Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 3.djvu/190

 112 STAT. 2020 PUBLIC LAW 105-261—OCT. 17, 1998 (1) with respect to the Department of the Army, the Army Review Boards Agency; (2) with respect to the Department of the Navy, the Board for Correction of Naval Records; and (3) with respect to the Department of the Air Force, the Air Force Review Boards Agency. SEC. 542. PROFESSIONAL STAFF. (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Chapter 79 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: "(a) The Secretary of each military department shall assign to the staff of the service review agency of that military department at least one attorney and at least one physician. Such assignments shall be made on a permanent, full-time basis and may be made from members of the armed forces or civilian employees. "(b) Personnel assigned pursuant to subsection (a)— "(1) shall work under the supervision of the director or executive director (as the case may be) of the service review agency; and "(2) shall be assigned duties as advisers to the director or executive director or other staff members on legal and medical matters, respectively, that are being considered by the agency. "(c) In this section, the term 'service review agency means— "(1) with respect to the Department of the Army, the Army Review Boards Agency; "(2) with respect to the Department of the Navy, the Board for Correction of Naval Records; and "(3) with respect to the Department of the Air Force, the Air Force Review Boards Agency.". (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: "1555. Professional staff.". 10 USC 1555 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE. —Section 1555 of title 10, United States note. Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 543. EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS. (a) IN GENERAL.— (1) Chapter 79 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding sifter section 1555, as added by section 542(a)(1), the following new section: "§ 1556. Ex parte communications prohibited "(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of each military department shall ensure that an applicant seeking corrective action by the Army Review Boards Agency, the Air Force Review Boards Agency, or the Board for Correction of Naval Records, as the case may be, is provided a copy of all correspondence and communications (including summaries of verbal communications) to or from the agency or board, or a member of the staff of the agency or board, with an entity or person outside the agency or board that pertain directly to the applicant's case or have a material effect on the applicant's case. " (b) EXCEPTIONS.— Subsection (a) does not apply to the following:
 * § 1555. Professional staff

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