Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 1332.18
August 5, 2014
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Disability Evaluation System (DES)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This instruction:
a. Reissues DoD Directive (DoDD) 1332.18 (Reference (a)) as a DoD instruction (DoDI) in
accordance with the authority in DoDD 5124.02 (Reference (b)).
b. Establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for referral,
evaluation, return to duty, separation, or retirement of Service members for disability in
accordance with Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.) (Reference (c)); and related
determinations pursuant to sections 3501, 6303, 8332, and 8411 of Title 5, U.S.C. (Reference
(d)); section 104 of Title 26, U.S.C. (Reference (e)); and section 2082 of Title 50, U.S.C.
(Reference (f)).
c. Incorporates and cancels DoDI 1332.38 (Reference (g)) and the Under Secretary of
Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) Memorandums (References (h) through (o)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction applies to the OSD, the Military Departments, the Office
of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. The DES will be the mechanism for determining return to duty, separation, or retirement
of Service members because of disability in accordance with Reference (c).
b. Service members will proceed through one of three DES processes: the Legacy Disability
Evaluation System (LDES), the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES), or the
Expedited Disability Evaluation System (EDES). DoD’s objective in all DES processes is to
collaborate with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure continuity of care, timely
