DoDI 6490.03 - Deployment Health

Scope

DoDI 6490.03 establishes DoD policy for deployment health. The instruction prescribes pre-deployment and post-deployment health assessment requirements for Service members deploying in support of military operations. It governs the Pre-Deployment Health Assessment (PreDHA), the Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA), and the Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA). The instruction assigns responsibilities to commanders, Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs), and Service members for completing, documenting, and tracking deployment health assessments.

Audience

Commanders certifying unit deployment health readiness. Medical officers and corpsmen executing health assessments. S-1 admin specialists tracking deployment health assessment completion rates in medical readiness reporting. Unit Medical Officers and Independent Duty Corpsmen coordinating pre- and post-deployment assessments. HQMC M&RA readiness reporting staff.

Key Provisions

• Pre-Deployment Health Assessment (PreDHA). Completed within 60 days before deployment. Screens for medical, dental, and mental health conditions that affect deployability. Identifies Service members requiring treatment or medical waiver before deployment.
• Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA). Completed within 30 days after redeployment. Screens for health conditions, exposures, and mental health concerns arising during deployment. The PDHA is the primary tool for identifying post-deployment health needs.
• Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA). Completed 90 to 180 days after redeployment. Second-stage screen for health conditions that may not have been apparent at the PDHA, including delayed-onset PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other deployment-related conditions.
• Mental health screening. All three assessments include behavioral health screens. Positive screens route to behavioral health evaluation.
• DD Form 2795 (PreDHA), DD Form 2796 (PDHA), and DD Form 2900 (PDHRA) are the standard assessment instruments.
• Deployment health tracking. Medical readiness data feeds into the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) and the unit medical readiness report.

Connection to Marine Corps Policy

• MCO 6320.3B Marine Corps Limited Duty Program. Medical readiness conditions arising from deployment health assessments feed into LIMDU processing.
• MCO 1900.16 Separation and Retirement Manual (MARCORSEPMAN). Deployment health findings bearing on disability and separation.
• DoDI 1332.18 Disability Evaluation System. Deployment health conditions warranting DES referral.

Status

Active. Effective 11 August 2006, incorporating Change 1. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness sponsors. Distribution Statement A.