By virtue of and pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 414(b) of the Career Compensation Act of 1949, approved October 12, 1949 (Public Law 351, 81st Congress), and as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States, I hereby prescribe the following regulations governing payment of disability retirement pay, hospitalization, and re-examination of members and former members of the uniformed services: SECTION 1. The terms "uniformed services" and "Secretary" as used in these regulations shall have the meaning prescribed therefor by subsections (a) and (f), respectively, of section 102 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949. SEC. 2 (a) Effective as of October 1, 1949, all duties, powers, and functions incident to the payment of disability retirement pay of members or former members of the uniformed services retired for physical disability or receiving disability retirement pay shall, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, be vested in the Secretary concerned. (b) Effective July 1, 1950, all duties, powers, and functions exercised by the Veterans' Administration pursuant to Executive Order No. 8099 of April 28, 1939, as amended by Executive Order No. 8461 of June 28, 1940, relative to the administration of the retirement-pay provisions of section 1 of the act of August 30, 1935, as amended by section 5 of the act of April 3, 1939, 53 Stat. 557, and amendments thereof, shall, as to cases within their respective jurisdictions, be vested in the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force, and thereafter the Veterans' Administration shall not be charged in any case with any further responsibility in the administration of the said retirement-pay provisions. The said Executive Order No. 8099 as amended by the said Executive Order No. 8461 is hereby amended accordingly. SEC. 3. Effective as of October 1, 1949, all duties, powers, and functions incident to the hospitalization and re-examination of members of the uniformed services placed on the temporary disability retired list under the provisions of the Career Compensation Act of 1949 shall be vested in the Secretary concerned. SEC. 4. Effective May 1, 1950, all duties, powers, and functions incident to the hospitalization of members or former members of the uniformed services permanently retired for physical disability or receiving disability retirement pay shall, except as provided n section 5 of this order, be vested in the Secretary concerned: Provided, that all the duties, powers, and functions incident to hospitalization which such members or former members are entitled to and elect to receive in facilities of the Veterans' Administration, other than hospitals under the jurisdiction of the uniformed services, shall be vested in the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs. SEC. 5. Effective May 1, 1950, all duties, powers, and functions incident to the hospitalization of members or former members of the uniformed services permanently retired for physical disability or receiving disability retirement pay who require hospitalization for chronic diseases shall be vested in the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs: Provided, that all duties, powers, and functions incident to the hospitalization of such members or former members who are or have been admitted to hospitals under the jurisdiction of the uniformed services before May 1, 1950, may be exercised by the Secretary concerned until October 1, 1950: And provided further, that for the purposes of this order, the term "chronic diseases" shall be construed to include chronic arthritis, malignancy, psychiatric or neuropsychiatric disorder, paraplegia, tuberculosis, and such other diseases as may be so defined jointly by the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, and the Federal Security administrator and so described in appropriate regulations of the respective departments and agencies concerned. Executive Order No. 9703 of March 12, 1946, prescribing regulations relating to the medical care of certain personnel of the Coast Guard, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Public Health Service, and former Lighthouse Service, is hereby amended to the extent necessary to conform it to the provisions of this section. SEC. 6. Except as provided in section 5 hereof with respect to hospitalization for chronic diseases, nothing in this order shall be construed to affect the duties, powers, and functions of the Public Health Service with respect to hospitalization and medical examination of members and former members of the Coast Guard and the Coast and Geodetic Survey under the Public Health Service Act, approved July 1, 1944 (58 Stat. 682), as amended, and the regulations prescribed by the said Executive Order No. 9703 of March 12, 1946. SEC. 7. Nothing in this order shall be construed to affect the duties, powers, and functions vested in the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs pursuant to the provisions of the act of May 24, 1928, entitled "An Act making eligible for retirement, under certain conditions, officers and former officers of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps of the United States, other than officers of the Regular Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, who incurred physical disability in line of duty while in the service of the United States during the World War" (45 Stat. 735, as amended), or by or pursuant to the act of September 26, 1941, entitled "An Act to provide retirement pay and hospital benefits to certain Reserve officers, Army of the United States, disabled while on active duty" (55 Stat. 733). HARRY S. TRUMAN
THE WHITE HOUSE, #signature
April 14, 1950
