Disability DOD Instruction and Memorandums

The following Department of Defense Instruction and memorandums offer guidance for service providers when working with members of the military facing service-related disabilities.

DOD Instruction 1332.18, “Disability Evaluation System,” November 10, 2022 establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for referral, evaluation, return to duty, separation or retirement of service members for disability in accordance with Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.).

Expedited DES Process for Members with Catastrophic Conditions and Combat-Related Causes, January 6, 2009 This memorandum establishes policy that allows the Secretary involved in an evaluation to expedite a member through the Disability Evaluation System (DES). The expedited DES process is a special benefit to those Service members who sustain catastrophic injuries or illnesses from combat or combat-related operations as defined in this policy. The establishment of this policy supports the department’s belief that there must be a special process for those members who sustain catastrophic disabilities while participating in combat or combat-related operations, in contrast with those otherwise disabled. It is a voluntary program.

VA-DOW MOA: Expansion of the DOW/VA Integrated Pilot Disability Evaluation System (IPDES) Providing a Single Evaluation/Transition Medical Examination and Single Source Disability Rating, January 16, 2009 This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) supersedes a previous MOA, dated November 6, 2007, “Implementation of a Single Disability Evaluation of Transition Medical Examination to be used in the DOW Disability Evaluation System and in VA Disability Compensation and Pension Determinations, in a pilot program in the National Capital Region (NCR).”

VA-DOW MOA: Processing Payment for Disability Compensation and Pension Examinations in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, June 16, 2010 This Memorandum of Agreement establishes expected roles, procedures, and outcomes for VA and DOW regarding the processing of Compensation and Pension disability examination requests. It also addresses the reimbursement procedures for these examinations.