DOD INSTRUCTION 6490.03
D
EPLOYMENT HEALTH
Originating Component: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
Effective: June 19, 2019
Releasability: Cleared for public release. Available on the Directives Division Website
at http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD.
Reissues and Cancels: DoD Instruction 6490.03, “Deployment Health,” August 11, 2006
Incorporates and Cancels: DoD Instruction 6490.12, “Mental Health Assessments for Service
Members Deployed in Connection with a Contingency Operation,”
February 26, 2013
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Memorandum, 07-029,
“Policy on Analysis of Metal Fragments Removed from Department of
Defense Personnel,” December 18, 2007
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Memorandum,
04-004, “Department of Defense Deployment Biomonitoring Policy and
Approved Bioassays for Depleted Uranium and Lead,” February 6, 2004
Approved by: James N. Stewart, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and
Reserve Affairs, Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense
for Personnel and Readiness
Purpose: In accordance with the authority in DoD Directives (DoDDs) 5124.02, 5136.13, and 6200.04;
and Sections 1074a, 10149, and 10206 of Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.), this issuance:
• Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for deployment health activities.
• Implements policies for joint and Service-specific deployments to monitor, assess, and prevent
disease and injury; control or reduce occupational and environmental health risks; document and link
occupational and environmental exposures with deployed personnel; record the daily locations of
deployed personnel; and conduct individual deployment-related health assessments. Implementation
procedures and deployment health activities are described in detail in the Defense Health Agency
(DHA) deployment health procedural instruction.
• Takes precedence over all DoD Component publications that contain conflicting guidance
regarding deployment health.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION ........................................................................ 3
1.1. Applicability. .................................................................................................................... 3
1.2. Policy. ............................................................................................................................... 3
1.3. Information Collections. ................................................................................................... 4
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................... 5
2.1. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)). ........................ 5
2.2. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. ............................... 5
2.3. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)). ....................................... 5
2.4. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight. ...... 6
2.5. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Services Policy and Oversight. ......... 6
2.6. Director, DHA................................................................................................................... 6
2.7. Director, Defense Intelligence Agency. ............................................................................ 8
2.8. USD(A&S). ....................................................................................................................... 9
2.9. DoD Component Heads. ................................................................................................... 9
2.10. Secretaries of the Military Departments. ...................................................................... 10
2.11. Secretary of the Army. .................................................................................................. 11
2.12. CJCS. ............................................................................................................................ 12
2.13. CCDRs. ......................................................................................................................... 12
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES ...................................................................... 14
3.1. General Requirements. .................................................................................................... 14
3.2. Conducting Deployment Health Activities. .................................................................... 14
3.3. Deployment Health Activities......................................................................................... 14
3.4. Deployment Health Activity Data and Information........................................................ 17
GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................... 21
G.1. Acronyms. ...................................................................................................................... 21
G.2. Definitions. ..................................................................................................................... 22
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 24
TABLES
Table 1. Individual Location Data Elements. ........................................................................ 18
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION 3
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION
1.1. APPLICABILITY. This issuance applies to:
a. OSD, the Military Departments (including the Coast Guard at all times, including when it
is a Service in the Department of Homeland Security by agreement with that Department), the
Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) 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 (referred
to collectively in this issuance as the “DoD Components”).
b. Service members who are deploying, deployed, and returned-from-deployment
(redeployed), as well as DoD civilian employees, DoD contractor personnel deploying with U.S.
forces consistent with DoD and Service-specific guidance, including DoDDs 6200.04 and
6400.04E, DoD Instructions (DoDIs) 1400.32, 3020.41, and 6200.05, and Directive-type
Memorandum 17-004. DoD contractor personnel are included to the extent provided in the
applicable contracts, Subparts 207.503 and 252.225-7040 of the Defense Federal Acquisition
Regulation Supplement, pursuant to DoDI 3020.41 or Service policy.
c. Shipboard operations when identified health risks indicate actions are necessary beyond
the scope of shipboard occupational health programs, per the decision of the commander
exercising operational control. Otherwise, shipboard operations that are not anticipated to
involve operations ashore will report individual daily deployment locations, but are exempt from
other requirements of this issuance.
d. Deployments to enduring locations within operational areas, when identified health risks
indicate actions are necessary beyond the scope of occupational and environmental health
programs pursuant to DoDI 4715.05 and DoDI 6055.05.
1.2. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. DoD Components will conduct deployment health activities before, during, and after joint
and Service-specific deployments to assess and manage health risks. The DoD implements
deployment health activities in order to deliver a medically ready force and protect the health of
that force through individual medical readiness (IMR) occupational and environmental health
practices, health assessments, and health surveillance in accordance with DoDIs 6025.19,
6055.05, 6200.06, 6490.07 and DoDD 6490.02E. Deployment health activities will anticipate,
recognize, monitor, evaluate, record, report, communicate, control, and mitigate health threats, to
include their immediate and long-term effects.
b. Deployments that last longer than 30 days outside the United States require the full range
of deployment health activities described in Section 3 of this issuance and the DHA deployment
health procedural instruction. Deployments of shorter duration outside of the United States, and
operations within the United States require the minimum deployment health activities described
in applicable procedures published by the DHA, plus any additional deployment health activities
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 1: GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION 4
per the decision of the commander exercising operational control, as indicated by identified
health risks.
c. DoD deployment health activities will be monitored, recorded, and used to promote IMR
and protect the health of all deploying U.S. military and DoD civilian personnel.
d. Deployment health activities and the associated data and information will be coordinated
and shared throughout the DoD (except where limited by law, policy, or security classification),
in accordance with DoDI 8320.02.
e. For deploying contract personnel, all pre-, during-, and post-deployment medical
assessments, examinations, treatments, and preventive measures are the responsibility of the
contractor unless otherwise stated in the contract, except that the government will provide
theater-specific immunizations and medications not available to the general public in accordance
with Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and Subparts 207.503, 252.225-7040 of the
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.
f. The DoD will include military working animals in deployment health activities, consistent
with DoDD 6400.04E.
1.3. INFORMATION COLLECTIONS. The health surveillance data collected for the
purposes of monitoring the individual and collective health of Service members and deployable
DoD civilian employees before, during, and following deployment are not considered public
information collections, and do not require licensing, in accordance with
Paragraphs 8.b.(3), 8.b.(5), 8.b.(11) and 8.b.(12) of Volume 2 of DoD Manual 8910.01.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 5
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1. UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS
(USD(P&R)). The USD(P&R), pursuant to Section 136 of Title 10, U.S.C.:
a. Establishes deployment health and personnel policy and oversees the effectiveness of its
implementation.
b. Provides resources to the Defense Manpower Data Center necessary to receive, maintain,
and provide individual deployment location records, and to interface with health surveillance
systems, line accountability, and readiness-related reporting systems such as Defense
Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System – Industrial Hygiene (DOEHRS-IH).
2.2. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE
AFFAIRS. Under the authority, direction, and control of the USD(P&R), the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs ensures deployment health policies for
the Reserve Components are consistent with the policies established for the Active Components.
2.3. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS (ASD(HA)).
Under the authority, direction, and control of the USD(P&R), the ASD(HA):
a. Directs the provisions of deployment health-related policy.
b. Establishes medical requirements for individual and population health risks and exposures
of deployers and military working animals to industrial, occupational, operational, and
environmental hazards (including CBRN agents) at deployment locations.
c. Coordinates policies with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to share deployment
health information between the VA and the DoD.
d. Coordinates with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment (USD(A&S)) for acquisition and fielding of new and existing technologies and
programs to support deployment health activities.
e. Requires that deployment health information is shared (except where limited by law,
policy, or security classification) throughout the DoD and other federal agencies, using
applicable systems of record including, but not limited to, the systems listed in Paragraph 3.4.
f. Ensures that policies on the collection, use, and disclosure of protected health information
about deploying U.S. military and DoD civilian personnel by DoD Components comply with all
applicable laws, regulations, or policies. Enables the appropriate release and use of protected
health information, health surveillance information, and individual location data necessary for
deployment health activities for personnel assigned, attached, on temporary duty, or temporary
additional duty to deployed units.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 6
2.4. DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH READINESS
POLICY AND OVERSIGHT. Under the authority, direction, and control of the ASD(HA), the
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight:
a. Develops policies for deployment health activities.
b. Develops policies for responses to individual and population health risks and exposures of
deployers and military working animals to industrial, occupational, operational, and
environmental hazards (including CBRN agents) at deployment locations.
c. Monitors deployment health activities to assess and protect the health of the force in
accordance with DoDD 6200.04.
d. In concert with other DoD Components, supports existing and new technologies and
programs that enhance deployment occupational and environmental (OEH) surveillance and
assessment of the health effect of physical, chemical, radiological, and biological hazards on
individual’s health.
e. Defines and establishes deployment health performance measures, metrics and goals,
including force health protection (FHP) quality assurance measures in accordance with
DoDI 6200.05.
f. Oversee research and development activities that support the deployment health needs of
DoD.
2.5. DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH SERVICES
POLICY AND OVERSIGHT. Under the authority, direction, and control of the ASD(HA), the
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Services Policy and Oversight:
a. Develops policies for deployment mental health programs.
b. Reviews, evaluates, and undertakes management oversight activities for DoD deployment
mental health programs to ensure they comply with, and are executed according to, established
DoD policy and standards.
c. In concert with other DoD Components, supports existing and new programs to enhance
deployment mental health surveillance.
d. Defines and establishes deployment mental health policy goals, objectives, and metrics for
policy assessment.
2.6. DIRECTOR, DHA. Under the authority, direction, and control of the USD(P&R), through
the ASD(HA), and in addition to the responsibilities in Paragraph 2.9., the Director, DHA:
a. Recommends and advises ASD(HA) on deployment health policy and requirements.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 7
b. Develops and publishes standardized deployment health procedural guidance, in
collaboration with the other DoD Components, for implementing this issuance and related health
policies. The procedural guidance will include, but is not limited to:
(1) Deployment health activities to manage deployment-related health risks.
(2) Collecting deployment health performance measures, metrics, and goals.
(3) Optimizing the collection, preservation, use, and availability of health surveillance
data and information.
(4) Ensuring deployment health information containing personally identifiable
information and individually identifiable health information will be collected, used, distributed
(including to the VA, as appropriate), and archived in accordance with:
(a) DoD 5400.11-R.
(b) DoD 6025.18-R.
(c) In the case of civilian personnel:
1. Sections 791 through 794d of Title 29, U.S.C. (also known as “The
Rehabilitation Act of 1973”), as amended.
2. Title II of Public Law 110-233, (also known as “Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act of 2008”).
3. Parts 293, 297 and 339 of Title 5, CFR.
4. Part 1635 of Title 29, CFR.
(5) Sharing deployment health information with the VA and other federal agencies, as
appropriate, to enhance health management and benefits determinations.
c. Operates and maintains the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) and provides
individual and aggregated electronic DMSS data to the DoD Components.
d. Operates and maintains the DoD Serum Repository.
e. Oversees, manages, and maintains the DoD Food and Water Risk Assessment (FWRA)
Program and Veterinary Service Information Management System (VSIMS) in accordance with
DoDD 6400.04E.
f. Oversees, manages, and maintains the Veterinary Service Systems Management (VSSM),
the electronic DoD veterinary health record for documenting the health care provided to military
working animals in accordance with DoDD 6400.04E.
g. Develops implementing guidelines for existing and emerging technologies and programs
that fully support the range of deployment health activities, such as an individual longitudinal
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 8
exposure record and joint health risk management initiative, and that share data and information
with appropriate systems of record such as the electronic medical record, DOEHRS-IH, Military
Exposure Surveillance Library – Secret Internet Protocol Routing (MESL(SIPR)), DMSS,
VSIMS, VSSM, and personnel record systems.
h. Supports the development and fielding of biomonitoring and biosurveillance capabilities
and procedures for conducting short-term and long-term health surveillance.
i. Establishes and manages a Deployment-Related Health Assessment Working Group as
described in the DHA deployment health procedural instruction.
j. Develops procedures to authorize appropriate medical, dental, and behavioral treatment,
and disability evaluations for Reserve Component military members in accordance with
DoDI 1241.01.
k. Establishes quality assurance and quality control parameters for the uniform
implementation, monitoring, and review of the FHP quality assurance program, in accordance
with DoDI 6200.05.
l. Solicits requirements from and provides guidance to DoD Components on FHP medical
requirements and procedures.
m. Coordinates with the Director, Defense Human Resources Activity, who establishes
standardized procedures and systems to track the duty locations of Service members, DoD
civilians, and DoD contractor personnel during deployment periods, in accordance with this
issuance, DoDD 6490.02E and DoDIs 3020.41, 6055.05, and 1400.32.
2.7. DIRECTOR, DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. Under the authority, direction,
and control of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, and in addition to the
responsibilities in Paragraph 2.9., the Director, Defense Intelligence Agency:
a. Ensures intelligence products address health threats from CBRN weapons and agents.
Products should address the needs of the Combatant Commanders (CCDRs), deploying unit
commanders, and policymakers.
b. Ensures the National Center for Medical Intelligence routinely provides finished
intelligence analysis products to DoD Components on foreign medical capabilities, infectious
disease threats, environmental health risks, toxic industrial chemical threats, and developments in
biotechnology and biomedical subjects of military importance, pursuant to DoDI 6420.01.
c. Makes medical intelligence products available to the DoD Components that identify
environmental threats and hazards posed by disease, epidemics, hazardous animals and plants,
toxic zones, and industrial or radioactive waste.
d. Coordinates with the DHA to ensure that medical intelligence, health surveillance, and
biosurveillance products are compatible and not duplicative.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 9
2.8. USD(A&S). The USD(A&S):
a. Ensures effective logistics and acquisition support for deployment health activities at
tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
b. In coordination with the ASD(HA) and the Director, DHA, provides policy and oversight
for environment, safety, and OEH programs pursuant to DoDD 4715.1E, DoDI 6055.01, and
DoDI 6055.05.
2.9. DOD COMPONENT HEADS. The DoD Component heads that deploy units or
individuals will:
a. Provide guidance and direction within their components to implement and monitor
compliance with this issuance and applicable procedures published by the DHA.
b. Plan, program, and budget to implement this issuance and meet deployment health
requirements.
c. Provide or arrange for provision of deployment health activities, outlined in Section 3, in
coordination with supported Combatant Commands and supporting military medical treatment
facilities.
d. Identify deployable personnel and ensure they are medically ready, briefed on health
threats, trained, and equipped with necessary countermeasures (e.g., personal protective
equipment, immunizations, force health prescription products) prior to deployments of any
duration or operations within the United States, pursuant to DoDD 6200.04, DoDIs 6025.19 and
3020.41, Directive-type Memorandum 17-004, and this issuance.
e. Ensure contracts for all contracted personnel deploying in support of DoD operations
include specific and clear information regarding a contractor’s obligations, in accordance with
DoDI 3020.41and Combatant Command requirements, to provide fully medically screened and
ready personnel, and to make provisions for medical care, including tactical and strategic patient
movement.
f. Ensure contracts for food and foodservice (appropriated or non-appropriated funds)
include food protection requirements for provisioning DoD-approved sources of food and
FWRA of potential foodservice facilities or caterers, regardless of duration or frequency of use,
in accordance with DoDD 6400.04E.
g. Implement a system to record geographic location of deployed individuals.
h. Designate a primary action office with responsibility for serving as the component point
of contact for coordination with the DHA in developing and publishing deployment health
procedural instructions.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 10
2.10. SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS. In addition to
responsibilities in Paragraph 2.9., the Secretaries of the Military Departments:
a. Support the geographic CCDR in providing deployment health measures within the area
of responsibility (AOR) and institute deployment health activities in accordance with this
issuance.
b. Ensure Service members meet IMR requirements pursuant to DoDI 6025.19.
c. Establish procedures to conduct comprehensive retrospective analyses of relevant OEH
exposure and monitoring information, in coordination with other DoD Components.
d. Establish clear policies for performing quality assurance reviews of the health surveillance
data collected during deployment, including verifying the completeness and the reasonableness
of these data, and to ensure the data’s consistency.
e. Provide deployment health support throughout the deployment, when their respective
Service is designated the lead Service in accordance with DoDD 3000.10 or other policy, for
military and DoD civilian tenants of the deployed location and consistent with the applicable
contracts, contractors authorized to accompany the force, including, but not limited to:
(1) Food protection including DoD-approved sources of food and water.
(2) Medical surveillance and OEH surveillance (such as occupational and environmental
health site assessment (OEHSA), and (when applicable) periodic occupational and
environmental monitoring summary (POEMS).
f. Ensure coordination between tenant and lead Military Service to provide designated or
Service-specific deployment health support, in accordance with DoDD 3000.10 and
DoDI 4000.19.
g. Ensure health assessments are electronically recorded, and health assessment data
transferred to the DMSS.
h. Ensure procedures are in place for the documentation of individual medical encounters
provided at all levels of care (before, during, and after all deployments), using the DoD
electronic health record to the maximum extent possible in accordance with DoDI 6040.45,
including but not limited to:
(1) Any paper medical, dental, or mental health records (e.g., evaluation, health
assessment, therapeutic, routine and preventive health care encounters), are integrated with the
DoD health record and DoD electronic medical record at the permanent duty station and Reserve
Component units, in accordance with DoDI 6040.45.
(2) Medical evaluation of cases of OEH exposure or exposure concern, with available
and relevant OEH data or information to inform treatment and follow-up.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 11
(3) Pulmonary function testing on deploying Service members and DoD civilians who
have known pre-existing pulmonary conditions and disease, but are medically ready to deploy
and cleared by established policies and guidelines in DoDI 6200.06, DoDI 6025.19, and
DoDI 6490.07, using spirometry in accordance with DoD Manual 6055.05.
(4) Animal bite cases and other potential exposures to rabies, using DD Form 2341 to
document assessment, tracking, and treatment including (when indicated) rabies immunizations,
in consultation with Military Rabies Advisory Boards.
i. Ensure clinical care provided by health care providers to military working animals is
documented and made available for recording in the DoD veterinary health record, in accordance
with Paragraph 2.1l.f.
j. Implement deployment biomonitoring procedures, including collection, analysis, and
recording samples during or post-deployment.
(1) Use bioassays that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration or validated
for military-unique exposures (e.g., depleted uranium and embedded fragments), and ensure
laboratory data archival systems link medical test data to the DoD electronic medical record.
(2) Forward data and information to designated DoD archives and registries.
(3) Ensure results of depleted uranium biomonitoring on Service personnel are
transmitted to the applicable Military Service Dosimetry Center.
2.11. SECRETARY OF THE ARMY. In addition to the responsibilities in Paragraphs 2.9.
and 2.10., the Secretary of the Army will ensure:
a. The operation and maintenance of the MESL(SIPR) to support all military deployments,
including establishing standards of completeness, reasonableness, and consistency for
information submitted to the MESL(SIPR).
b. The establishment of procedures for quality assurance reviews of deployment OEH
surveillance data in DOEHRS-IH, to include verifying the completeness and the reasonableness
of these data, and to ensure consistency.
c. All POEMS, completed by the DoD Components, are recorded in DOEHRS-IH, with any
portion-marked classified content recorded in the MESL(SIPR).
d. The operation and maintenance of designated registries using the DoD system of record,
DOEHRS-IH. Currently, these consist of the following registries:
(1) Depleted Uranium Biomonitoring.
(2) Iraqi Chemical Warfare Agent Exposure Assessment.
(3) Gulf War Oil Well Fire Smoke Registry.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 12
(4) Khamisiyah Investigation.
(5) Operation Tomodachi.
e. The operation and maintenance of the public access website for posting cleared POEMS.
f. Procedures are in place for recording veterinary medical encounters and health
assessments for military working animals in the DoD VSSM, consistent with DoDD 6400.04E.
2.12. CJCS. In addition to the responsibilities in Paragraph 2.9., the CJCS will incorporate this
issuance into joint doctrine, training, and plans, and monitors its implementation.
2.13. CCDRS. In addition to responsibilities in Paragraph 2.9. and through coordination with
the CJCS, the CCDRs will:
a. Specify all deployment health resource requirements in contingency and crisis action
plans, deployment orders, and instructions for all deployments.
b. Specify supporting resources for managing health risks and request the appropriate
deployment health capabilities to conduct and record deployment health activities in theater.
Request capabilities to plan and conduct applicable deployment health activities including, but
not limited to food protection and use of DoD approved sources of food and water, medical
surveillance and OEH surveillance, such as OEHSAs and (when required in accordance with
Paragraph 2.13.d.) POEMS, and health risk communications.
c. Communicate theater and location-specific deployment health requirements and health
threats to supporting DoD Components and commanders prior to deployment, in deployment
orders or other combatant command instructions.
d. Establish written deployment health requirements and procedures based on this issuance,
component policy, and identified health risks for the theater and for specific deployment
locations. Specify which AOR locations, including those on the enduring location master list,
require deployment health activities in addition to those described at Section 3, based on
identified health risks. Specify which locations require POEMS based on the OEHSA or
preliminary hazard assessment and determination of potential exposure risks.
e. Ensure deployment health activities are conducted during deployment by the lead Service
or support agreements for each deployment location, in accordance with DoDD 3000.10 and this
issuance.
f. Plan and monitor deployment health risk assessment and mitigation activities, to include
health surveillance, food protection and feral animal risk mitigation, at deployment locations in
the AOR.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBILITIES 13
g. Ensure commanders’ decisions on whether to implement risk mitigation recommendations
identified in OEHSAs are adequately documented and consistently monitored by the appropriate
command.
h. Elevate any shortfalls in deployment health support to the Joint Staff.
i. Ensure health risk communication plans are developed and implemented during
deployment. Include health threats identified in the OEHSA and subsequent findings, medical
countermeasures, and exposure incidents faced by deployed personnel.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 14
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES
3.1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
a. DoD Components will conduct deployment health activities before, during, and after
deployment as described in this issuance and deployment health procedural instructions
published by the DHA.
b. Combatant Commands, Service Component Commands, lead Military Services for
specified deployment locations, medical treatment facilities, and other pertinent organizations
will collaborate on the planning and execution of the deployment health activities to achieve
maximum force health protection and enablement of combat effectiveness.
3.2. CONDUCTING DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES. DoD Components will
conduct deployment health activities as described in this section. Deployment health activities
are required based on duration or location of the deployment or at the discretion of the CCDR,
Service component commander, or commander exercising operational control based on health
risk assessments:
a. For deployments greater than 30 days outside the United States, conduct the full range of
deployment health activities described in Paragraph 3.3., and applicable procedures published by
the DHA.
b. For deployments of 30 days or fewer outside of the United States, and operations within
the United States (e.g., emergency response), conduct the minimum deployment health activities
described in applicable procedures published by the DHA, and any additional, risk-based,
deployment health activities directed by the CCDR, Service component commander, or
commander exercising operational control.
c. For shipboard operations, when potential health threats indicate including deployment
health activities beyond daily location reporting and the scope of shipboard occupational health
programs, conduct risk-based deployment health activities directed by the commander exercising
operational control.
3.3. DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES. The full range of deployment health activities
consist of, but are not limited to:
a. Implementing effective FHP strategies in accordance with DoDD 6200.04, including but
not limited to provision for medical countermeasures (e.g., immunizations, prophylaxis, FHP
prescription products), and personal protective equipment.
b. Identifying deployable personnel and ensuring they are medically ready to deploy in
accordance with DoDD 6200.04, DoDIs 3020.41 and 6025.19, Directive-type Memorandum 17-
004, and this issuance.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 15
c. Identifying and addressing deployment-limiting medical conditions in accordance with
DoDI 6490.07 and the October 7, 2013 Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
Memorandum.
d. Ensuring access to comprehensive counseling on the full range of methods of
contraception pre-deployment and during deployment healthcare visits in accordance with DHA
Interim Procedures Memorandum 16-003 and Section 718 of Public Law 114-92.
e. Combat and operational stress control in accordance with DoDI 6490.05.
f. Conducting safety and occupational and environmental health risk assessment, mitigation,
communication, and documentation in accordance with DoDIs 6055.01 and 6055.05.
g. Completing deployment health requirements and activities, including safety and OEH
requirements, in concert with the lead Military Service and providing Component-specific
capabilities in accordance with this issuance, and DoDIs 6055.01, 6055.05, and 4000.19.
h. Conducting comprehensive health surveillance in accordance with DoDD 6490.02E,
which includes:
(1) Conducting medical surveillance.
(2) Conducting occupational and environmental health surveillance.
(3) Ensuring or arranging for the collection, analysis, and recording of disease and injury
occurrences and rates, biomonitoring, reports of animal bites or other potential exposure to rabies
(DD Form 2341), and reportable medical events, in accordance with the June 30, 2017 Defense
Health Agency Memorandum.
(4) Ensuring reportable medical events and other data that populate the DMSS are
submitted using the Disease Reporting System internet as the system of record in addition to any
designated theater enterprise system.
i. Ensuring food protection in accordance with DoDD 6400.04E.
j. Documenting OEH surveillance data and information, exposure-related data and
information, CBRN monitoring information, and incident reports in DOEHRS-IH.
k. Conducting quality assurance reviews of deployment health-related data in accordance
with DoDI 6200.05
l. Enabling medical evaluations and health assessments, with appropriate medical follow-up
of illnesses, injuries, mental health and dental care encounters, and OEH and CBRN agent
exposures, documented in the DoD health record in accordance with DoDI 6040.45, and the
recording of health assessments in the DMSS.
m. Facilitating follow-up of deployment-related exposures, injuries, or illness. For DoD
civilian employees, this includes ensuring follow-up is consistent with workers compensation
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 16
laws, medical care in a military treatment facility as authorized by Part 108 of Title 32, CFR, and
other deployment provisions as prescribed by Directive-type Memorandum 17-004.
n. Conducting deployment-related health assessments. Health assessments for Service
members and DoD civilians are conducted when required according to Paragraph 1.2.b., at
specific intervals throughout the deployment cycle. Assessments may be combined or conducted
concurrently to streamline administration when established requirements are met, pursuant to
DoDIs 6200.06 and 6490.13 and this issuance, as described in the companion DHA procedural
instruction for deployment health.
(1) For Service members, health assessments related to deployment include the Pre-
Deployment Health Assessment (DD Form 2795), Post-Deployment Health Assessment (DD
Form 2796), Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment (DD Form 2900), and Deployment Mental
Health Assessment (DD Form 2978). DD Forms 2796, 2900, and 2978 apply if a Pre-
Deployment Health Assessment was required during the pre-deployment phase and the Service
member completed the deployment or per the instructions of the commander exercising
operational control, based on health risk during deployment. Service members may complete
health assessments related to deployment as part of the Annual Periodic Health Assessment (DD
Form 3024) when established requirements are met.
(2) For DoD civilians, health assessments related to deployment include the Pre-
Deployment Health Assessment (DD Form 2795), Post-Deployment Health Assessment (DD
Form 2796), and Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment (DD Form 2900). DD Forms 2796
and 2900 apply if a Pre-Deployment Health Assessment was required during the pre-deployment
phase and the individual completed the deployment or per the instructions of the commander
exercising operational control, based on health risk during deployment. DoD civilians will
complete deployment-related health assessments at the redeployment site or military treatment
facility designated by their DoD Component.
(3) Health assessments for military working animals are conducted and entered into the
DoD veterinary health record.
o. Submitting individual daily deployment location information. Record location data for
contractors in accordance with DoDI 3020.41. Record individual daily location data for each
deployed Service member and DoD civilian as follows:
(1) Use the individual location data elements shown in Table 1.
(2) Ensure individual location data are submitted and archived according to the most
current established processes, and send the data electronically to the Defense Manpower Data
Center.
p. Ensuring information containing individual location data, personally identifiable
information, and individually identifiable health information is collected, recorded, distributed
(including to the VA, as appropriate), and archived before, during, and after all deployments.
q. Ensuring any classified individual location data or deployment health activity data and
information reference the applicable original classification authority or security classification
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 17
guidance so that it may be downgraded or declassified accordingly and as soon as appropriate, in
order to facilitate medical follow-up and study of health outcomes associated with deployment
locations, exposures or incidents, and deployed individuals or groups for all deployments.
3.4. DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITY DATA AND INFORMATION. Deployment
health activity data and information will be recorded in the designated DoD primary electronic
medical record or DoD veterinary health record (VSSM), DOEHRS-IH, MESL(SIPR), DMSS,
VSIMS, and personnel record systems. This data and information will be shared, as appropriate,
to improve deployment health activities and health outcomes.
a. The DOEHRS-IH is the authoritative repository for deployment OEH surveillance
information and data and will be used to the maximum extent possible. Any OEH surveillance
data and information classified by the original classification authority will be recorded in the
MESL(SIPR), portion marked, with reference to the applicable security classification or
declassification guide and original classification authority and moved to DOEHRS-IH once
declassified accordingly.
b. VSIMS is the authoritative repository for FWRA checklist-reports and FWRA after action
reports.
c. Relevant activities and information associated with personnel accountability activities
described in DoDD 5124.02, environment, safety, and occupational health activities described in
DoDD 4715.1E, and comprehensive health surveillance activities described in DoDD 6490.02E
will be coordinated and shared with deployment health activities.
d. Health surveillance information, including deployment OEH surveillance data, and food
protection surveillance data will be matched to individuals by deployment location to support
medical care and identify cohorts with similar deployment location, health outcome, or exposure
risk.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 18
Table 1. Individual Location Data Elements.
Element Name
Description
DoD Electronic Data Interchange Person
Identifier
The DoD Electronic Data Interchange
Person Identifier stored on the Common
Access Card.
Social Security Number
The identifier assigned by the Social
Security Administration to a person.
Service Branch Code
A Army; N Navy; M Marine Corps; F Air
Force; C Coast Guard
Uniformed Service Organization
Component Code
R Regular; G Guard; V
Civilian; E Contractor
Reserve; C DoD
Surname Text
The text of a designation applied to a
person, generally referred to as the last or
family name.
Forename Text
The
person,
text of a designation
generally referred to
applied to a
as the first
name.
Middle Initial Text
The
applied
between
initial of a name designation
to a person, commonly used
the first and last names. If not
applicable, report as blank.
Birth Calendar Date
The date when
YYYYMMDD
a person was born. Format:
Assigned Unit
(UIC)
Identification Code
The Service-unique code that
represents the unit to which the member is
assigned.
Army: Report a W, the UIC and one
blank
Navy: Report an N, the UIC and one
blank
Marine Corps: Report the
Reporting Unit Code and the
Monitored Command Code
Air Force: Report an F, the unit
portion of the Personnel Accounting
System Code and two blanks
Coast Guard: Report the UIC
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 19
Table 1. Individual Location Data Elements, Continued.
Element Name
Description
Attached UIC
The Service-unique code represents
the unit to which member has reported
to duty.
Army: Report a W, the UIC and
one blank
Navy: Report an N, the UIC and
one blank
Marine Corps: Report the
Reporting Unit Code and the
Monitored Command Code
Air Force: Report an F, the unit
portion of the Personnel Accounting
System Code and two blanks
Coast Guard: Report the UIC
Deployment Start Date
The date and Zulu time that
member began the deployment.
Format: YYYYMMDDHHMM
the
Deployment End Date
The date and Zulu time that
member ended the deployment.
Format: YYYYMMDDHHMM
the
Operation Plan Identification Code
The operation plan identification code
originates from the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Joint Operation Plan and Execution Segment
system and is used to identify a specific
operation plan.
Location Start Date
The date and Zulu time that the member
arrived at the location being reported.
Format: YYYYMMDDHHMM
Location End Date
The date and Zulu time that the
member departed at the location being
reported. Format:
YYYYMMDDHHMM
Location Longitude Coordinate
Report the degrees, minutes and
Code (Not required when six-digit grid
seconds of the longitude of the
coordinates or geographic location
member’s location
codes (geolocation codes) are provided)
Location Longitude Direction Code
(Not required when six-digit grid
coordinates or geographic location
codes (geolocation codes) are provided)
E East; W West
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
SECTION 3: DEPLOYMENT HEALTH ACTIVITIES 20
Table 1. Individual Location Data Elements, Continued.
Element Name
Description
Location Latitude Coordinate
Code
(Not required when six-digit grid
coordinates or geographic location
codes (geolocation codes) are
provided)
Report the degrees, minutes
and seconds of the latitude of the
member’s location
Location Latitude Direction Code
(Not required when six-digit grid
coordinates or geographic location
codes (geolocation codes) are
provided)
N North; S South
Grid Coordinate Code
(Not required when latitude/longitude
coordinate codes or geographic (geolocation
codes) are provided)
Two byte alphabetic map sheet
designation and six-digit grid
coordinate. Format: AB123456
Geolocation Code
(Not required when
latitude/longitude coordinate codes or
grid coordinate codes are provided)
Geographic Location Code
Location Country Code
The two-byte alphabetic code that
represents the principal geopolitical entity
of the world. Report US for the 50 states
and District of Columbia. If afloat at sea or
unknown, report ZZ.
Location State Code
The two-byte alphabetic code that
represents the state or the District of
Columbia for domestic deployments.
Location Calendar Date
The date the member was at
the reported location. Format:
YYYYMMDD
Operation Name Text
Joint Staff or Service component
an operation
name of
Location Name Text
Joint Staff or component name of the
location (e.g., forward operating base,
contingency location, enduring location, base
camp, etc.)
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
GLOSSARY 21
GLOSSARY
G.1. ACRONYMS.
AOR area of responsibility
ASD(HA) Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
CBRN chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
CCDR Combatant Commander
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CJCS Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
DHA Defense Health Agency
DMSS Defense Medical Surveillance System
DoDD DoD directive
DoDI DoD instruction
DOEHRS-IH Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System
– Industrial Hygiene
FHP force health protection
FWRA food and water risk assessment
IMR individual medical readiness
MESL(SIPR) Military Exposure Surveillance Library (Secret Internet Protocol
Router)
OEH occupational and environment health
OEHSA occupational and environmental health site assessment
POEMS periodic occupational and environmental monitoring summary
UIC unit identification code
U.S.C. United States Code
USD(A&S) Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
USD(P&R) Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
VA Department of Veterans Affairs
VSIMS Veterinary Service Information Management System
VSSM Veterinary Service Systems Management
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
GLOSSARY 22
G.2. DEFINITIONS. Unless otherwise noted, these terms and their definitions are for the
purpose of this issuance.
AOR. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
bioassay. A specific biomonitoring method to assess biological specimens for changes resulting
from exposure to materials foreign to the body or detect parent compounds or the metabolites of
exposure agents.
biomonitoring. The process of assessment of individual exposures to various substances by
measuring the parent compound or its metabolites in biological media (e.g., in biologic tissues
and fluids, blood, urine, hair, and breath) from exposed individuals.
contingency operation. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
deployment. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
deployment health activities. Health-related activities and measures that are undertaken to
assess and minimize health risks associated with deployment. Activities encompass the regular
collection, analysis, interpretation, recording, archiving, and distribution of health-related data
used for monitoring the health of individuals or a deployed population, and for intervening in a
timely manner to prevent, treat, or control the occurrence of disease or injury. Activities are
described in the DHA deployment health procedural instruction and may include, but are not
limited to, health risk assessment, health risk mitigation including feral animal risk mitigation,
risk communications, medical countermeasures, health surveillance including OEH surveillance
and, when appropriate, medical surveillance (e.g., applicable occupational medical surveillance
or deployment-related health assessments), force health protection, safety and occupational
health, personal protective equipment, sanitation and hygiene, integrated pest management, food
protection, and food and water risk assessments.
disease and injury. Injury or degradation of functional capability sustained by personnel,
caused by disease and non-battle injury or by enemy action.
disease and non-battle injury. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated
Terms.
DoD electronic medical record. The electronic medical record system used by the DoD;
specifically, the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application or its successor.
DoD health record. Defined in DoDI 6040.45.
DoD veterinary health record. The electronic or hard copy medical record system used by the
DoD to capture all veterinary medical and dental health care documentation. The electronic
system is the VSSM or its successor.
enduring location master list. Defined in DoDI 3000.12.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
GLOSSARY 23
feral animal risk mitigation. A combination of policies, procedures, and practices that when
collectively employed in an operational environment reduces the traumatic injury and disease risks
posed by feral animals (free-roaming animals, usually a domestic species with no apparent owner).
food protection. Defined in DoDD 6400.04E.
FWRA. Defined in DoDD 6400.04E.
health surveillance. Defined in DoDD 6490.02E.
OEH. Defined in DoDI 6055.05.
occupational and environmental health surveillance. Defined in DoDD 6490.02E.
OEHSA. Documents the OEH conditions found at a site (e.g., deployment site such as a base
camp, bivouac site or outpost, main operating base or forward operating site, enduring location,
or contingency location) beginning at or near the time it is first occupied by U.S. forces, and
updated as high risk hazards are identified. The assessment, done by Service preventive
medicine personnel, includes site history; environmental health survey results for air, water, soil,
and noise; entomological surveys; occupational and industrial hygiene surveys; and ionizing and
non-ionizing radiation hazard surveys, if indicated. Its purpose is to identify hazardous exposure
agents with complete or potentially complete exposure pathways that may affect the health of
deployed personnel.
operational area. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
POEMS. Unclassified and publically-releasable OEH monitoring summaries (e.g., noise,
thermal stress, airborne pollutants, soil and water contaminants, incidents, and infectious
diseases) that identify location specific OEH hazards and population based health risks. POEMS
provide estimated exposures, assessment of whether estimated exposures are acceptable or
unacceptable, and the criteria used for the estimate (i.e., above or below Military Exposure
Guidelines) along with anticipated acute, chronic, or latent health effects. POEMS are updated
or certified current at least annually.
preliminary hazard assessment. The process of reviewing relevant intelligence data, past
hazard assessments, and other available information for the area of deployment to identify
potential health threats to deploying personnel. The preliminary hazard assessment should be
accomplished prior to deployment to inform the content of the initial OEHSA.
preventive medicine. Defined in DoDD 6200.04.
redeployment. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
reportable medical events. An event that may represent an inherent, significant threat to public
health and military operations. These events have the potential to affect large numbers of
people, to be widely transmitted within a population, to have severe or life threatening clinical
manifestations, and to disrupt military training and deployment.
United States. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
REFERENCES 24
REFERENCES
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Memorandum, “Clinical Practice Guidance for
Deployment-Limiting Mental Disorders and Psychotropic Medications,” October 7, 2013
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 5
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Part 1635
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 32, Part 108
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 48
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), current edition
Defense Health Agency – Interim Procedures Memorandum 16-003, “Clinical Practice
Guidelines for Access to Methods of Contraception and Contraceptive Counseling,”
December 11, 2017
Defense Health Agency Memorandum, “Revised Armed Forces Reportable Medical Events
Guidelines and Case Definitions,” June 30, 2017
Directive-type Memorandum 17-004, “Department of Defense Civilian Expeditionary
Workforce,” January 25, 2017, as amended
DoD 5400.11-R, “Department of Defense Privacy Program,” May 14, 2007
DoD 6025.18-R, “DoD Health Information Privacy Regulation,” January 24, 2003
DoD Directive 3000.10, “Contingency Basing Outside the United States,” January 10, 2013, as
amended
DoD Directive 4715.1E, “Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health (ESOH),” March 19,
2005, as amended
DoD Directive 5124.02, “Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
(USD(P&R)),” June 23, 2008
DoD Directive 5136.13, “Defense Health Agency”, September 30, 2013
DoD Directive 6200.04, “Force Health Protection (FHP),” October 9, 2004
DoD Directive 6400.04E, “DoD Veterinary Public and Animal Health Services,” June 27, 2013,
as amended
DoD Directive 6490.02E, “Comprehensive Health Surveillance,” February 8, 2012, as amended
DoD Instruction 1241.01, “Reserve Component (RC) Line of Duty Determination for Medical
and Dental Treatments and Incapacitation Pay Entitlements,” April 19, 2016
DoD Instruction 1400.32, “DoD Civilian Work Force Contingency and Emergency Planning
Guidelines and Procedures,” April 24, 1995
DoD Instruction 3000.12, “Management of U.S. Global Defense Posture (GDP),” May 6, 2016,
as amended
DoD Instruction 3020.41, “Operational Contract Support (OCS),” December 20, 2011, as
amended
DoD Instruction 4000.19, “Support Agreements,” April 25, 2013, as amended
DoD Instruction 4715.05, “Environmental Compliance at Installations Outside the United
States,” November 1, 2013, as amended
DoD Instruction 6025.19, “Individual Medical Readiness (IMR),” June 9, 2014
DoDI 6490.03, June 19, 2019
REFERENCES 25
DoD Instruction 6040.45, “DoD Health Record Life Cycle Management,” November 16, 2015,
as amended
DoD Instruction 6055.01, “DoD Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Program,” October 14,
2014, as amended
DoD Instruction 6055.05, “Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH),” November 11,
2008, as amended
DoD Instruction 6200.05, “Force Health Protection Quality Assurance (FHPQA) Program,” June
16, 2016, as amended
DoD Instruction 6200.06, “Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) Program,” September 8, 2016
DoD Instruction 6420.01, “National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI),” March 20, 2009,
as amended
DoD Instruction 6490.05, “Maintenance of Psychological Health in Military Operations,”
November 22, 2011, as amended
DoD Instruction 6490.07, “Deployment-Limiting Medical Conditions for Service Members and
DoD Civilian Employees,” February 5, 2010
DoD Instruction 6490.13, “Comprehensive Policy on Traumatic Brain Injury-Related
Neurocognitive Assessments by the Military Services,” September 11, 2015, as amended
DoD Instruction 8320.02, “Sharing Data, Information, and Information Technology (IT) Services
in the Department of Defense,” August 5, 2013
DoD Manual 6055.05, “Occupational Medical Examinations and Surveillance Manual,” May 2,
2007, as amended
DoD Manual 8910.01, Volume 2, “DoD Information Collections Manual: Procedures for DoD
Public Information Collections,” June 30, 2014, as amended
Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated
Terms,” current edition
Public Law 110-233, “Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008,” May 21, 2008
Public Law 114-92, “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016”
United States Code, Title 10
United States Code, Title 29, Sections 791 through 794d (also known as “The Rehabilitation Act
of 1973”) as amended
