What does DES stand for?

The Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot began in November 2007 and is expanding to an additional six military installations, bringing the total number to 27 military facilities where a single physical examination serves as the basis for determining whether military personnel are fit enough to stay on active duty and to determine their eligibility for VA disability compensation.

The experimental Disability Evaluation System (DES) is about to significantly grow.

The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are also expanding a pilot program to streamline the Disability Evaluation System into a single process with one disability rating.

Patrick Dunne, the VA's assistant secretary for policy and planning, told the hearing that the pilot program to set up a unified disability evaluation system should be completed by the second quarter of 2008.

Patrick Dunne, the VA's assistant secretary for policy and planning, told the hearing that the pilot program to set up a unified disability evaluation system should be completed by the second quarter of 2008.

In support of the Military Health System's mission to provide optimal health services to the nation's military service members, EDS will provide applications development to the Disability Evaluation System as well as the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, the military's electronic health record.

The Disability Evaluation System includes one medical examination and one rating process to determine the extent of a disability and amount of benefits.

The unfortunate truth is that most of those servicemembers have no representation in the military disability evaluation system and are likely unaware of the benefits they are being denied by this disgraceful Pentagon policy directive.