DAFI 36-3212: PHYSICAL EVALUATION FOR RETENTION, RETIREMENT AND…

DAFI 36-3212 — index record

Number	DAFI 36-3212
Title	PHYSICAL EVALUATION FOR RETENTION, RETIREMENT AND SEPARATION
Published	February 22, 2024
Certified current	February 22, 2024
Office of primary responsibility	AF/A1
Issued by	Headquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the index	Current
Last index action	UpdateContact, August 13, 2026
Source index	Air Force e-Publishing
Index last read	October 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (55 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

and Basics of the Disability Evaluation System (DES). To maintain a fit and vital force, the SecAF may remove service members from duty who (1) can no longer perform the duties of their office, grade, rank or rating; (2) whose medical conditions represent a decided or obvious medical risk to themselves or others, or (3) whose medical conditions impose unreasonable requirements on the military to protect or maintain their health or safety. Service members, who meet one or more of these criteria, are referred to the DES for a fitness for duty assessment. The DES determines if the service member is fit to be returned to duty or unfit for continued military service. When deemed unfit, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) transitions the member from service and, as appropriate, provides compensation when the member’s military career ends due to a physical disability (refer to DoDI 1332.18, Section 1). 1.1.1. The DES Roadmap is depicted in Figure 1.1.

Summary of changes, as printed

This change incorporates numerous changes, additions and deletions pursuant of the Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1332.18, Disability Evaluation System (DES) and publication of Department of Defense Manual (DoDM) 1332.18, Vol 1, Disability Evaluation System (DES) Manual: Processes, providing updated guidance for the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) and Legacy Disability Evaluation System (LDES) process for Regular Air Force (RegAF), and Space Force (USSF), and Air Reserve Component (ARC) members, the Limited Assignment Status (LAS) program and Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) process. Major changes include delineating procedures, roles and responsibilities for dual action cases, adding procedures for MAJCOM/FLDCOM/CC’s appeals to unfit determinations and the FPEB appeal hearing requirement.

Chapter 1—GENERAL PROVISIONSp. 9
Chapter 3—THE PHYSICAL EVALUATION BOARD (PEB)p. 22
Section 3A—PEB Establishmentp. 22
Section 3B—PEB Decisionsp. 24
Section 3C—Informal PEB Proceduresp. 29
Section 3D—Formal PEB Proceduresp. 31
Section 3E—VA Rating Reconsiderationp. 37
Chapter 4—EVALUATION OF AIR RESERVE COMPONENT (ARC) MEMBERSp. 38
Section 4A—General Guidelinesp. 38
Section 4B—Administrative Processingp. 39
Section 4C—Special PEB Waiver and Disposition Processingp. 39
Section 4D—Final Dispositionp. 41
Section 4E—ARC Non-Duty Related Conditionsp. 42
Chapter 5—FINAL REVIEW AND DISPOSITIONp. 44
Section 5A—Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council (SAFPC)p. 44
Section 5B—DoD Review and Approvalp. 47
Section 5C—Final Separation or Retirement Processingp. 47
Chapter 6—PERSONNEL PROCESSING ACTIONSp. 53
Section 6A—Administrative Controlsp. 53
Section 6B—Disability Retirement or Discharge Processing by the Servicing FSSp. 55
Chapter 7—LIMITED ASSIGNMENT STATUS (LAS)p. 57
Section 7A—Purpose and Eligibilityp. 57
Section 7B—LAS Processingp. 58
Section 7C—LAS Reevaluationp. 61
Section 8A—Purpose and Scope of Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL)p. 62
Section 8B—TDRL Reevaluationsp. 62
Section 8C—Review by Informal and Formal PEBp. 66
Section 8D—AFPC Disposition Actionsp. 69
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 71

All 120 contents entries

Chapter 1—GENERAL PROVISIONSp. 9
1.1. Purpose and Basics of the Disability Evaluation System (DES)p. 9
1.2. Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 10
1.3. Criteria for Referralp. 12
1.4. Eligibility for Disability Evaluationp. 12
1.5. Referral Decision Authorityp. 14
1.6. Dual Action Case Processingp. 14
1.7. Processing Special Casesp. 16
1.8. Delay of DES Processingp. 17
1.9. Benefitsp. 17
1.10. Disability Ratingsp. 17
1.11. DAF and VA Ratingsp. 18
1.12. Medical Holdp. 18
1.13. Incompetent Service Membersp. 18
1.14. Approval by Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)p. 18
1.15. Special Ordersp. 18
1.16. Timelinessp. 18
2.1. Medical Evaluation Boards (MEB)p. 19
2.2. Role of the Healthcare Provider in the MEB Processp. 19
2.3. Role of Medical Officers in the MEB Processp. 19
2.4. Role of the PEBLOp. 19
2.5. Role of the VA Military Service Coordinatorp. 19
2.6. Role of Commanderp. 19
2.7. Hospitalization During or After Disability Evaluationp. 20
2.8. Recall of a Case from the PEBp. 20
2.9. DES Process for Catastrophic Conditions/Combat-Related Causesp. 21
2.10. Referral for Pre-Separation Counselingp. 21
Chapter 3—THE PHYSICAL EVALUATION BOARD (PEB)p. 22
Section 3A—PEB Establishmentp. 22
3.1. Purpose of PEBp. 22
3.2. Legal Basis for Formal Hearingsp. 22
3.3. Training of PEB Membersp. 22
3.4. Permanent and Alternate Members of the PEBp. 22
3.5. PEB Compositionp. 22
3.6. Restrictions on PEB Membershipp. 23
3.7. Self-Disqualificationp. 23
3.8. Unlawful Influencep. 23
Section 3B—PEB Decisionsp. 24
3.9. Findings and Recommendationsp. 24
3.10. MEB Case File Adequacyp. 24
3.11. Fitness Determinationsp. 24
3.12. Presumption of Fitnessp. 24
3.13. Determining Compensable Disabilitiesp. 25
3.14. Categorizing Compensable Ratable Physical Defects and Conditionsp. 25
3.15. Stabilityp. 25
3.16. Combat Related/Combat Zone Determinationsp. 25
3.17. Recommended Dispositionp. 26
3.18. Disability Rating for LDES and TRDL casesp. 27
3.19. Documenting Findings and Recommendationsp. 27
3.20. PEB Remarksp. 28
3.21. Documenting Service Member's Electionp. 28
Section 3C—Informal PEB Proceduresp. 29
3.22. Informal PEB Reviewp. 29
3.23. Informal PEB Timelinep. 29
3.24. Informal PEB Findingsp. 29
3.25. Designated Representative Counselingp. 30
Section 3D—Formal PEB Proceduresp. 31
3.26. Special Review by the Informal PEBp. 31
3.27. Purpose of the Formal PEB Hearingp. 31
3.28. Situations That Require a Formal Hearingp. 32
3.29. MAJCOM/FLDCOM/CC’s appeals to unfit determinationsp. 33
3.30. PEBLO Actionsp. 33
3.31. Actions Preceding the Formal Hearing. Prior to the hearing, AFPC/DPFDF:p. 33
3.32. Failure to Appear for a Formal Hearingp. 34
3.33. Waiver of Formal Appealp. 35
3.34. Representation by Legal Counselp. 35
3.35. Designated Counselp. 35
3.36. Special Casesp. 36
3.37. Formal Hearing Instructionsp. 36
3.38. Actions Following Formal Hearingp. 36
Section 3E—VA Rating Reconsiderationp. 37
3.39. New Diagnosis Following PEB Processingp. 37
3.40. Requesting VA Rating Reconsiderationp. 37
Chapter 4—EVALUATION OF AIR RESERVE COMPONENT (ARC) MEMBERSp. 38
Section 4A—General Guidelinesp. 38
4.1. Purposep. 38
4.2. Eligibility for Disability Evaluation Processingp. 38
4.3. Ineligibility for Disability Processingp. 38
4.4. Misconductp. 38
4.5. Duty and Pay Status:p. 38
Section 4B—Administrative Processingp. 39
Section 4C—Special PEB Waiver and Disposition Processingp. 39
4.6. Movement of Memberp. 39
4.7. Case Records for the PEBp. 39
4.8. Case Processingp. 39
4.9. Other Administrative Actionsp. 39
4.10. Movement of Member to Formal PEBp. 39
4.11. Waiver of PEB Action for Existed Prior to Service Casesp. 39
4.12. Waiver Processingp. 40
4.13. Disposition of Ineligible Memberp. 40
Section 4D—Final Dispositionp. 41
4.14. Disposition of Eligible Memberp. 41
4.15. Final AFPC Processing After PEB Dispositionp. 41
Section 4E—ARC Non-Duty Related Conditionsp. 42
4.16. Inactive Status List Transfersp. 42
4.17. Eligibilityp. 42
4.18. Case Processingp. 42
4.19. Cases Unable to Be Adjudicatedp. 43
4.20. Documenting Findingsp. 43
4.21. Service Member Electionp. 43
4.22. Other Entitlementsp. 43
Chapter 5—FINAL REVIEW AND DISPOSITIONp. 44
Section 5A—Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council (SAFPC)p. 44
5.1. Special Assistants to the Director, SAFPCp. 44
5.2. When Special Assistants May Actp. 44
5.3. Composition of Air Force Personnel Board (AFPB)p. 45
Section 5B—DoD Review and Approvalp. 47
Section 5C—Final Separation or Retirement Processingp. 47
Chapter 6—PERSONNEL PROCESSING ACTIONSp. 53
Section 6A—Administrative Controlsp. 53
Section 6B—Disability Retirement or Discharge Processing by the Servicing FSSp. 55
Chapter 7—LIMITED ASSIGNMENT STATUS (LAS)p. 57
Section 7A—Purpose and Eligibilityp. 57
Section 7B—LAS Processingp. 58
Section 7C—LAS Reevaluationp. 61
Section 8A—Purpose and Scope of Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL)p. 62
Section 8B—TDRL Reevaluationsp. 62
Section 8C—Review by Informal and Formal PEBp. 66
Section 8D—AFPC Disposition Actionsp. 69
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 71

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DAFI 36-3212

DAFI 36-3212 — index record

From the publication itself

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Summary of changes, as printed

Contents

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