Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights Act of 2023

S 1598, the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights Act of 2023, clarifies that military department secretaries - not the Defense Health Agency - hold final authority over medical separation decisions for service members in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). It requires military commanders to provide a full due process hearing within 90 days if a service member requests one during their IDES evaluation. The bill mandates that commanders maintain control over the process from start to finish, including pausing or withdrawing a member if procedures aren’t followed. This directly affects service members undergoing medical evaluation for potential separation due to injury or illness. The law also requires the Secretary of Defense to report on implementation to Congress by February 1, 2024.