Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces

1. Committee’s Official Designation: The Committee shall be known as the Department of Defense (DoD) Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces (hereinafter referred to as "the Task Force").

2. Authority: The Secretary of Defense, under the provisions of section 724 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84), the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), and 41 C.F.R. § 102-3.50(a) (required by statute), established the Task Force.

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities: The Task Force shall assess the effectiveness of the policies and programs developed and implemented by the DoD, and by each of the Military Departments, to assist and support the care, management, and transition of recovering wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces; and make recommendations for the continuous improvements of such policies and programs, as set out in paragraph four below.

4. Description of Duties: Pursuant to section 724(c) of Public Law 111-84, the Task Force shall, no later than 12 months after the date on which all Task Force members have been appointed and each year thereafter for the life of the Task Force, submit an annual report to the Secretary of Defense on the activities of the Task Force and on the activities of the DoD, to include the Military Departments, to assist and support the care, management, and transition of recovering wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces.

At a minimum, the Task Force’s report shall include the following:

a. The Task Force’s findings and conclusions as a result of its assessment of the effectiveness of developed and implemented DoD policies and programs, to include those of the Military Departments, to assist and support the care, management and transition of recovering, wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces.

b. A description of best practices and various ways in which the DoD, to include the Military Departments, could more effectively address matters relating to the care, management, and transition of recovering wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces, including members of both the Regular and the Reserve Components, and support for their families.

c. A plan listing and describing the Task Force’s activities for the upcoming year covered by its annual report.

d. Such recommendations for other legislative or administrative action as the Task Force considers appropriate for measures to improve DoD-wide policies and programs in (a) above.

The Task Force, for the purpose of its reports, shall fully comply with sections 724(c)(2) and (3) of Public Law 111-84 in all matters dealing with the report’s methodology and matters to be reviewed and assessed.

No later than 90 days after receiving the Task Force’s annual report, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives the report and the Secretary’s evaluation of the report.

No later than 180 days after receiving the Task Force’s annual report, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Military Departments, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a plan to implement the recommendations of the Task Force’s annual report.

5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports: Pursuant to section 724(c) of Public Law 111- 84, the Task Force reports its independent findings, advice, and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense.

Pursuant to section 724(a)(3) of Public Law 111-84, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Task Force’s work is independent of the Senior Oversight Committee, as defined by section 726(c) of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417).

6. Support: The DoD, through the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) (USD(P&R)), shall oversee the Task Force. The Director of Administration and Management, through the Washington Headquarters Services, shall provide support as deemed necessary for the performance of the Task Force’s functions, and the USD(P&R) shall ensure compliance with the requirements of FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. § 552b) (hereinafter referred to as "the Government in the Sunshine Act"), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD policies/procedures.

Any Task Force visit to a military installation or facility shall be undertaken through the Principal Deputy USD(P&R), in coordination with the appropriate Military Department Secretary.

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The estimated annual operating cost, to include travel, meetings, and contract support, is approximately $2,600,000.00. The estimated annual personnel cost to the DoD is 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE).

8. Designated Federal Officer (DFO): The Task Force’s DFO, pursuant to DoD policy, shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee, and shall be appointed in accordance with established DoD policies/procedures.

In addition, the Task Force’s DFO is required to be in attendance at all Task Force and Subcommittee meetings for the entire duration of each and every meeting. However, in the absence of the Task Force’s DFO, a properly approved Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Task Force according to DoD policies/procedures, shall attend the entire duration of the Task Force or Subcommittee meeting.

The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, shall call all of the Task Force’s and Subcommittee’s meetings; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; adjourn any meeting when the DFO, or Alternate DFO, determines adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing regulations or DoD policies/procedures; and chair meetings when directed to do so by the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness).

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The Task Force shall meet at the call of the Task Force’s DFO, in consultation with the Task Force’s co-chairs. The estimated number of Task Force meetings is five per year.

10. Duration: Pursuant to 724(f) of Public Law 111-84, this advisory function, unless extended by Act of Congress, shall be for five years from the date of enactment of section 724 of Public Law 111-84; however, this charter is subject to renewal every two years.

 

11. Termination: Unless otherwise extended by Act of Congress, the Task Force, pursuant to section 724(f) of Public Law 111-84, terminates on October 27, 2014.

12. Membership and Designation: The Task Force, pursuant to section 724(b) of Public Law 111-84, shall be comprised of not more than 14 members appointed by the Secretary of Defense with annual renewals.

Pursuant to section 724(b)(2) of Public Law 111-84, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint the following:

a. At least one member of each of the Regular Components of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Marine Corps.

b. One member of the National Guard.

c. One member of the Reserve Component of the Armed Forces other than the National Guard.

d. A number of persons from outside the DoD equal to the total number of personnel from within the DoD (whether members of the Armed Forces or civilian personnel) who are appointed to the Task Force.

Pursuant to sections 724(b)(2) through (4) of Public Law 111-84, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint persons meeting the following requirements:

a. At least one individual appointed to the Task Force from within the DoD shall be the Surgeon General of an Armed Force.

b. At least one family member of a wounded, ill, or injured member of the Armed Forces or veteran who has experience working with wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces or their families.

c. The individuals appointed to the Task Force from outside the DoD:

i. With the concurrence of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall include an officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

ii. May include individuals from other departments or agencies of the Federal Government, from State and local agencies, or from the private sector.

d. Persons appointed to the Task Force shall have experience in:

i. Medical care and coordination for wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces.

ii. Medical case management.

iii. Non-medical case management.

iv. The disability evaluation process for members of the Armed Forces.

v. Veterans’ benefits.

vi. Treatment of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

vii. Family support.

viii. Medical research.

ix. Vocational rehabilitation.

x. Disability benefits.

There shall be two co-chairs of the Task Force. One of the co-chairs shall be designated by the Secretary of Defense at the time of appointment from among the individuals appointed to the Task Force from within the DoD. The other co-chair shall be selected from among the individuals appointed from outside the DoD by those individuals.

Pursuant to section 724(e)(1) of Public Law 111-84, Task Force members who are members of the Armed Forces or civilian officers or employees of the United States shall serve on the Task Force 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).

Under the provisions of section 724(e)(1) of Public Law 111-84, Task Force members, who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees, shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 3161 and shall serve as special Government employees, authorized to receive compensation.

The members shall also receive travel and per diem when traveling on official Task Force business.

Each Task Force member, based upon his or her individual and professional experience, provides his or her best judgment on the matters before the Task Force, and he or she does so without representing any particular point of view in a manner that is free from conflict of interest.

13. Subcommittees: The Department, when necessary and consistent with the Task Force’s mission and DoD policies/procedures, may establish Subcommittees to support the Task Force. Establishment of Subcommittees will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness).

Such Subcommittees or working groups shall not work independently of the chartered Task Force, and shall report all their recommendations and advice solely to the Task Force for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, task forces, or working groups have no authority to make decisions and recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the chartered Task Force; nor can any Subcommittee or its members update or report, verbally, directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.

All Subcommittee members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense according to governing DoD policies/procedures, even if the member in question is already a Task Force member. Such individuals shall be appointed to serve as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. § 3109, and shall serve as special government employees. Subcommittee members, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, may serve a term of service on the Subcommittee of one-to-four years; however, no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms of service unless otherwise authorized by the Secretary of Defense. All Subcommittee appointments must be renewed on an

annual basis. With the exception of travel and per diem, Subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.

Each Subcommittee member is appointed to provide advice on behalf of the government on the basis of his or her best judgment without representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest.

All Subcommittees, task forces, and working groups shall operate under the provisions of FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and governing DoD policies/procedures.

14. Recordkeeping: The records of the Task Force and its Subcommittees shall be handled according to section 2, General Records Schedule 26, and governing DoD policies/procedures. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 (5 U.S.C. § 552, as amended).

15. Filing Date: November 20, 2012