R 070344z NOV
MARADMIN 633/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/ASD (HA)/YMD:20080528//
NARR/REF A IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (HEALTH AFFAIRS) MEMO
ON BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEUROCOGNITIVE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT -
INTERIM GUIDANCE.//
POC/MARK OLESEN/CAPT/UNIT:HQMC HEALTH SERVICES/NAME:703-614-4477
/TEL:224-4477//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REFERENCE, THIS MARADMIN
ESTABLISHES POLICY AND PROVIDES INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR ALL DEPLOYING
SERVICE MEMBERS TO COMPLETE A BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEUROCOGNITIVE
ASSESSMENT.
2.  AS A COMPONENT OF ON-GOING INITIATIVES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE (DOD) TO BETTER MANAGE MILD/TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (M/TBI),
THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS (ASD(HA))
SIGNED REFERENCE (A) REQUIRING ALL DEPLOYING SERVICE MEMBERS TO
COMPLETE A BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEURO-COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT.  THE
NEURO-COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT TOOL (NCAT) SELECTED BY ASD(HA) IS THE
AUTOMATED NEURO-PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT METRIC (ANAM).
3.  BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS SHOULD BE
ADMINISTERED 4-6 MONTHS PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT, AND SEQUENCED WITH THE
PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING PLAN (PTP).  THIS SEQUENCING ALLOWS THE
RESPECTIVE COMMANDER AND COMMAND SURGEON THE TIMELY OPPORTUNITY TO
EVALUATE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO MAY SCREEN POSITIVE.  THIS WINDOW ALSO
PROVIDES THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR ORGANIC MEDICAL ASSETS TO
EVALUATE, RE-EVALUATE, REFER, AND/OR BEGIN A MEDICAL REGIMEN BASED
UPON LOCAL TREATMENT PROTOCOLS.  THIS TIMELINESS ALLOWS COMMANDERS
AND NAVY MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITES THE OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER
MANAGE MANPOWER RESOURCES TO MEET MISSION REQUIREMENTS.
4.  CONCEPT OF NCAT/ANAM SCREENING.  DELEGATED COMMAND
REPRESENTATIVES WILL COORDINATE THE SCREENING PROCESS DIRECTLY WITH
THE ANAM OPERATIONS CENTER (AOC) LOCATED IN WASHINGTON, DC.
A.  TO SCHEDULE BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS,
UNITS MUST REQUEST A PRE-SITE ASSESSMENT PLAN NCAT TESTING FORM VIA
EMAIL FROM ANAM.OPERATIONS@AMEDD.ARMY.MIL.  COMPLETE AND RETURN THE
FORM AND THE AOC WILL COORDINATE AN ASSESSMENT TEAM TO ADMINISTER
THE SCREENING AT A SUITABLE LOCATION ADJACENT TO OR WITHIN COMMAND
WORK SPACES.  THE AOC WILL FORWARD THE LOGISTICAL AND SPACE
REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THIS PROCESS.  THIS HEADQUARTERS
WILL SUPPORT NCAT/ANAM EVOLUTIONS FOR ALL DEPLOYING MARINES AND
SAILORS ASSIGNED TO MARINE FORCES COMMANDS.
B.  DIRECT LIAISON IS AUTHORIZED BETWEEN MARINE COMMANDS/UNITS AND
THE ANAM OPERATIONS CENTER.
5.  TASKS.  COMMANDERS WILL REQUEST AND SCHEDULE BASELINE
PRE-DEPLOYMENT NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENT EVOLUTIONS PER PARAGRAPH 4
TO COINCIDE WITH THE PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING PLAN.  COMMAND
REPRESENTATIVES WILL INFORM NAVY MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY AND/OR
DEPLOYMENT HEALTH CENTERS OF ALL NCAT/ANAM EVOLUTIONS TO ALLOW NAVY
MEDICAL COMMANDERS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN FOR AND SUPPORT
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS.
6.  THIS IS A NEW INITIATIVE TO MANAGE BASELINE PRE-DEPLOYMENT
NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS.  A SURGE IN SCREENING REQUESTS TO THE
ANAM OPERATIONS CENTER IS ANTICIPATED.  NONETHELESS, THIS SCREENING
IS A REQUIREMENT; WAIVERS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.  THE GOAL IS 100
PERCENT TESTING CAPTURE OF DEPLOYING MARINES AND SAILORS AS
IDENTIFIED ON THE RESPECTIVE COMMAND BATTLE ROSTER.
7.  THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HUMAN OPERATOR PERFORMANCE (C-SHOP)
IS THE SUPPORT CONTRACTOR SELECTED TO PROVIDE INTERIM/INITIAL
BASELINE TESTING SERVICES FOR DOD.  THE AOC COORDINATES LOGISTICAL
RESOURCES TO FACILITATE TESTING FOR DEPLOYING SERVICE MEMBERS.  THE
DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION PROVIDES
LOGISTICAL OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE ASD(HA)
DIRECTIVE.  THE DEFENSE AND VETERANS BRAIN INJURY CENTER (DVBIC) IS
DESIGNATED AS THE MANAGER FOR THE NCAT RESPONSIBLE FOR DOD WIDE
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION, AND THE OFFICE OF THE ARMY SURGEON GENERAL
(OTSG) IS DESIGNATED AS THE PROPONENCY OFFICE FOR REHABILITATION AND
INTEGRATION WITH THIS DOD-WIDE PROGRAM.  SPECIFIC POINTS OF CONTACT
ARE AS FOLLOWS.
A.  ANAM OPERATIONS CENTER:  MS. LIZ ANDREWS, 703-981-8275, EMAIL:
ANAM.OPERATIONS@AMEDD.ARMY.MIL
B.  CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HUMAN OPERATOR PERFORMANCE (C-SHOP),
405-325-7467, EMAIL: C-SHOP@OU.EDU
C.  DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION, LCDR
STEPHEN J. POPIELARZ, MSC, USN, 703-784-3608, EMAIL:
STEPHEN.POPIELARZ@USMC.MIL.
D.  THE OTSG PROPONENCY OFFICE FOR REHABILITATION & REINTEGRATION,
703-681-3051.
8.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM THE DVBIC,
WWW.DVBIC.ORG; AND THE DEFENSE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE (DCOE),
WWW.DCOE.HEALTH.MIL WEB SITES.//