Fitness for duty / Limited Duty (LIMDU) boards

Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

Medical officers are often asked to make medical evaluations of service members and recommend to commands whether the service member is fit. Fitness is primarily a term that relates to the disability evaluation system. A complete medical board must be dictated for members of other services, for officers, and for any member with a complicated condition who requires a period of limited duty greater than 8 months. Thus, a finding by the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) that a service member is unfit means that the service member is incapable of performing all the duties required by reason of a diagnosed medical condition. The service member is then rated with a percentage disability, which gives the member that percentage base pay as disability compensation. A rating of disability ensures that the member is eligible for medical care from the Department of Veterans Affairs for that medical condition. Members do not need a disability rating from the military to be eligible for VA health care and benefits.

Medical Evaluation Board

Physicians, usually specialists, will dictate a medical evaluation board (MEB) when they feel a member will not be fit for duty within 16 months. The Medical Boards Office in the MTF’s Patient Administration Department will coordinate the MEB. The MEB package also includes a complete physical examination (PE), non medical assessment (NMA) from the member's commanding officer, line of duty determination/investigation (LODD/LODI) if necessary, Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program (CCEP), (if the member served in the Persian Gulf (Jan 91 to present), complete copy of the outpatient medical record (and inpatient records if applicable), and any addenda from other specialists.

Temporary Limited Duty

You may put any active duty Navy or Marine Corps enlisted member on temporary limited duty by using the NAVMED 6100/5. The physician completes the top portion of the form for all such members with uncomplicated illness or injury and expected return to full duty within 16 months. The recommended periods of limited duty are 8 and/or 16 months, for a total of 16 months for any one condition. This is to allow for adequate time frames for treatment and re-evaluation. You may find the member fit at any period during limited duty. There is currently no limit of temporary limited duty (TLD) per career, but physicians should check with the patient administration department or medical boards supervisors to identify any trends for a particular member before placing them on TLD.

Personality disorders are medical diagnoses that describe long-term patterns of adult behavior and often, but not always, have significant impact on a member's ability to perform his or her job. A psychiatrist or psychologist is the designated competent authority to diagnose these conditions and make recommendations to commands for appropriate administrative disposition. Personality disorders do not rate disability evaluation; therefore, no medical board should be prepared. When you suspect a service member is having trouble due to personality disorder, refer documentation to the Patient Administration Department for a message to be prepared for administrative separation of the member.