`(a) Information on Available Compensation and Benefits- Not later than October 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and maintain, in a handbook and on a publically-available Internet website, a comprehensive description of the compensation and other benefits to which a member of the Armed Forces, and the family of such member, would be entitled upon the separation or retirement of the member from the Armed Forces as a result of a serious injury or illness.
`(b) Contents- The handbook and Internet website shall include the following:
`(1) The range of compensation and benefits based on grade, length of service, degree of disability at separation or retirement, and other factors affecting compensation and benefits as the Secretary considers appropriate.
`(2) Information concerning the Disability Evaluation System of each military department, including--
`(A) an explanation of the process of the Disability Evaluation System;
`(B) a general timeline of the process of the Disability Evaluation System;
`(C) the role and responsibilities of the military department throughout the process of the Disability Evaluation System; and
`(D) the role and responsibilities of a member of the Armed Forces throughout the process of the Disability Evaluation System.
`(3) Benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs that a member of the Armed Forces would be entitled upon the separation or retirement from the Armed Forces as a result of a serious injury or illness.
`(4) The 20 most common serious injuries or illnesses that result in a member of the Armed Forces separating or retiring from the Armed Forces, and the benefits associated with each injury or illness.
`(5) A list of State veterans service organizations and nonprofit veterans service organizations, and their contact information and Internet website addresses.
`(c) Consultation- The Secretary of Defense shall develop and maintain the comprehensive description required by subsection (a) in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Commissioner of Social Security.
`(d) Update- The Secretary of Defense shall update the comprehensive description required by subsection (a) on a periodic basis, but not less often than annually.
`(e) Provision to Members- The Secretary of the military department concerned shall provide the handbook to each member of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of that Secretary as soon as practicable following an injury or illness for which the member may retire or separate from the Armed Forces.
`(f) Provision to Representatives- If a member is incapacitated or otherwise unable to receive the handbook, the handbook shall be provided to the next of kin or a legal representative of the member, as determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the military department concerned for purposes of this section.'.
U.S. Congress - Text of H.R.5831 as Introduced in House Separating Servicemember Handbook Development Act
