GUIDANCE ON EVALUATION OF DEPLOYABILITY, TEMPORARY LIMITED DUTY, AND REFERRAL TO THE DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM (DES) DURING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC

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SUBJ/GUIDANCE ON EVALUATION OF DEPLOYABILITY, TEMPORARY LIMITED DUTY, AND 
REFERRAL TO THE DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM (DES) DURING THE CORONAVIRUS 
(COVID-19) PANDEMIC//

REF/A/MEMO/DASN/23APR20//
REF/B/MEMO/ASD/24MAR20//
REF/C/DOC/DOD/30JUL18//
REF/D/DOC/OPNAV/25SEP18//
REF/E/DOC/DOD/5AUG14//
REF/F/DOC/SECNAV/23SEP19//
REF/G/MEMO/BUMED/8NOV19//
REF/H/DOC/SECNAV/14JUN19//
REF/I/DOC/BUMED/28MAR12//
REF/J/DOC/BUPERS/5NOV04//
REF/K/DOC/BUPERS/11MAY07//
REF/L/DOC/BUPERS/27APR07//
REF/M/DOC/BUPERS/16APR07//
REF/N/DOC/BUPERS/23MAR05//
REF/O/DOC/BUPERS/11MAY07//
REF/P/DOC/BUPERS/14NOV11//
REF/Q/DOC/BUPERS/10NOV09//

NARR/REF A IS DEPUTY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (MANPOWER AND RESERVE 
AFFAIRS) MEMORANDUM.  REF B IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (HEALTH 
AFFAIRS) MEMORANDUM.  REF C IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1332.45, 
RETENTION DETERMINATIONS FOR NON-DEPLOYABLE SERVICE MEMBERS.  REF D IS 
OPNAVINIST 1300.20, DEPLOYABILITY ASSESSMENT AND ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM.  REF E 
IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1332.18, DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM 
(DES).
REF F IS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY MANUAL, DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM MANUAL.  
REF G IS BUREAU OF MEDICINE MEMORANDUM, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE 
DEPLOYABILITY ASSESSMENT AND ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM.
REF H IS SECNAVINST 6120.3A, PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL 
MEDICAL READINESS.  REF I IS BUMEDINST 6110.14, DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING 
INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL READINESS DATA.
REF J IS MILPERSMAN 1306-1200, LIMITED DUTY (LIMDU).  REF K IS MILPERSMAN 
1306-1202, LIMITED DUTY (LIMDU) AVAILABILITY PROCEDURES AND ASSIGNMENT 
POLICY.  REF L IS MILPERSMAN 1306-1204, ACCOUNTABILITY OF PERSONNEL ON 
LIMITED DUTY (LIMDU).  REF M IS MILPERSMAN 1306-1206, LIMITED DUTY (LIMDU) 
FOLLOW-UP CARE.  REF N IS MILPERSMAN 1306-1208, DISPOSITION AND ACCOUNTING OF 
PERSONNEL UPON COMPLETION OF LIMITED DUTY (LIMDU).  REF O IS MILPERSMAN 1306-
1210, NUCLEAR TRAINED AND SUBMARINE PERSONNEL ON LIMITED DUTY (LIMDU).
REF P IS MILPERSMAN 1300-800, TRANSFER OF PERSONNEL TO OPERATIONAL DUTY 
(OPERATIONAL SCREENING).  REF Q IS MILPERSMAN 1300-302, SUITABILITY AND 
SELECTION FOR OVERSEAS SERVICE.//

RMKS/1.  Pursuant to reference (a), this NAVADMIN announces interim policy 
guidance pertaining to deployability evaluation, temporary limited duty and 
Disability Evaluation System (DES) processes.  COVID-19 is challenging the 
progress made over the last year to improve the effectiveness and efficiency 
of the temporary limited duty and DES processes, which resulted in greater 
operational availability of our overall workforce.  This NAVADMIN amplifies 
guidance published in reference (b), which directs limiting medical and 
dental care to only acute and emergent care to optimize medical readiness 
during this COVID-19 pandemic.  We will maintain medical readiness through 
prioritization of medical assessments, delaying or extending assessments 
where able, and using telehealth to the maximum extent possible.  Commands 
and Service Members, with support from Navy medicine, will continue to 
closely track/monitor unit and individual medical readiness.

2.  All Department of the Navy (DON) personnel must continue to aggressively 
tend to their medical readiness in accordance with references (b) and (c).  
Specifically, reference (c) directs anyone non-deployable for greater than 12 
months to undergo a retention determination.  Further, references (c) and (d) 
detail how the Navy will process personnel who are non-deployable, with 
disposition falling into three categories derived from non-deployability
determinations:  (1) temporary limited duty, (2) administrative separation or 
(3) referral to the DES.  Further, references (e) and
(f) detail the DES process and reference (g) details the medical management 
of personnel who are non-deployable.

3.  As defined in reference (a), if care for a Service Members is delayed due 
to medical access limitations, additional periods of temporary limited duty 
may be required.  Medical personnel will continue to employ current 
methodology when making a decision to place Service Members on additional 
periods of limited duty namely do they expect resolution of the medical 
condition or will the Service Member be fully deployable within the next 12 
months of their original placement on temporary limited duty.  If the Service 
Member has a condition that will not likely improve, then referral to the DES 
is appropriate per references (e) and (f).

4.  Referral to the Integrated Disability Evaluation System requires exams 
within both the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (DVA), while the Legacy DES may be completed without DVA input.  In 
line with reference (a), if a Service Member is unable to schedule and 
complete DoD or DVA examinations, the Physical Evaluation Board Liaison 
Officer (PEBLO) may request deferment until such time as the examinations can 
be performed.  This deferment will lengthen the duration a Service Member 
will be in the DES and remain non-deployable.  PEBLOs will ensure that 
existing DES cases with finalized clinical narrative summaries are submitted 
to the Physical Evaluation Board without delay.

5.  The retention waiver process for Service Members who are non- deployable 
for greater than 12 months will continue as normal - the Navy Personnel 
Command Deployability Assessment and Assignment Branch (PERS-454) evaluates 
each case and forwards a recommendation to the Deputy Chief of Naval 
Personnel for final adjudication.  Inability to complete a course of 
treatment while under limited duty because of COVID-19 will be considered 
during the retention determination process.

6.  In line with reference (g), the Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 
will prioritize medical readiness requirements to maximize operational 
effectiveness, including separation history and physical exams (SHPE).  
Telehealth should be used to the maximum extent possible to meet these 
enduring requirements.  The due dates defined in references (h) and (i) for 
the annual Periodic Health Assessments (PHA) and annual dental examinations 
are extended by an additional 120 days for all Service Members.  Every effort 
should be made to complete PHAs and dental exams due within 90 days of 
deployment.  Pre-deployment and initial training vaccinations will continue, 
excluding Smallpox.  All routine readiness immunizations and laboratory tests 
will be deferred with the exception of seasonal influenza.

7.  References (j) through (q) provide specific details regarding limited 
duty, operational and overseas screening.  As noted previously, each 
requirement is ongoing and BUMED continues to perform these vital functions.  
Any Service Member found unsuitable for operational or overseas assignment 
undergoes review by PERS-454.  If PERS-454 non-concurs with the reason for 
unsuitability, the cognizant TYCOM/Fleet will be engaged for an additional 
review, which is typically a 15-day process.  PERS-454 may override 
unsuitability determinations or direct other actions as specified in 
reference (d).  When a Service Member is found unsuitable for an overseas 
assignment, PERS-454 works with BUMED and the gaining Medical Treatment 
Facility to validate the concern, if medically- related, for unsuitability 
and then works with detailers to amend the assignment or direct further 
actions per reference (d).

8.  Service Member or family movements to facilitate care, DES appointments, 
pregnancy availabilities, expedited and safety transfers and Exceptional 
Family Member Program needs will continue to be evaluated on a case-by-case 
basis, however, PERS-454 may recommend delay in movement due to COVID-19 
influenced risk.

9.  These temporary measures will enable us to focus our medical efforts on 
fighting COVID-19 while keeping all other processes as on track as possible 
to continue to maximize our warfighting readiness.

10.  For questions concerning these policy changes, please contact
PERS-454 at (901) 874-4210 or the MyNavy Career Center at (833) 330-
6622 and or via e-mail at askmncc(at)navy.mil.

11.  Released by VADM John B. Nowell, Jr, N1.//

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