Assignment Process
Although there is no Department of Defense (DoD) policy that directs the military Services to establish an Exceptional Family Member Program, the DoD does provide guidance, assigns responsibilities and prescribes procedures for authorizing family member travel at government expense for all active duty Service members who meet the established DoD criteria for identifying a family member with special needs.
Primary considerations in assigning a Service member are the Service member’s current qualifications and ability to fill a valid requirement. Other factors such as availability, volunteer status, time on station and other criteria are secondary. For additional information about each Services Exceptional Family Member Program please see the navigation on the left side.
Accompanied travel overseas may be denied if the services to meet the special medical needs of the family member are unavailable. The military Services have flexibility when determining screening procedures when assigning a family member with special needs to geographic areas that are not considered overseas. Service members may not be denied an essential overseas duty assignment solely because they have children who are or may be eligible for early intervention services (EIS) or special education services.
Assignment Process for Sponsors with Exceptional Family Members
The Department of Defense (DoD) published DoD Instruction 1315.19 “Authorizing Special Needs Family Members Travel Overseas at Government Expense”. This instruction assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for authorizing family member travel at government expense for active duty Service members who are assigned overseas and who have family members that meet the Department of Defense criteria for identifying a family member with special needs. The DoD Instruction 1315.19 also provides guidance for processing civilian employees who have family members with special needs for an overseas assignment.
Screening and Evaluation
Preschool and school-age family members of sponsors nominated for assignment overseas areas where family members are authorized must be screened within 12 months before their report date to the overseas duty location. When screening identifies a child who may require special education, a complete evaluation including medical, developmental, psychological and educational assessments or a review of recent evaluations must be completed. Information gathered from primary care physicians, current educational records and evaluations must be reviewed by a designated medical authority who recommends the services the child will most likely require. Medical and educational information and the recommendations must be transferred through appropriate channels to the service member’s assignments branch before the service member can be authorized to travel at government expense on a command-sponsored tour.
Assignments
Sponsors of children with disabilities may be assigned to overseas locations provided there is (first) a valid requirement for their occupational specialty and grade and (second) an assignment location with the specific special education and medically related services likely to be needed. A pinpoint assignment may then be made to a location that meets both criteria. A final assignment selection is made after coordination with points of contact for the responsible DoDDS region and the military medical department providing medically related services.
Service members for whom there is no suitable overseas assignment match can be removed from overseas orders provided there will be no adverse impact on their careers or the military mission.
Note: The Services are not required to make pinpoint assignments based on educational needs to stateside installations with Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS). DDESS provides a full continuum of services just as state and local school systems do.
