Sec. 523. Advisory committee on record and service review boards
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Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a Department of Defense Advisory Committee to be known as the Defense Advisory Committee on Record and Upgrade Review Boards (in this section referred to as the Advisory Committee ). The Advisory Committee shall consist of not more than 15 members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, eight of whom shall be civilian practitioners or representatives of organizations that have experience assisting members of the Armed Forces and veterans with cases before service review boards (as that term is defined in section 1555 of title 10, United States Code).
A member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty may not serve as a member of the Advisory Committee. At least 35 percent of members of the staff of the Advisory Committee shall have experience described in subsection (b)(1). The director and assistant director of the Advisory Committee may not both be members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty. Not more than 65 percent of the staff of the Advisory Committee may be comprised of members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty.
The Advisory Committee shall advise the Secretary of Defense on the best structure, practices, and procedures to ensure consistency of boards for the correction of military records and service review boards in carrying out their responsibilities under chapter 79 of title 10, United States Code, and in granting relief to claimants under that chapter. Not later than one year after the date of the establishment of the Advisory Committee and annually thereafter for the three subsequent years, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees a report containing observations and recommendations regarding issues of board operations and efficacy, including— granting relief at adequate rates; adhering to the intent of Congress, including regarding liberal consideration; standards for evidence, training experience and qualifications of board members; efficacy of efforts to ensure consistency across boards; case management and record keeping systems, including electronic access to board precedents; ease of personal appearances by claimants; expert review of medical and psychiatric cases; and related potential structural changes or alternative board models.
The Advisory Committee shall terminate on the date that is four years after the date of establishment under subsection (a). The Advisory Committee shall have all normal authorities granted to advisory committees, including the ability for staff to request documents from the Department of Defense, hold public hearings, and travel in furtherance of the board mandate. The board shall also be permitted, with assistance from personnel of the Department of Defense, to administer surveys and conduct field experiments to assess the viability of different policy options considered in the course of the activities of the Advisory Committee.