Navy Overseas Duty Screening Requirements

• Overseas suitability screening determines whether service members are suitable for overseas duty. navy ship image by Alexander Ivanov from Fotolia.com

  The function of an Overseas Suitability Screening (OSS) is to gauge the educational, medical and potential duty-limiting circumstances of service members and their families. On the basis of available education options and medical care, select overseas tours may not be in the best interest of either the service member or that of his family. Overseas Suitability Screening must be finalized within 30 days of orders having been issued. Such screening must be applied to each family member that accompanies the service member.

Screening Process

• Each service member and each of her family members must be screened within 30 days of the service member taking receipt of his or her transfer orders. Each person to be screened must report to the screening coordinator of the installation's medical treatment facility. A command review must be conducted to determine both individual and family characteristics, physical fitness and financial stability. This review must also include discipline and performance criteria and any alcohol or drug usage issues. After testing, the commanding officer from the command at which the service member is currently stationed determines and documents suitability based on the outcome of the command review. The commanding officer takes the educational and medical recommendations into consideration when making these decisions. Recommendations that the service member is fit for continued naval service are provided by the Physical Evaluation Board. The commanding officer from the command to which the service member is to be transferred reports any noncompliance issues using a Suitability Screening Deficiency Report.

Responsibilities of BUMED

• The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) in Washington, D.C. has the responsibility for prescribing procedures for medical and educational suitability screening. The Bureau is also responsible for ensuring the execution of the screening procedures. In the case of any educational or medical deficiencies, the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery must determine the cause and put corrective measures in place regarding these deficiencies. The Navy Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) and Dental Treatment Facilities (DTF) conduct the screening as prescribed by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and provide recommendations to the commanding officer of the transferring command. The Navy Military Treatment Facilities must also forward any suitability inquiries to their sister facility at the receiving command.

Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) Requirements

• The officer in charge of the Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) must ensure the speedy issue of transfer documentation to both the service member and the command to which the member is to be transferred. This officer also must ensure that screening requirements have been met prior to the transfer taking place.