Cover: Methods and Actions for Improving Performance of the Department of Defense Disability Evaluation System

Methods and Actions for Improving Performance of the Department of Defense Disability Evaluation System

by Cheryl Y. Marcum, Robert M. Emmerichs, Jennifer Sloan McCombs, Harry J. Thie

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The Disability Evaluation System (DES) is a management tool used by the Department of Defense to determine the disposition of a service member who has a medical condition that calls into question the member's ability to perform his or her duties. The DES exists to evaluate service members with such medical conditions, remove those unable to fulfill their duties, and determine a disability rating for those who are removed. This book focuses on four major research tasks related to improving system performance: developing a basis for assessing DES outcomes, identifying issues of variability in DES policy application, conducting a DES training analysis and presenting recommended changes, and developing a method for continuously monitoring DES performance. As part of their findings, the authors constructed a set of desired system outcomes and from that framework suggest comprehensive training and information management interventions to improve overall system performance. The authors also identify groups of primary DES participants and outline the specific bodies of knowledge and skills the participants require to execute disability policy consistently throughout the military departments.

Table of Contents

  • Preface

  • Figures

  • Tables

  • Summary

  • Acknowledgements

    Acknowledgments

  • Acronyms

  • Chapter One

    Introduction

  • Chapter Two

    Background on the Disability Evaluation System

  • Chapter Three

    Disability Evaluation System Overview

  • Chapter Four

    Issues and Interventions for Achieveing Consistent Policy Application

  • Chapter Five

    Disability Evaluation System Training Analysis and Recommended Changes in Training to Improve System Performance

  • Chapter Six

    Monitoring System Performance

  • Chapter Seven

    Costs and Benefits of Training

  • Chapter Eight

    Conclusions

  • Appendix A

    Overview of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense and Organizational Responsibility for the Disability Evaluation System

  • Appendix B

    Military Department Interpretations of the Purpose of the Disability Evaluation System

  • Appendix C

    Disability Evaluation System Issues

  • Appendix D

    Example of Goal Fabric Analysis Development

  • Appendix E

    Relating Actions to Objectives

  • Appendix F

    Comparing the Issues-Driven and Purpose-Driven Analytic Approaches

  • Appendix G

    Disability Evaluation System Training Topics for Primary Participant Populations Across Military Departments

  • Appendix H

    Description of Metrics for Assessing Disability Evaluation System Performance

  • Appendix I

    Cost-Benefit Analysis Data

  • Bibliography

The research described in this report was performed under the auspices of RAND's National Security Research Division.

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