Mr. Chairman, thank you for inviting me to join you today to discuss how the Department of Defense (DoD) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to increase transitioning servicemember’s participation in the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) and Quick Start Programs.  The Departments continue to work together to address these issues through the auspices of the DoD/VA Benefits Executive Council and the Joint Executive Council.

The Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy's (WWCTP) mission is to ensure Wounded, Ill, Injured & transitioning Warriors receive the highest quality care and seamless transition support.  Some of our Wounded, Ill or Injured servicemembers may be able to return to active duty following their recovery, and may choose to do so, while others may leave military service.  But while in the care of DoD, it is my office’s job to develop policy and provide oversight of several parts of a servicemember’s care, recovery and transition.

As you are aware, one of the most important efforts we made was in response to the recommendations sent forth by the President’s Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors and required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (NDAA 2008) to provide a single point of contact for recovering servicemembers and their families.  In response to the NDAA requirement, we launched the Department of Defense Recovery Coordination Program (RCP).

The RCP places Recovery Care Coordinators (RCC) in each Military Department's Wounded Warrior Program.  The RCCs support eligible Wounded, Ill and Injured servicemembers, including members of the Reserve Component, and their families, by ensuring their non-medical needs are met along the road to recovery. 

My office also has oversight for training the Recovery Care Coordinators.  To improve outreach to those supported by an RCC, I had my staff expand the training curriculum for the DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and its TurboTAP web site.  RCCs are told how to connect wounded, ill and injured servicemembers with the BDD and Quick Start Programs through their supporting TAP office.  BDD or Quick Start can now be added to the members’ comprehensive plan, if applicable.    

Servicemembers leaving the military are informed about BDD and Quick Start during the Pre-separation Counseling phase of the transition process.   There are five components of TAP, namely:

• Pre-separation Counseling–sponsored by DoD and the Military Services
• VA Benefits Briefings–sponsored by VA
• Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP)–sponsored by VA
• Department of  Labor (DOL) TAP Employment Workshops–sponsored by DOL
• One-on-one coaching which occurs following the previously mentioned four components.

Information on BDD and Quick Start is first provided during the pre-separation portion of the transition process.  These programs are addressed again, in greater depth, by VA during the VA sponsored VA Benefits Briefing, and a third time during the VA sponsored DTAP.  Servicemembers meeting the eligibility criteria are given a minimum of three opportunities to learn about these vital programs. 

Other actions the Department has taken in conjunction with our partners at VA to educate and inform servicemembers about the BDD and Quick Start Programs include:  

• Launched the VA Pre-Discharge Web site in June 2009 and linked it to our DoD TurboTAP web site.
• Developed a BDD and Quick Start pamphlet.
• Promoted BDD and Quick Start on servicemember’s Leave and Earnings Statements (September 2009)
• Convened the Joint Interagency Strategic Working Group for the Transition Assistance Program to assess and update the program. 

• One outcome was a recommendation that DoD update its DoD Instruction on Pre-separation Counseling by requiring  counselors to cover the BDD and Quick Start Programs.  This policy modification will help us close any gaps that may exist.      
• Another outcome was to update the Pre-separation Counseling Checklist for Active Component and Transitioning Counseling Checklist for Demobilizing/Deactivating Reserve Component Services members by adding BDD and Quick Start.  Although our emphasis is on counseling and coaching servicemembers, it is equally important that we document that counseling was conducted.  The forms are the tools which allow us to do that. 
• Within two weeks following the Joint Interagency Strategic Working Group meeting, DoD TAP joined the social network community by launching the DoD TAP Facebook.  We are taking advantage of the popularity of social media as another communications resource to promote transition services and benefits to military personnel and families.  One of the first links and resources on our Facebook homepage is to the Pre-Discharge web site.   

So where are we today?  What other steps are we taking that will continue to foster our commitment and support to our deserving warriors?

The Department will soon issue a Memorandum to the Military Departments asking senior leaders and commanders at all levels to strengthen their emphasis on the importance of BDD and Quick Start.  We view this Memorandum as a “call to action” to our commanders to become more engaged with ensuring eligible servicemembers submit their claim for disability compensation through BDD or Quick Start before separating from the military.    

As the Co-Chairs of the Benefits Executive Council (BEC), my distinguished colleague, the former Under Secretary for Benefits, and I wanted to institutionalize and strengthen responsibilities of our Pre-Discharge Working Group, which falls under our purview.  To accomplish this we directed this group to develop a “Pre-Discharge Working Group Charter” for our approval.   I am delighted to report, Mr. Chairman that I recently signed the Charter as the DoD BEC co-chair and sent it to my VA Co-chair counter-part, the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits for his signature.           

But these programs and actions notwithstanding, much remains to be done.  Both DoD and VA are aware that we can improve how we care for our servicemembers and Veterans, be it through further research, continuing to ease access to benefits for those who earned them, and finding more efficient and effective service-delivery systems that will provide better support for our warriors and their families.    

Mr. Chairman, we are reminded daily of our obligation to our servicemembers and their families, and particularly to the Wounded, Ill and Injured, and those who bear the greatest burden of caring for them.  We are committed to providing the support they need to help ensure a successful transition through recovery and rehabilitation and back to active duty or reintegration into their communities.

We appreciate the opportunity to come before you today to discuss a subject which the Secretary of Defense has said repeatedly is a Departmental priority second only to the wars in which we are engaged.  I will be happy to answer your questions.

Thank you.