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Line of Duty (LOD) Reports
Q: What is an LOD? A: Line of Duty (LOD) determination is an administrative tool for determining a Soldier’s duty status at the time of injury, illness, disability, or death. Eligibility to determine entitlements and benefits authorized by the Army National Guard will be determined by LOD determination. The LOD determination is based on the onset of the condition and not the existence of symptoms.
Q: How do I know if I qualify for a LOD? A: A Soldier may qualify for line of duty care if you incur or aggravate an injury, illness, or disease while in the line of duty (performing ADT, IDT, drill weekend, or any other training while on orders). This includes when traveling directly to or from your place of duty.
Q: When is an LOD determination required? A: The LOD process will be initiated when a Soldier, regardless of medical disposition (emergency room, urgent care, or non-urgent care; hospital admission), sustains an injury or contracts an illness or disease that results in any of the following: • Inability to perform military duties for more than 24 hours • Likelihood of permanent disability • Death • Medical treatment, regardless of the Soldier’s ability to perform military duties • Likelihood that Soldier will apply for incapacitation pay
Q: What are the Soldier’s responsibilities to require a LOD determination? A: SEEK TREATMENT FIRST! When a Soldier sustains an injury or contracts an illness while in a military duty status, he, or she needs to seek medical treatment at a treatment facility before anything else. In the event of a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency care, contact the immediate supervisor or unit commander. A Soldier involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) will need to obtain a copy of the police report and submit it to the unit. It is the Soldier’s responsibility to provide to their unit, the provider signed copy of DA 2173 and corresponding medical documentation. If a profile is needed the unit MUST request a profile through the BDE’s Medical Readiness NCO. It is also the Soldiers responsibility to report medical conditions that effect medical readiness to their commander.
Q: How soon after an injury or illness, should the Soldier begin the process for an LOD determination? A: All injuries or illness sustained while on military status must be reported within 24 hours after seeing a medical provider for treatment. For non-emergency care, Soldiers must report a condition incurred or aggravated while on military duty status within 180 days after release from active duty (AD) or inactive duty for training (IDT) and provide relevant supporting documentation within five working days.
Q: Will the Army cover all medical expenses related to a Soldier’s injury or illness? A: All emergency or urgent medical care, regardless of type of treatment facility where care was provided, are covered if the injury or illness occurred in an authorized duty status. All follow-up appointments, visits, or prescriptions must be coordinated with the Medical Actions DHA-GL Program Manager PRIOR TO obtaining further, TRICARE-covered care. Prior authorizations for bill payment and follow-on care MUST be obtained.
Q: What is the process for an LOD? Step 1: The ill or injured Soldier must alert their supervisor or commander an injury or illness has occurred, the supervisor/commander should complete blocks 1 thru 8 of DA 2173 and send this document with the Soldier to receive medical treatment; if applicable. Step 2: The Attending Physician, Hospital Patient Administrator, Unit Admin/Readiness, or SARC is required to complete blocks 9 thru 24 and return DA Form 2173 to the Soldier along with medical documentation. Step 3: The Soldier provides the unit representative or commander with the DA Form 2173 and medical documentation. The unit representative initiates the LOD in the electronic LOD module (eMMPS) in MEDCHART and the commander or SARC then completes blocks 25 thru 41, signs in block 39. Step 4: The unit representative uploads the signed DA Form 2173, medical documents, orders or drill roster, and all required documentation within eMMPS. Step 5: The electronic version of the LOD continues processing until adjudication at the National Guard Bureau.
Q: What is the Unit's responsibility? A: It is the unit commander’s responsibility to ensure the DA Form 2173 is completed, uploaded into eMMPS with all supporting documentation, and processed in a timely manner. For both formal and informal LOD’s, once the unit has received the LOD packet, it should be signed, uploaded, and forwarded to the MSC. According to IAW AR 600-8-4 the timeline for completing an informal investigation is no more than 60 days. (3-2 page 15)
Q: How long does a Soldier have to request a LOD? A: In general, Soldiers have up to 180 days after completion of the qualified duty status to request a LOD.
Q: What are Pre-Approved LOD’s? LOD’s completed and approved at a training site (Basic/AIT) or at an Active-Duty Base may be uploaded as pre-approved LOD’s.
Q: What are Formal LOD’s? A: Any injury, disease, death, motor vehicle or medical condition that occurs under strange or doubtful circumstances or which may be due to misconduct or willful negligence and all motor vehicle accidents must be a formal LOD.
Q: What is the regulation that governs LODs? A: AR 600-8-4, dated 12 November 2020
Q: What form is used to document the LOD injury? A: DA Form 2173 Q: What are the possible findings for an LOD determination? A: Currently, the below are the three most common findings: • In Line of Duty: presumed unless disease, death, illness, or injury occurred while Soldier was absent without leave (AWOL) or as a result of Soldier’s misconduct • Not In Line of Duty, Due to Own Misconduct: formal investigation determined that the Soldier’s illness, injury, disease, or death was proximately caused by the Soldier’s own misconduct (regardless of whether Soldier was AWOL) • Not In Line of Duty, Not Due to Own Misconduct: formal investigation determined that the Soldier’s illness, injury, disease, or death occurred while the Soldier was absent from duty
Q: Are LOD determinations final? A: Soldiers may initiate a “one-time” appeal within 30 days of being notified of the LOD determination.
Q: Who can be an Investigating Officer? A: An IO will be a commissioned (no less than O2) or warrant officer (no less than CW2) who is senior in rank to the Soldier being investigated by 6 months.
