Requirement for annual large-scale combat casualty estimation report

(a) Purpose The purpose of this section is to ensure that the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Joint Staff Surgeon and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, maintains accurate, comprehensive, and validated estimates of potential casualties in major combat operations to inform readiness, medical planning, and policy decisions. (b) Report required (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until September 30, 2032, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on projected casualties of the Armed Forces in large-scale combat operations. (2) Frequency Reports under paragraph (1) may be required more frequently upon request of the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives. (c) Coordination Each report required under subsection (b) shall be prepared in coordination with— (1) the Joint Staff Surgeon; (2) the Director of the Defense Health Agency; and (3) the Surgeon General of each military department. (d) Content of report Each report required under subsection (b) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) Projected casualty estimates (including those killed, wounded, and missing and including non-battle injuries) for major combat scenarios consistent with the national defense strategy required under section 113(g) of title 10, United States Code, and joint operational planning assumptions. (2) An assessment of the capacity of the medical system, including— (A) deployable hospital beds, evacuation assets, and blood supply; (B) trauma team and medical personnel availability; and (C) contingency staffing plans under mass casualty scenarios. (3) A force health protection capability assessment, including preventive medicine, immunization, and disease outbreak mitigation plans. (4) A joint trauma system integration assessment, including lessons learned and expected survivability outcomes under projected casualty scenarios. (5) An identification of data sources and methodology, including assumptions, models, and validation procedures used to generate casualty estimates. (6) A description of gaps in capabilities and an identification of recommendations, including recommendations for resource or policy requirements, to mitigate projected shortfalls. (e) Form of report (1) In general Each report required under subsection (b) shall be submitted in classified form, with a summary in unclassified form suitable for congressional oversight. (2) Protection of classified data The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that classified data included in a report submitted under subsection (b) is properly safeguarded and that methodologies are appropriately documented for internal and congressional review.