment facility commander, who has detailed knowledge of standards of medical fitness and disposition of patients and disability separation processing, and who is familiar with the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Department of Defense mechanism for determining return to duty, separation, or retirement of service members because of disability in accordance with Chapter 61 of Title 10, U.S. Code.

An evaluation program designed to assess whether an organization performs work in accordance with established policy and procedures.

Reviews conducted by the military departments, using a standardized checklist to evaluate the accuracy of medical evaluation board and physical evaluation board decisions against established DOD evaluation criteria. The military departments will report outcomes of case file reviews in accordance with the DOD’s guidance.

The non-medical case manager who provides information, assistance, and case status updates to the affected service member throughout the Disability Evaluation System process.

Internal military department case file reviews at various points in the disability evaluation process intended to support the accuracy and consistency of medical evaluation board and physical evaluation board decisions and the reduction of the number of board decision errors.

The non-medical case manager who provides information, assistance, and case status updates to the affected Service member throughout the Disability Evaluation System process.

An evaluation of the body and its functioning using inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation and the gathering of information such as ancillary tests as required.

A nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, or physician who has been credentialed by the appropriate DoD or VA facility and granted clinical privileges by the facility credentialing committee.

A medical condition or physical defect of a member that appears to be cause for referral into the Disability Evaluation System in accordance with DoD Instruction 1332.38, “Physical Disability Evaluation,” November 14, 1996, as amended or for a designation as non-deployable for a period longer than 90 days.