10 U.S.C. § 1109: Organ and tissue donor program

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the advanced systems developed for recording armed forces members’ personal data and information (such as the SMARTCARD, MEDITAG, and Personal Information Carrier) include the capability to record organ and tissue donation elections. to each officer candidate during initial training; and after completion by the recruit of basic training; and before arrival of the recruit at the first duty assignment of the recruit; members of the armed forces are given recurring, specific opportunities to elect to be organ or tissue donors during service in the armed forces and upon retirement; and members of the armed forces electing to be organ or tissue donors are encouraged to advise their next of kin concerning the donation decision and any subsequent change of that decision. appropriate training is provided to enlisted and officer medical personnel to facilitate the effective operation of organ and tissue donation activities under garrison conditions and, to the extent possible, under operational conditions; and medical logistical activities can, to the extent possible without jeopardizing operational requirements, support an effective organ and tissue donation program. Organ and tissue transplantation is one of the most remarkable medical success stories in the history of medicine. Each year, the number of people waiting for organ or tissue transplantation increases. It is estimated that there are approximately 39,000 patients, ranging in age from babies to those in retirement, awaiting transplants of kidneys, hearts, livers, and other solid organs. The Department of Defense has made significant progress in increasing the awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donations among members of the Armed Forces. The inclusion of organ and tissue donor elections in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) central database represents a major step in ensuring that organ and tissue donor elections are a matter of record and are accessible in a timely manner.”