DoD Works to Ensure Health Assessments Are Administered Post Deployment

The Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) is a tool using the DD Form 2900, designed to identify service member health concerns which may have either been unresolved from the deployment or emerged during the post-deployment period.

The PDHRA is to be offered to all active duty service members, Reservists and National Guardsmen within a three- to six-month time period after returning from overseas deployments greater than 30 days in length and where there are no fixed medical treatment facilities. The basic purpose is to enable health providers, in partnership with service members, to identify post-deployment medical issues in service members and make recommendations for treatment.

Department of Defense (DoD) policy requires that completed PDHRA forms be kept electronically in a central repository administered by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC). Data extrapolated from these forms also assists the Military Health System in detecting patterns of medical issues affecting American forces post-deployment.

Last year, the Senate Armed Services Committee directed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate reports that completed PDHRA forms were not making their way into the central repository for a variety of reasons. Without these reports, DoD would find it difficult to accurately track and respond to long-term medical concerns of American military forces.

During the course of its investigation, GAO found that the DoD central repository did not have reports for approximately 23 percent of service members whom the GAO expected to complete the PDHRA in the post-deployment period. DoD found this number to be wholly unacceptable, and concurred with GAO recommendations that every effort be made to ensure service members who are required to complete the PDHRA do so, and that these reports are electronically submitted to the central repository.

Without waiting for the final GAO report, DoD began the process of rectifying these issues by taking the following steps:

DoD is currently working with the armed services to determine that eligible service members are correctly identified (for example, sailors who remained shipboard during their deployment were incorrectly expected to have completed the PDHRA), why eligible individuals within that service either did not complete the PDHRA or why it is not in the central repository. Once this initiative is complete, DoD will take corrective action and conduct a follow-up review to ensure accountability.

The armed services are working with AFHSC to develop a process by which automated confirmation will be obtained when PDHRAs are added to the central repository. The Navy already has such a system in place, covering their personnel as well as United States Marines.

All services have issued policies to ensure frequent deployers receive the PDHRA annually.

The Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness issued a memorandum to the armed service surgeons general re-emphasizing the need for the PDHRA to be offered to all who are eligible.

In addition, the Reserve Health Readiness Program has taken steps to improve its documentation of problem identification and resolution regarding the PDHRA processes, thereby solidifying program improvements.

In short, DoD is taking the steps necessary to ensure service members receive the care they have earned and deserve. We appreciate and welcome outside scrutiny because we will accept nothing less than the best for members of the United States Armed Forces.